Songs That Are Out of Step With The Times

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All of a sudden, out of the blue, snippets of a very old song went through my head. I "Googled" it, and found the rest of the lyrics. What struck me was that this song was so out of step with the world today, that to young people, it might be laughable.

I thought about it, and then I realized, that while great songs are timeless, some songs capture the spirit of an era gone by, and have little relevence in the present.

Quote:

Homework

I'm so tired of working in an office
And it's making me blue
There is work that don't require an office
That I'm anxious to do

Homework, I want to do homework
Instead of an office, I want to work home

Staying at home and crocheting
And meekly obeying
The guy who comes home

A cozy kitchen to be in there pitchin'
Is the thing I'm longing to do
To be there learning when a steak needs turning
And just what goes into a stew

Homework, I want to do homework
A genius who sits and plans with pots and pans at home
A genius who bakes a pie that keeps a guy at home

Homework, I want to do homework
Instead of an office, I want to work home

Messing around with French dressing
And slightly impressing
The guy who comes home

I long to settle with a steaming kettle
And a frying pan and a pot
And be the keeper of a carpet sweeper
That's the one ambition I've got

Homework, I want to do homework
A genius who has a way that makes him stay at home
A genius who has what takes that makes or breaks a home

Homework, I want to do homework
Instead of an office, I want to work home

Patching his trousers and matching
The part that keeps scratching
The guy who comes home

A table wiper who can change a diaper
Is the thing I'd like to be best
And be the master of a mustard plaster
When the cold goes down to his chest

Homework, I want to do homework
A genius who does her part so he don't start to roam
A genius who earns her keep that makes him sleep at home

http://www.ostlyrics.com/read.php?sid=5382

What songs do YOU know, that might have been popular when they first were written, but would have little meaning for people today?

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Heh! Heh! You sure you want to hear mine, Phoenix?

From memory:

I feel bad,
I feel bum,
Gee I wish that spring would come.
Cause I gotta code in my nose.
I gotta code in my nose.

Went to see the doctor,
Asked him what to do.
Lordy, help the doctor.
Cause he then said
I got one too, sooooooo

We lay down,
Side by side.
I'm still here but the doctor died.
And I've got a code in my nose
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I've got a code in my nose.

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Oh... my... gawd.

Was it at least, like, a parody? (I don't think so, but hoping.)

Wow!

When does that date from?

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Quote:

Mairzy doats and dozy doats
And liddle lamzy divey,
A kiddlely divey too, wouldn't you?
Mairzy doats and dozy doats
And liddle lamzy divey,
A kiddlely divey too, wouldn't you?

If the words sound queer and funny to your ear,
A little bit jumbled and jivey,
Sing "mares eat oats and does eat oats
And little lambs eat ivy."

Mairzy doats and dozy doats
And liddle lamzy divey,
A kiddlely divey too, wouldn't you?
Mairzy doats and dozy doats
And liddle lamzy divey,
A kiddlely divey too, wouldn't you?
A kiddlely divey too, wouldn't you?

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Soz- It took me awhile, but I finally found a link to "Miss Liberty", a play that from 1949. The music was written by Irving Berlin.

Link to Miss Liberty

Remember, in 1949, the guys had been home from WWII a few years. Women, who had worked during the war, were back home, and being a housewife was considered the ultimate ideal for a woman.

If you look at the words, you can really see how different attitudes are towards women, marriage, and the relationship of men and women than they are today.

What bothers me, is that there are some, on the fundamentalist right, who would think that this song is fine and dandy!

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Soz, I have no idea where that song came from. In my family, we didn't talk, we sang. Razz

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Oh, was referring to Phoenix's, Letty.

Marizy doats is cool, I've heard of that.

Phoenix, thanks for looking it up. That's kind of exactly the anti Rosie the Riveter song, isn't it? OK gals, you had your spot of working but now it's time to do what you're really meant for.

I especially love the repeated reference to doing what's necessary to keep him at home, so he doesn't stray. 'Cause if he strays it's the woman's fault of course.

Bleh!!

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Soz- I don't remember this one, but it was in the show, and I looked it up.

Quote:

You Can Have Him

[Maizie:]
You can have him
I don't want him
He's not worth fighting for
Besides there's plenty more where he came from
I don't want him
You can have him
I'm giving him the sack
And he can go right back where he came from
I could never make him happy
He'd be better off with you
I'm afraid I never loved him
All I ever wanted to do was

Run my fingers thru his curly locks
Mend his underwear and darn his socks
Fetch his slippers and remove his shoes
Wipe his glasses when he read the news
Rub his forehead with a gentle touch
Mornings after when he's had too much
Kiss him gently when he cuddled near
Give him babies one for ev'ry year, so you see
I don't want him, you can have him
You can have him, I don't want him
For he's not the man for me

[Monique:]
You can have him
I don't want him
He's not worth fighting for
Besides there's plenty more where he came from
I don't want him
You can have him
He isn't my concern
And he can just return where he came from
I would look a trifle silly
Taking him away from you
That was never my intention
All I ever wanted to do was

Close the window while he soundly slept
Raid the icebox where the food is kept
Cook a breakfast that would please him most
Eggs and coffee and some buttered toast
Wake him gently with a breakfast tray
After breakfast clear the things away
Bring the papers and when they've been read
Spend the balance of the day in bed, so you see
I don't want him, you can have him
You can have him, I don't want him
For he's not the man for me

Double Bleh!

I find the whole idea of music illustrating the mores of the times fascinating, especially when I lived through the era.

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Mairzy not marizy (typo)...

That one's more familiar, Phoenix, 'specially these lines:

Quote:

Run my fingers thru his curly locks
Mend his underwear and darn his socks
Fetch his slippers and remove his shoes
Wipe his glasses when he read the news

Oy!

(I can't suss out the irony content -- I think I see a little.)

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Soz- Nowadays, a song like that would be perceived as an insult by women. In those days, the attitude in that song was the norm, and women bought into it.

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Didn't Nina Simone sing that song? Somehow the lyrics don't seem so bad when she's singing them.

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Songs That Are Out of Step With The Times

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