What’s it to You?
The percentage you’re paying is too high-priced
While you’re living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he’s made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn’t make any noise
But it wasn’t the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys – Traffic
Read those lyrics and think about what they could mean. They can be interpreted any number of ways and there’s no right or wrong answer. I’ll give you a few moments to ponder before I reveal what these lyrics mean to me.
Those words could be about politics (either party, really). Those words could be about real estate agents. They could be about a man you know, but wish you didn’t. The entire song could be about anything you wanted.
What would it would always come back to is the low spark of high heeled boys. That’s some pretty damn good imagery.
And you know where it came from?
Barney Fife’s cousin, Virgil. Or rather, the actor who played him: J. Pollard. He was friends with Traffic drummer Jim Capaldi and he wrote that line down in a book Capaldi had.
Low spark…dangerous rumblings…high heeled boys…bad boys. Apparently Pollard had a bit of a heavier, deeper side to him, though you’d never guess that from some of his work. Of course, if you saw Bonnie & Clyde or the episode he did on Star Trek, you’d know. (That ep of ST is one of the creepier ones and I can’t watch it all the way through.)
Anyhow…
So there I was the other day, just humming this tune and I googled a bit. To make a long story longer, yesterday TVLand showed TAGS with cousin Virgil.
Full circle.
And the lyrics? Came into play on Saturday while I was listening to Rastus Kain perform a killer tune.
Now there’s one I haven’t heard in a while. I remember when that used to be a staple of Los Angeles’ KLSX, back before they became a talk radio station. This is the kind of classic rock music I liked listening to, before most such stations burned me out by overplaying Pink Floyd/The Doors/Led Zeppelin/Boston/rinse repeat wash spin dry, etc.
Comment by diamond dave — 2009/06/22 @ 06:49
Dave, I was a huge fan of KLSX and used to have my favorite weekend DJs on speed dial. Seriously. They were super nice to me. I could call and ask for ANYTHING and they’d play it for me (I worked in a store they liked).
Yep. This is the sort of music I dig into and lose myself for a few hours at a time. I’m thinking you might benefit from some of my music therapy via email.
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/06/22 @ 09:52
Weird… like the universe is trying to tell you something… to not buy a new car while a Star Trek episode is on? And yeah, that bit on Trek was icky, if I may use that word. Creepy.
Nah, you’re right; the lyrics could translate to many different scenarios.
Comment by pamibe — 2009/06/24 @ 03:29
I distrust men in suits who try to tell me my money (if they let me have some) is better spent the way they want to spend it. I distrust them even more when they start messing with a system in which I’m well-versed.
I get irritated. And I develop a low spark.
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/06/24 @ 04:05