from the LP The Roaring Silence, Warner Bros. Records, 1976A few moths ago I was padding around the kitchen, stoned out of my gourd and preparing some of my special mac-n-cheese (I include a dab of bacon grease & some goat cheese in with the regular cheese), when my cell phone rang & it was my mom calling from her cell phone---a very rare thing. I answered to her ranting about one of modern rock’s funniest quandaries: “…you gotta help me out here, what in the hell are they saying in this song…”? At which point she cranked the volume up in her car so I could make out the song which was giving her such a problem, and a big baked grin spread across my face the moment the track was clear and she continued on with her issue, “…now, I know he can’t be saying ‘douche’, but I swear to God, I’ve been turning it up the last few times I’ve heard this on the radio and it’s just been driving me crazy…what the hell is he talking about?!” This number, written & originally performed by Bruce Springsteen, is probably one of the most commonly misquoted songs in rock history, with most people continuing to sing the wrong lyrics even after learning the correct ones, because it’s funner (I realize that’s not a word). The actual lines read, “…revved up like a deuce…”, referring to a 1932 Ford hot rod, although one has to think that Manfred Mann tried pretty damn hard to make it sound like he was saying, “…wrapped up like a douche…” I can clearly see my mom driving around with a confused look on her face, driving her nuts each time she heard this song until she just had to call me up. She does really enjoy that song overall though, and my guess as to why that might be the case centers on my own favorite lines in the song, “…mama always told not to look into the eyes of the sun, but mama, that’s where the fun is…” Today is her birthday, and although we’ve gone through our ups & downs, I have to say that, all things considered, I am a very lucky boy to be able to call her my mom. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!
