Tuesday, July 21, 2009

REO Speedwagon -- "Keep on Loving You"

First of all, check out this video and tell me that Kevin Cronin (who now apparently favors short spiky dyed-blond hair over this shaggy afro) doesn't look like some kind of goofy love child of Andy Samberg and Michael Showalter. Also, can anyone tell me what game the two band members are playing at about the 1:15 mark? It looks sort of fun.

Etc., etc.!

You should've seen by the look in my eyes, baby / There was somethin' missin'

I want to say right off the bat that this song is just entirely incoherent. When I started this post I could only really remember the chorus, and I was going to have such a good time making Viagra jokes (always comedy gold) and warning Kevin Cronin that he should potentially see a doctor, as I am wont to do. However, after reading and re-reading the two verses, I can honestly say that I really don't know what this is supposed to be about. It is definitely not about wanting to have sex all night, which meaning is what I had initially hoped for.

You should've known by the tone of my voice, maybe / But you didn't listen

This is kind of vaguely threatening taken on its own. So, this song is definitely about a relationship gone bad. I can say that much for sure. Still a little dicey on the details though.

You played dead / But you never bled / Instead you lay still in the grass / All coiled up and hissin'

?!

I had no clue Cronin sang this here, but now every time I hear this part of the song I will giggle. And what are we talking about here? I'm tired. So, so tired.

And though I know all about those men / Still I don't remember / Cause it was us baby, way before then / And we're still together

What does it say about this song that I have literally no idea whether the last line should contain the word "were" or "we're"?

And I meant, every word I said / When I said that I love you I meant that I love you forever

Actually, this lyric is not bad, just awesome. It almost makes me cry. Seriously. I don't care that the rest of the song makes very little sense and thus there is no context in which to place it. Just apply it to whatever personal situation you want to think of. I'm sure we all have lost loves of whom we often think, wondering how our lives would be had things only worked out differently ... hang on, I'm getting a call from my agent.

(ring, ring)

Hello? .... What do you mean, what am I doing? .... Yes, I'm aware that my blog is supposed to be humorous -- what are you trying to say? .... Well, I'm just feeling a little sentimental right now because I've been listening to REO Speedwagon over and over again, and there were some funny bits in the beginning anyway, weren't there? And how can you even read the post yet because I'm still .... I see. .... Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. .... Fuck you too! .... .... .... Yes, I'm still coming over for dinner on Thursday. Say hi to your mother for me.

Ahem! I'm back. What was I saying?

And I'm gonna keep on lovin you / Cause it's the only thing I wanna do / I don't wanna sleep / I just wanna keep on lovin you

(Attempts to summon the will to make amusing Viagra joke, bursts into tears, shuts down computer and runs sobbing out the front door)
(Tears off shirt in the middle of the street and reaches toward the sky a la Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption)
(Is immediately arrested)

5 comments:

  1. The video is so awesome!! That tiny portable TV and the lounge where all the bored people are watching it, and, and, and...the long telephone cord attached to the guitar! OMG, pure video heaven!

    You're so right about Kevin Cronin's Samberg/Showalter genetic melding.

    Great post, great song...hope you can post more while incarcerated ;)

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  2. The best part about "coiled up and hissin'" is that it's followed by a little rattle sound, as if the lyric weren't clear enough.

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  3. Wow Wow Wow. Frickin Wow on the video. There is so much more here than terrible lyrics. Who are the guys in tuxedos? The video quality is low enough that I can't see if they are his band mates, lounging around with his dream girl and playing... dominos?

    Wikipedia tells me two cool things: one, this song was played on the very first day of MTV; two, that the amazingly goofy telephone call/guitar solo is actually a reference to lyrics in an earlier REO song.

    This made my morning, dude. 1981 forever!

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  4. Oh yeah, upon closer inspection, those are dominoes. I guess I was confused because they are not actually *playing* dominoes, but rather building a Jenga-ish little tower out of them. I initially thought they were playing some primitive precursor of Jenga.

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  5. Funny site! I had tears in my eyes at the pic of Steve Perry as Robocop. I don't know why it's funny but it is!

    Steve Perry, Steeeve Perry!
    Dude, no more Journey psyche-outs!
    (See DVD of Baseketball for reference).

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