A fluffy entry about music and my youth

[gordonzola]

While listening to my iTunes on shuffle, I was reminded of how many songs I misinterpreted before I was acquainted with English slang. Partly because my obsession with English music was in my pre-early teen years I made up explanations that really, in the end, made no sense at all.

For example, The Specials "Too Much too Young", a pro-contraception song, had the mysterious ending lyrics of "Keep a generation gap / Try wearing a cap!" I know those English winters were cold, but was wearing, as I imagined, a wool hat actually going to keep people from having sex? Was there a big problem of people just fucking to keep warm? The adult world was so mysterious.

That it was referring to cervical caps, contraception not available in the States at that time, made it extra obscure. Now it’s more of a quaint look back at the pre-AIDS world.

The classic English-ism, misinterpreted by generations of political punks was, of course, the end of "Anarchy in the UK". Hearing "Get pissed! Destroy!" as an American was a call to arms. Understand who is oppressing you and rise up against them! Get angry at this fucked-up society and take action!

It was disheartening to discover the message of Get drunk! Break stuff! later in life.

Anyone else have some to share? Misinterpretations, not mis-hearings.

Comments

[freshwater-pr0n.livejournal.com]

The whole "bollocks" thing went over my head. I didn't know what a bollock was, so I looked it up in the dictionary.

BOLLOCK - Alternate spelling of BULLOCK; A young, castrated bull.

Wha??? Why are English people so mad at cows?

[walktheplank.livejournal.com]

Bollocks = testicles. ("That's the dog's bollocks.")

Er... yeah.

Not sure what that's supposed to mean, but the dog's testicles are apparently a good thing.

[bikenerd.livejournal.com]

Well I don't know that its supposed to be a good thing.. I always heard it used to mean lies. Like 'that's bollocks, you don't know what you're talking about!'

[andypop.livejournal.com]

Correct, but confusingly "the dog's bollocks" is still a term for something exemplary. It's a bit like "wicked", or "baaad" - sometimes it's one thing, sometimes it's the opposite. Language is fun, eh?