Mungo Jerry: sexist and irresponsible
I was driving along in my car the other day, as you do, when what should come on the radio but that anthem of the summer "In The Summertime" by Mungo Jerry. Here's a suitably cheesy song fit for a summer's day, thought I, and turned the volume up (it's OK, I have air con - the windows were wound up and so no one could hear what I was listening to).
Anyway, singing along...
Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh, uh Chh chh-chh
In the summertime when the weather is hot You can stretch right up and touch the sky When the weather's fine You got women, you got women on your mind Have a drink, have a drive Go out and see what you can find
If her daddy's rich take her out for a meal If her daddy's poor just do what you feel
*SPLUTTER*
Speed along the lane Do a Ton or a Ton an'-Twenty five When the un goes down You can make it, make it good in a lay-by
*AAGHH*
What pure evil is this? Drinking and driving? Speeding down lanes? Girls with rich farther's get shown some respect, but do what you like with girls from poor families!
I don't think so Mr Jerry!
I mean I'm all for swimmin' in the sea and wearing bright clothes, but I don't think hot weather is any excuse for espousing the sexual exploitation of the working class female, and certainly not whilst drunk and breaking the speed limits!
I mean. Really.
Next time this song comes on my radio, I shall turn it off forthwith.
6 comments:
Even back in 1970 we thought that was outrageous (and funny - we were 16).
Strange thing is, I was listening to Radio XL (Birmingham Asian radio, 1295 am - some great music) the other day, and they had an English-language song on with very similar lyrics - where you treated the girl differently if she were middle class ...
Of course, no chap would ever treat women differently according to their wealth or class, would they now ?
I would :(
I've got an appropriate joke relevant to this issue but it's so beyond the pale that even mesell won't tell it here.
Saw MJ in the early 80s when he was still doing the university rounds. He was still good. Does anybody actually listen to pop lyrics? Will men ever behave in ways they should? Will women ditto?Bwahahahaha
Call me naive, but I always assumed that "do what you feel" meant what you felt was appropriate for that girl - funfair, pub, fish and chips on the seafront, etc.
is it not appropriate to take working class girls for meals though? why does only the middle class girl get a meal?
Perhaps Mr Jerry felt that middle class girls simply expect to be taken out for a meal - while working class girls appreciate a bit of creativity...
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