Wednesday, February 21, 2007

I GO DANCING IN, WE GO DANCING IN

Something hit me last week as I was driving on the 5 freeway. Usually when things hit me on the 5 they are tools that flew off some work truck, a loose bumper that fell off of the car in front of me, heavy duty cardboard boxes (all of which have really hit my car on the 5), but this time was different. I was hit by Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer.

This monumental song of the 80's is a declaration of love or infatuation or maybe it was just lust that Peter was after. Look at lyrics such as "You could have a big dipper, Going up and down, all around the bends" and "You could have a steam train, If you'd just lay down your tracks" and the term sexual innuendo is evoked. Then there are statements such as "All you do is call me, I'll be anything you need", "I'm your sledgehammer, Let there be no doubt about it" and "This can be my testimony, I'm your sledgehammer." These lyrics suggest perhaps a more important statement is trying to be made than when that guy in Office Space talks about, "taking a ride on the ol' bone roller coaster." I'm thinking that being one's Sledgehammer (in addition to being a phallic symbol) is someone who will be strong for you. Someone who will always be there for you no matter what. In the song Peter wants to testify that kind of commitment he is willing to make by declaring he wants to be the sledgehammer in that person's life.

What I'm getting to here is that what struck me about the song is that it would be a rad "OUR SONG." When I say "our song" I mean like when a couple has a specific song that holds meaning to their relationship over all other songs. I think in most cases an "our song" is usually something a little less horn crazy and filled with wacky lyrics and if there is a music video for it, it usually is not... well it is no "Sledgehammer" video. That video is in the top 10 videos of all time on a lot of lists for good reason. Why not have an "our song" that has a rad video that supposedly is the most played video on MTV ever. Instead of having to watch the latest romantic comedy to play Louis Armstrong over end credits to hear your song; with "Sledgehammer" you get to dress up in your hottest duds and head on over to the local club/bar that plays dance hits of the 80's or tune into Jack FM or something equivalent to that probably plays that song once an hour.

I can understand if this doesn't make sense for you, the many many masses who read what I write, but it makes sense for me. If I'm ever involved in a meaningful relationship again I hope that Yesica and I will be able to be filled with love whilst dancing like retards and lip synching to Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.