Karaoke Forums

Didn't know what else to call this.   But here goes the "story".

I usually sing hard rock stuff (as you see from my measly 2 subs).  But I will do classic rock, middle of the road stuff, etc.   Heck I'll even do a show tune (like from Grease) if I can pull it off.   So needless to say, I sing not so tame tunes (like Highway to Hell-AC/DC,  Down with the Sickness-Disturbed, Have a drink on me-AC/DC)

Well, last friday I figured I'd do something different.  So I decided to do Vehicle from Ides of March (I think another artist did it did it too actually).  I (naively) figured, cool 70's era tune that rocks but is not too crazy.  Got applause and all-- so I figured I pulled it off.

Now, the folks I'm with I've only been out to karaoke with a couple of times.  I sit down, take a swig of my cerveza, and the first thing they say to me is-- Great job. But do realize that song is about a pedophile?  You could've knocked me over with a feather!  And I almost spewed a mouthful of beer.

yikes-- so do I do that one again?  Is it REALLY about some perv?

So have ya ever done a song that is about something totally different than you expected?

I just downloaded the lyrics..........I can see why folks would say it's about child molesters.

I'm surprized that it is still in print seeing how the whole world finally woke up to the crime and has zero tolerance for it.

I don't think I'd want it in my songbook.

I feel that a song choice is a personal reflection based on a moment in time, how well it relates to the singer and the audience, and how it makes you feel after it is all said and done. The lyrics are an important message as well, that speak to the heart and soul. If you find a song that has lyrics you don't agree with, there are many others to choose from. Just know that deep down inside the person you are will come out if you choose the "right song". Good luck.  :)

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pinkrose

It is not!   Here is the story behind the song FROM the writer.

This was written by Jim Peterik, who was the group's guitar player and lead singer. He explains how the song came together:
"On April 9, 1968 while I was waiting to see one of my favorite groups, The Turtles, at Riverside Brookfield High School in the Chicago Suburb of Riverside, my eyes wandered to the girl standing in front of me - she was a vision in knee socks and orange culottes - long silky hair and huge blue eyes. As I was trying to screw up the courage to say hello, she turned to me and said, 'Aren't you Peterik?' Turns out she had seen the Ides Of March a month previously when we opened for the New Colony Six at Morton West High School. I said, 'Yeah,' and from there the conversation just seemed to flow. Never had I met a girl I had so much in common with. Karen and I sat together at the show, and by 'Happy Together' she had placed her leg on top of mine (A very positive sign for a first date). After about 6 months of great dates, good times, meadows, making out and serenades, Karen informed me that it was over between us, that she wanted to 'See other people." I was thoroughly heartbroken. I spent the next few months writing sad songs, depressive melodies, introspective garbage, and forcing the Ides to do long Blues jams for our show encores (as the audience streamed out of the Grand Ballroom at State Pier). I was also on a mission to find another Karen. There was a girl who looked a lot like her, but when we started dating, I realized that personality was 9/10's of the law. I guess I had to somehow win her back!
One day I got a call from Karen. My heart jumped into my throat. She asked me if I could drive her to modeling school (she knew I had a pristine white '64 Valiant with mag wheel covers). Instead of playing it cool, I found myself saying, 'I'll be right over.' I figured our proximity would remind her how much she really loved me. It was great riding next to her again, though I had to make sure I controlled my hands and my heart. This pattern continued for a few weeks with Karen asking me to drive her to various appointments and functions. We even sang at a few coffee houses as a duo (we called ourselves "Genesis" predating the famous group by about 3 years). Though it was great to be with her, the newly platonic nature of our relationship was bummin' me out.
One day in a fit of frustration, I heard myself blurt out to her 'You know, all I am to you is your Vehicle' (The word baby was added later). Just then the light bulb popped up on top of my head and I thought about all the guys like me who don't mind being taken for a ride by a beautiful girl. I said 'See you later' and started writing the song."

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I always thought the "I got some Candy" bit was about drugs...

Cracked me up reading the "I'm taking this outta my book!" LMFAO!

So many of our earlier songs of the rock/pop era had songs of questionable content. Ringo Starr's "You're Sixteen" jumps immediately to mind. Oh and now people want to be oh-so politically correct by removing Michael Jackson, Dixie Chicks, Cat Stevens...

What-EVER! heheheh

The song Vehicle was from a band "Ides of March", VERY Blood, Sweat and Tears sounding band, with horn section.... There was another instrumental by Iron Maiden around that time Ide's of March too I think. I always got that vocalist confused with David Clayton Thomas back in those days.... That song was very BS&T sounding !


Guys, Something interesting struck me as I was recalling the lyrics.  Kid's today aren't familiar with our "lingo" and slang from the 60's... "Girl" & "Child" didn't mean a guy was referring to "Lolita", or was into Sailor Moon... Blood Sweat and Tears used that expression, as did Chicago quite abit.... "Young Girl", "Child" were common slangs for a girl who was younger than the guy singing, that's all....sort've like "baby",  Kid's today probably see the term "Child", and if they weren't around during the 60's,  they don't realize that it wasn't referring to preteen, or anything like that in those days... It was a "slang" for a girl who was just younger...

"Baby, I want you to want me
the way that I want you, the way that it should be"

I suppose most would think this is about a pedophile too

"Young girl, get out've my mind
My love for you is way out've line
you better run girl
you're much too young girl"

etc....

Loads of songs were written about "woman Child"  "Young Girl", "Litte Girl"

Why don't you come with me little girl
on a magic carpet ride...

Just slang in those days, not about pedo's

I find it pretty sad, that kid's today would mistake our "slang" for perverse-speak, and turn classic rock hit's into compositions with sexually deviant lyrics. That's not right.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

This blasted area is not just the bible belt, it's the belt buckle....I would make front page here if one of these fanatics witnessed me performing that song, and I'd wake up in jail....They already hate any form of music that isn't religous...They have done a great job of closing down our best night spots already. That's why I kinda built my own nightclub here at the house......

And that's why I say I wouldn't want it in my song book. I yearn for distant shores.

Next they will want to censor "our" political cartoons...I'm so tired of this political correctness bull (@$%&#!) they sure as better not try to tell me what I can sing..

Too bad, it's a great tune, I decipher it as someone trying to get a girl so bad that he offers her everything but finds she is basically using him.  
There are several songs that are WAYYYY worse.  
One of the underlying meaning of Hotel California is it's about a bad drug additions & trips, others claim it's about suicide, another is it's about the Church of Satan - not necessarily what any of them really means, just some of the interpretations, I would think that song would be pretty bad in the "bible belt" if someone believed those meanings - especially the last one.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

It's funny,  I never gave any thought to the lyric's to the song Hotel California, and we started covering it around when it first came out in '76.. I just always assumed it was about a prostitute...

http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/hotel.htm

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I was there I think its about a glass and a half of that clear stuff they got down south and 2 hits of mary j

It probably is a great song...Maybe I used to dance to it, I just can't recall it presently...I'd have to hear it.

Pretend Micheal Jackson released it instead ..Here is an exerpt of a few of the lyrics:

"Hey well, I'm a friendly stranger in a black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star....
I want ya, got to have you, child"

I can see why your friends would say what they did with things being the way they are today.

Personally, I think PETA is behind "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy"

Only really strange controversial song I recall hearing about was that song "Timothy" ?   Remember that old old song that was out on 45's ?  Wasn't that about a cannibal ?

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Well I was a rippin and a burnin
everybodys heart was a churnin
I guess I cant do it anymore
next i knew the fbi as knckin on my door

90% of the public wouldnt have a clue what this is about

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2005


Look's as if Rupert Holmes knew what he was doing when he composed Timothy

He was trying to write a song that would be banned.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

"Trapped in a mine that had caved in
And everyone knows the only ones left
Were Joe and me and Tim
When they broke through to pull us free
The only ones left to tell the tale
Were Joe and me"

Is it this Timothy?

Exactly

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Here ya go, I just found this:

"This song, is actually about three boys who get trapped in a mine together. They have water enough for two (hense the lyrics) but when one says he would sell his soul for 'just a piece of meat' they actually eat Timothy. Any of you who heard that Timothy was a Donkey, Well, that's not true. Radio stations began that rumor to try to stop kids from listening to it because it became so popular. Timothy was a boy. Kinda gives new meaning to the song doesn't it. You can verify this online in an interview with Rupert Holmes, the man who wrote the song. Also, you can find the lyrics online at just about any good guitar tab site. Creepy lyrics in a great song."


Gotta go to work, gonna be a long night. Roomie loaned me a stack of DVD's to watch to keep me awake.

Right but apparently Rupert Holmes wrote that as a marketing type ploy...If it get's played, and word get's out it's going to get censored because of it's content, that will increase the demand for it...

Timothy Lyrics
The Buoys
Buy this CD | Print Lyrics

Timothy
The Buoys

Trapped in a mine all paths caved in
And everyone knows the only ones left
Were Joe and me and Tim
When they broke through to pull us free
The only ones left to tell the tale
WAS Joe and me

Timothy, Timothy, where on earth did you go?
Timothy, Timothy, God why don't I know?

Hungry as hell no food to eat
And Joe said that he would sell his soul
For just a piece of meat
Water enough to drink TO DRINK for two
And Joe said to me, "I'll TAKE a swig
And then there's some for you."

Timothy, Timothy, Joe was looking at you
Timothy, Timothy, God what did we do?  <------(this is the key) hehehe

I must have blacked out just 'round then
'Cause the very next thing that I could see
Was the light of the day again
My stomach was full as it could be <-------(and this)
And nobody ever got around
To finding Timothy
Timothy...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Anyone else know what is meant from Collective Soul's December?

"Don't scream about
Don't think aloud
Turn your head now baby
Just spit me out"