View Single Post
  #20  
Old 05-24-2003, 10:55 AM
Lori Lori is offline
Ledgie
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Dayton, PA
Posts: 72
Default Re: Form vs Content

Quote:
Originally posted by Tim Robinson
When they don't match, the result is usually comical, eg "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by the Beatles, a charming little ditty - almost a nursery rhyme - about a serial killer.
Interesting that you should mention nursery rhymes, as they are a very good comparison to draw to this type of song. A vast majority of nursery rhymes' origins are subjects hardly of a child's interest. They were inspired by things such as adults grumbling over the burden of paying taxes (Baa Baa Black Sheep; Jack Sprat), infidelity/womanizing (Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be - "Johnny's so long at the fair'), and death/murder (London Bridge, Jack and Jill, and MANY others *yuck*). Over time, their origins have been forgotten. And now we would consider our children deprived if they didn't know these little ditties! So the "happy tune/crappy subject matter" theme apparently has been used for years and years!

As an aside...the origins of things like this have always fascinated me. To anyone who is familiar with the saying "the rule of thumb is..." - would you believe that originated in olden days (not sure how long ago), when a man was legally permitted to beat his wife with a stick, provided that the stick was no bigger around than his thumb? Hence, the "rule of thumb." I bet all the ladies back then were on the lookout for men with skinny thumbs!

Okay, now back to the topic at hand...

Lori
__________________
The phrase "working mother" is redundant.
-Jane Sellman-
Reply With Quote