Where's the "Blue Letter" controversy?

Jyqm · #1 01-18-2006, 02:44 PM

"Blue Letter" was always a popular inclusion in Fleetwood Mac's live setlists throughout the 70s and early 80s, and the song was even released as the B-side of "Warm Ways" in the UK in 1975, so I have to wonder why there has never been any press addressing the blatant racist overtones of this up-tempo tale of a man who no longer wants to wait around for his beloved to dump her Italian boyfriend and run away with him. The ethnic slur sung in the chorus is quite prominent, but it seems that no activist groups ever cared enough to protest Lindsey's assertion that "when your dago's down, I won't be waitin' around for you" (presumably because he refuses to sleep with a woman who has been "tainted" by Italian love juice).

Anyone have any theories on this? Were people simply less inclined to pay heed to such derogatory remarks in the 70s? With so many Italians rising to prominence in the entertainment industry at this time - Martin Scorcese, John Travolta, etc. - it just seems like someone ought to have been offended.

Brwn_eyes0511 · #2 01-18-2006, 02:47 PM

Everyone who is reading this thread now...please head over to my "Over My Head" thread...

SteveMacD · #3 01-18-2006, 03:03 PM

It's almost as bad as Hendrix coming out of the closet as a homosexual fairly early in his career when he he sang "'xcuse me while I kiss this guy."

chiliD · #4 01-18-2006, 04:21 PM

Well, we WERE clued in to Stevie Nicks' pending weight control problem as early as 1977...

...is it over now? Do you know how to pick up the pizzas and go home?..."

HomerMcvie · #5 01-18-2006, 04:25 PM

Whoa! Someone's got too much time on their hands.

aleuzzi · #6 01-18-2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Well, we WERE clued in to Stevie Nicks' pending weight control problem as early as 1977...

...is it over now? Do you know how to pick up the pizzas and go home?..."

Oh my god, this is the funniest freakin' thing I've seen in a while. Kinda' reminds me of Lucy Lawless's "Burrito Dreams" on SNL. One of my friends is given to parodies of "Silver Springs" using food references. I'll have to share this with him.

DavidMn · #7 01-18-2006, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

It's almost as bad as Hendrix coming out of the closet as a homosexual fairly early in his career when he he sang "'xcuse me while I kiss this guy."

Dont laugh. I fell for that for too long.

DavidMn · #8 01-18-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Well, we WERE clued in to Stevie Nicks' pending weight control problem as early as 1977...

...is it over now? Do you know how to pick up the pizzas and go home?..."

Dominoe's or Pizza Hut?

GODDESS6 · #9 01-18-2006, 08:33 PM

this whole damn thread is hysterical!!!

~

Angelick Witch · #10 01-19-2006, 11:42 AM

... Well, I'm getting pretty confused... The only thing I understood was the pizzas!

SteveMacD · #11 01-19-2006, 12:25 PM

Another thing that came to mind is how confused I get whenever I hear Manfred Mann's "Blinded By The Light." Can somebody please explain to me what "Revved up like a douche another runner in the night" means? Furthermore, how would he know?

Brwn_eyes0511 · #12 01-19-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Another thing that came to mind is how confused I get whenever I hear Manfred Mann's "Blinded By The Light." Can somebody please explain to me what "Revved up like a douche another runner in the night" means? Furthermore, how would he know?

GREAT question!

That song HAS to be one of the most hard to understand songs...in history!

HomerMcvie · #13 01-19-2006, 01:15 PM

I always thought it was "wrapped up like a douche". What kind of kinky scene is he into?

Ya know, the more I think about it, IF he says "Revved", I'll bet he's just mispronouncing "deuce", as in coupe.

Here's Bruce's original lyrics:"He was just blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night"
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/song...yTheLight.html

Brwn_eyes0511 · #14 01-19-2006, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I always thought it was "wrapped up like a douche". What kind of kinky scene is he into?

Jyqm · #15 01-19-2006, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Another thing that came to mind is how confused I get whenever I hear Manfred Mann's "Blinded By The Light." Can somebody please explain to me what "Revved up like a douche another runner in the night" means? Furthermore, how would he know?

Has Manfred Mann ever gone on record as to why he made this lyric change or what earth he thought it meant? There are certainly plenty of songs in the Springsteen catalogue where it can be difficult to decipher what Bruce is singing, but "Blinded By The Light" ain't one of them. The line is very obviously "cut loose like a deuce;" Manfred Mann's change can't possibly just be a mistake.

Of course, that lyric isn't even close to the top of the list of why the Earth Band's "Blinded" sucks, but my hatred of that recording is pretty well documented, here and elsewhere.

Here's the original lyrics, if anyone's interested: http://www.brucespringsteen.net/song...yTheLight.html (Edit: And David already beat me to it!)