-
If I Needed Someone
-
Neither can I… I just found it interesting that you mentioned an Ottawa radio station CFRA in your post…
-
Like I said the lyrics to “Run for your life” is morbid and offensive to some. There is a huge mural near where I work in an area of town called Gastown. It’s a huge picture of a 70s riot. It’s a violent scene, but from the artists perspective it’s a vivid expression of an event of perhaps what he or she saw and felt at the time. One can pass judgement on it for its appropriateness in a public place,, but nevertheless it is quite impactful. Perhaps John or George was having a particularly frustrating time when this song was written, and this is how they expressed it in art form.
-
I understand what you are saying Jung. However, there’s a huge difference between representing a historical act of violence through art and actually threatening to undertake a violent act in the lyrics of a song. One of the big differences, I feel, between ‘Norwegian Wood’ and ‘Run For Your Life’ is that while there is an element of frustration and anger expressed in both, in ‘Norwegian Wood’ it is merely implied and the implied violence is directed at property, not people.
John Lennon (the writer) was going through a frustrating time. However, he actually acknowledged later that it was the song he most regretted writing. According to him, it was George Harrison’s favourite song at the time.
-
Don’t get me wrong Howard, I mean the lyrics are absolutely dreadful/evil, but the song itself if you kind of ignore the lyrics, is actually quite humorous and interesting, especially the way they round up the “d” on “…end”.  It’s almost like they are playing a joke with this song, hanging such an enchanting tune on such morbid lyrics. Guaranteed to raise eyebrows and cause a stir. I can’t help but find the tune charming, and the guitar licks quite pleasant to hear. I guess a little George Harrison got into me, and it looks like Nancy Sinatra fancied it enough to do her version of it.
“If I Needed Someone”, and “Run For Your Life” are the last two tracks of Rubber Soul, and kind of rounds out the great album in a pleasant “One Two” punch ending for me, with a thorny ending.
The Beatles certainly weren’t angels, but they could take you from an angelic “Let It Be” to a a thorny “Run For Your Life”, quite a bit of depth in their repertoire, and they never repeated themselves. They could do it all. Perhaps that’s why they were so great.
-
I remember first hearing ‘Run For Your Life’ in the sixties through the Beatles cartoon series on TV. It was done in a very comical way and no one, at least no one I knew, took it seriously. It was just a bit of fun. However, over the years, as people have looked more seriously at the lyrics of songs from the sixties, attitudes have changed regarding the lyrics at least.
Some of my favourite Rolling Stones songs from the same period (‘Aftermath’ album), could now be considered to be quite misogynistic too. “Under My Thumb” and “Stupid Girl” for example. It was just the nature of the times and the nature of Rock and Roll music. I wasn’t moralising about any of those songs, or any of the Beatles. As a teenager, I didn’t see anything wrong with them. However, now, just like Lennon did, I can see them in a more enlightened way.
I certainly don’t want to spoil your enjoyment of the song, just the same as I can still enjoy listening to particular Jagger/Richards compositions from the same period even though now they might be considered not PC.
-
Here’s another song that might fit into that category, although it was clearly without malicious intent. Wikipedia summarizes it better than I can:
“‘He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)’ is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King for girl group the Crystals under the guidance of Phil Spector in 1962. Goffin and King wrote the song after discovering that their babysitter and singer Little Eva was being regularly beaten by her boyfriend. When they inquired why she tolerated such treatment, Eva replied, with complete sincerity, that her boyfriend’s actions were motivated by his love for her.
“Upon its initial release, ‘He Hit Me’ received some airplay, but then there was a widespread protest of the song, with many concluding that the song was an endorsement of spousal abuse. Soon, the song was played only rarely on the radio, as now.
“Carole King said… that she was sorry she had ever had anything to do with the song. She was a survivor of repeated domestic abuse (but not from Goffin, who had been her husband from 1959 to 1969).”
-
-
Howard, David. I think you bring some good examples to light. While art is a form of profound expression, it can be mis-interpreted by some as an endorsement of the subject, and if the lyrics of a song happens to be misogynistic for example, that can be problematic.  I think the fine line between the principle that artists should be able to freely express whatever they want, and social irresponsibility can get blurred sometimes. You can’t forget judgement.
On a different note, in that recent MLT rehearsal for Mike Masse video in Mona or Lisa’s bedroom that short practice run of “Nowhere Man” was just delightful. Loved their harmonies. That would be another great Beatles cover.
-
I actually have some personal experience with this issue. I’m a teacher, and I’ve written a number of humorous song parodies about the frustrations of my job. In the 1990’s I would occasionally have a little fun and sing one of them for my class, and the one that got the most laughs was a parody of the Wizard of Oz song “If I Only Had A Brain”, called “If I Only Had A Gun”. It was about a teacher who was at his wits’ end over a class that wouldn’t behave, imagining how attentive they would suddenly become if he brought a pistol to class.
It might seem tone-deaf now, but this was years before the Columbine incident, when school shootings, while not unknown, were not a topic that people had a visceral reaction to, and the idea of a teacher with a gun just seemed hilariously ludicrous. It probably helped that I had a reputation of being an incredibly gentle person who wouldn’t harm a fly. (And it’s literally true: I always try to shoo a fly out the door rather than swat it.)
Anyway, about ten years ago I attended a state-wide community college teachers’ workshop, and in one activity we shared ideas about special “tricks” we had developed to improve the student experience. I mentioned my parodies, and everyone was intrigued. I didn’t have an opportunity to sing one, but later I e-mailed the lyrics of the gun song to all the participants. Big mistake!
One of the teachers informed me by e-mail that she was horrified. I defended myself, invoking examples such as Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and of course “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”. She responded by alerting her college president, who alerted MY college president, who required that I issue an apology to everyone at the conference. I was heartened, though, when several attendees e-mailed me back to say that they enjoyed the song and were furious that I had been made to apologize for it.
So yes, I’m very sensitive now to the ever-changing nature of social taboos. I haven’t “erased” the song, but I’m always careful to preface it with a contextual explanation whenever I choose to share it.
-
-
It’s surprising sometimes where a post can go!!! I started out talking about Ricks and guitar riffs and we went to No Reply (A stalker song), Norwegian Wood (Hey!! Let’s burn down a house!!), and Run For Your Life (You are dead …… hopefully only dead to me….. if you go with another guy). But, that’s one of the good things about a forum. The responses can go just about anywhere. Mike.
-
Yes…. How something can just take off with a life of it’s own…. Now I’m intrigued and interested in hearing the lyrics of the parodies…. It’s kind of a shame how people’s perceptions of things can go from one extreme to the other though the initial intent was for the good/funny but instead went awry…. Re: “If I Had A Brain” parody…
I’ve been down that misintrepretion /perception road from both ends… And I see how one word or two can go wonky in how it’s perceived on its context from someone else ‘s eyes/mind when in fact how they thought of it as was not the case at all…. I admit that sometimes how I think of something in my mind doesn’ tcalways correlate to paper /written firm and thus can cause havoc… Sometimes I’m better at explaining face to face or verbally rather than written…. I’m a visual learner person so I intend to go into detail and kind of be descriptive as as I go along…
-
I suppose it would be a good idea to supply the lyrics, so that you can draw your own conclusions. It seemed absurdly silly at the time, but in the context of today’s world it does make me cringe a little. I trust that everything that happens in MLT Club stays in MLT Club: I don’t want to go on another apology tour!
“If I Only Had A Gun” (to the tune of “If I Only Had A Brain”)
With a misbehavin’ student, it may be very prudent
To point out what he’s done.
Yet I feel when I finish that the problem would diminish
If I only had a gun.
While my pistol I was swingin’, I’d tell them I was bringin’
An end to all their fun.
And their eyes would grow bigger as my finger touched the trigger
If I only had a gun.
How fine they’d toe the line! They’d sit still in their seat.
They would never show up late or try to cheat,
Because they’d know I’m packin’ heat.
With a simple squeezin’ motion, I’d earn the deep devotion
Of each and every one.
Ecstasy! Jubilation! They would get an education
If I only had a gun.
-
-
Wow….. That’s quite the parody but I wouldn’t get irate over it like your Co worker or whomever it was had… It can be disturbing as it’s not a typical parody as in its usual comedic tone but yet I can see the slight humour in it too…. So… I’m not offended by it but I can see where others might/wouldand you’re correct in being cautious where/with whom you share this as a result from your experience…. In my opinion… I think the person perhaps overreacted just a tad….but as being said…..Everyone reacts differently to things though the original intent was of no harm but unfortunately didn’t/don’t always get perceived as such…. Then again… I have a sense of humour and at times that can be warped… Thankyou for sharing your parody lyrics.
-
Thanks for your perspective, Jacki. I actually hadn’t contemplated this song in a long time, and the more I think about it, the harder it is for me to relate to why it seemed so innocent 25 years ago.
An analogy might help. Consider how you view “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” now, versus how you would view it if the weapon of choice for all those school attacks had been a hammer applied to the skull. I seriously doubt MLT would have covered the song then!
-
-
True… Today’s social /behavioral climate has shifted substantially from previous years gone by..
Unfortunately violence /bullying/ gun stuff are kind of becoming more commonplace.. Sadly….. Shootings in neighborhoods and schools types of incidents are on the rise…. Even here where I ‘m at…. At least 1-5x a year now a shooting of sorts takes place or stabbing…at night or in broad daylight somewheres in the city or neighborhood thereabouts…. Sometimes gang related or not…….. What I’ d give to have our world as it was 45 – 60 years ago….I can recall as a kid in the 70s through my teen years in the 80s….this kinda of stuff might be on news once in awhile….. There wasn’t the extreme bullying to which sometimes… a sad ending comes… No internet…. Kids played outside with no fear of stuff happening….Times…there a changin…. And the older I get… The faster and more frequent it occurs…
The forum ‘MLT-FAQs’ is closed to new discussions and replies.
