We Hunted The MammothThis is sort of apropos of nothing, but if you’re ever looking for the most cheerful sounding song that’s actually about depression and denial, here it is: The Statler Brothers’ classic “Flowers on the wall.”
Lyrics here. And here’s a later performance of the song featuring a great deal of facial hair, and a brief non-singing cameo by The Man in Black.
Consider this an official Manboobz Weekend Dance Party Open Thread.
Sometimes I need a brief respite from manosphere douchebaggery. Sometimes I’d rather just watch kittens and listen to Krautrock. Possibly at the same time. If anyone wants to join me, here are some kittens attacking a soda box, and a recording of Harmonia playing live in 1974.
To be honest, I don’t actually expect that anyone but me is going to enjoy the Harmonia video, which has no visuals other than the album cover and which consists of 17 minutes and 24 seconds of the fellas playing basically the same thing over and over. (Hey, I like it.) The kittens, on the other hand, are almost certainly going to be a delight for everyone.
If I could only figure out a way to get kittens to perform Krautrock, then I’d be in heaven.
Sorry, folks, no regular post until tomorrow. But to tide you over, might I draw your attention to possibly the most offensively misogynist song in history? (Trigger Warning: I’m about to describe what is possibly the most offensively misogynist song in history.) It’s a song recorded in 1970 by British actor Peter Wyngarde – star of several 60s spy dramas and allegedly an inspiration for Austin Powers.
The music itself is not the problem – it’s peppy and punchy, and sounds like a lot of crime/spy soundtracks from the 60s and 70s. No, the problem comes from, well, it comes from Wyngarde. The star, as Bret at Egg City Radio points out,
chose not to go the easy listening/pop route, instead bizarrely delving into lurid and sometimes flat-out stupid spoken word interludes.
Not just stupid, but offensive. Really offensive. Case in point:
a little three-minute ditty entitled “Rape”, in which Wyngarde not only seems to extolling the virtues of rape, but also executes a handful of wheedling barf-bag racial stereotypes that would make even Jerry Lewis blush. It must be heard to be believed … .
Well, yes and no. The idea that back in 1970 some dude might think it hilarious to do a song that was basically one big rape joke? Not that shocking. That he might add some horrifyingly “funny” racism into the mix? Also not completely shocking. That the record is mixed in such a way that it is nearly impossible to tell what Wyngarde – an actor who presumably knows how to enunciate – is saying? Now that’s a little shocking. I would have thought the record executives behind this cash-in project would have hired a more competent producer.
You can download the whole album at Egg City Radio.
Did I mention that it’s titled “When Sex Leers its Inquisitive Head?”
EDITED TO ADD: Woah, the song is up on YouTube. I didn’t even bother to check, because I assume it violates pretty much all of YouTube’s rules, but here it is. Thanks to Donsie in the comments for the link.
And we return to the Man Boobz Summer Video Fest. Tonight, something a little different: this classic track from the Electric Light Orchestra. If the Men’s Rights movement were more like this, I would sign up at once. Even aside from the incredibly catchiness of his songs, Jeff Lynne’s hair alone is far more compelling than any MRA I’ve ever run across.
Of course, Lynne also wrote total mangina pussy-begging songs like this:
But the hair – the hair was still MAGNIFICENT!
>
 |
| X-Ray Spex in action. |
Poly Styrene, the legendary lead singer of the punk band X-Ray Spex, has died of cancer; she was 53. Her searing vocals, her feminist politics, and her general take-no-shit attitude helped to inspire and influence several generations of female rockers from Kim Gordon to Kathleen Hanna to Beth Ditto. (The NYT has a nice obit.)
Her most famous song was the band’s first single, “Oh Bondage, Up Yours,” a wailing protest against consumerism and misogyny and other forms of modern bondage. “Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard,” she announced at the start of the song. “But I think” — and here her quiet voice modulated into a shriek — “oh bondage, up yours!” Here’s a video of her performing the song. (NOTE: If you’re having trouble with the video loading properly below, here’s a link to it on YouTube.)
