I Dig 'Old Time Rock and Roll' Music
Don’t take ‘em to a disco, don’t even try to get ‘em out on the floor…
So staunchly against the new music styles of their day, George Jackson ,Thomas E. Jones III, and Bob Seger wrote a hit song about it. I am of course referring to the Billboard Hot 100 hit “Old Time Rock and Roll”. Reaching #28 the year of its release in 1979, and #48 after its re-release in 1983.
This is not an original concept for a song. It follows in a trend of idolizing the golden age of rock and roll in America, in the same vein as ‘American Pie’, ‘Crocodile Rock’, and (to an extent) ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me’. Though it’s noticeably less reliant on nostalgia and more on just not liking newer music.
What kind? Which artists? Its vagueness in what exactly it is critical of is a strength. Besides the slightly outdated reference to going to ‘the disco’, this song still works as a simple statement that “I prefer golden age rock to modern music” no matter the era.
The same cannot be said for “I Dig Rock n Roll Music”
This 1967 Peter, Paul, and Mary song goes out of its way to criticize the soullessness of their contemporary rock groups. The song is meant to be ironic in its praise of the genre and each verse is musically a parody of a contemporary act.
It’s hard to tell if their observations are also ironic, genuine call-outs, or good-natured ribbing. “The Mamas and the Papas” are described as having “a good thing going when the words don’t get in the way.” They also bring up the disgracefully corporate act “The Beatles”. To be fair, The Beatles had already called themselves out as sell-outs three years earlier in 1964.
Now the music is good, each style change is well-executed. But in the ultimate twist, it was the words that got in the way. At the same time, I find the whole situation steeped in so much irony it wraps around to being a strength of the song.
Ultimately, I like both songs, for different reasons. Even if I don’t agree with either of them. “Old Time Rock and Roll” is a fun, upbeat song that references the golden age of rock in its composition. “I Dig Rock and Roll Music” is meanwhile the more interesting sound with a playful and complex tone that I can’t help but love.
It just goes to show that even if you’re not an old geezer, there is potential in the ‘complaining about modern music’ sub-genre.
A Space Oddity
David Bowie’s “A Space Oddity” might be one of the best science fiction short stories ever written. Released on 11 July, 1969, to capitalize on peak space-race excitement. For context, Apollo 11 launched just five days later. He also re-released an acoustic version of the song in 1972, which I will be referring to when I comment on the musical choices.
It tells the story of Major Tom, who we meet on the launchpad seconds before lift-off. Interestingly, though, the story seems at first to be from the point-of-view of the people on the ground, with the opening words:
“Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on
Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown, engines on
Check ignition and may God's love be with you
Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Lift off”
These lyrics are very 1960s, space-agey. I particularly like the reference to ‘protein pills’. There is also a subtle hint at the danger inherent in Tom’s mission. “May God’s love be with you”. Perhaps a small prayer for protection. Or maybe for forgiveness, as mankind’s hubris causes it to extend itself beyond their place on Earth.
After a brief musical break, the next verse picks up after the successful launch,
“This is Ground Control to Major Tom
You've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare”
And finally, from high above Earth, we here Major Tom speak,
“This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today”
I really like the contrast between the attitudes of the people on the ground and the otherworldly-ness of Major Tom’s experiences. They remain focused on the material things they understand. Who shirts he wears. Major Tom’s disorientation is described as what he is experiencing, in sensory-based terms. He is face to face with the strangeness of the whole situation, and begins slipping into something a bit more philosophical.
“For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do”
Next up is a brief guitar bit followed by a soaring combination of electronic and acoustic elements. It tapers back down and we focus back in with Major Tom.
“Though I'm past one hundred thousand miles
I'm feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go”
It’s at this point that Major Tom is catching on that something is wrong, Judging by his next words, catastrophically wrong. As if he knows there is a chance he might not be returning from this mission. He brocasts his final message to Ground Control.
“Tell my wife I love her very much”
Ground Control responds, with a hint of confusion,
“...she knows”
That is until, after an unknown period of time, Ground Control receives some indication of the malfunction of which Major Tom was likely already aware.
“Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you…”
This part gives me chills. We don’t know what the malfunction was. Not even Ground Control seems to know what happened. For all the preparation and technology at their disposal, they could not save Major Tom. It’s possible they couldn’t have even predicted or prevented what kind of accident or defect caused this.
It reminds me of Apollo 13, the mission that didn’t make it to the moon. It wasn’t by any design flaw or operating error that their spaceship was damaged. It was pure, uncontrollable coincidence. A coincidence that left three men at the mercy of the most inhospitable environment known to man. Something they would not have survived without input from their ‘Ground Control”.
This story does not end that way. Ground Control loses contact, their transmissions fizzling out into nothing. In the last verse, we are left alone in space with Major Tom, listening to what are likely his last thoughts as he drifts.
“Here am I floating round my tin can
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do”