Tuesday, November 27, 2018

PUNK ROCK BUCKET LIST SONGS---#2 IN A SERIES, BY BRAD KOHLER!

The Modern Lovers-"Dignified and Old"


If you don't think this song qualifies as punk rock you are reading the wrong blog. Jonathan Richman declaring his disgust with "Hippie Johnny" not long after the mud at Woodstock had finally dried is a real punk rock move, Jack.

The original Modern Lovers were as electric as a subway third rail, blending perpetual motion Velvet Underground thrust, funtime AM radio moves and the occasional cut-you-to-the-bone ballad that would make even a tough guy like you dry your eyes with your Exploited "Punk's Not Dead" t-shirt, you rube!

I hadn't actually heard this song in years. It's got a kind of skittering nervous energy and Richman at one point pleads "Hey you don't die now, some day we're gonna be dignified and old...together".

Yeah, that sentiment is about as far from the accepted "live fast die young" punk party line as possible, but now that I AM old I can look back on some wild times with friends listening to high energy music and be glad I realized you don't play "submarine commander" with your doody after you are caught doing it at the age of three, unlike GG Allin. And as reckless as I could sometimes get when youth felt like it came with a guarantee of immortality, I never did anything that would have caught Johnny Thunder's fancy.

As for being "dignified", if finally knowing what the term R.S.V.P. means and the fact that I should wear a clip-on tie to such an event is evident of such an appellation, then just call me Sebastian Cabot!

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