Monday, October 12, 2020

Spookiness inflation

In the cool of the evening
When everything is getting kind of groovy
You call me up and ask me
Would I like to go with you and see a movie?
First I say no, I've got some plans for tonight
And then I stop and say all right
Love is kind of crazy with a spooky little boy like you

-- Dusty Springfield, "Spooky"

"Crazy"? "Spooky"? Is it just me, or is calling a girl up and inviting her to a movie literally the most normal, ordinary, conventional, so-safe-it's-sorry, not-even-a-little-bit-spooky thing a boy could possibly do?

3 comments:

Bruce Charlton said...

My earlier comment didn't register - the song is 'gender-flipped'; originally it was a boy singing about a spooky girl; and, I think, spooky at that time meant crazy, eccentric - perhaps ditzy. As such the verse and chorus still don't really match well, but don't clash so obviously.

But mainly - it's a pretty good song!

Wm Jas Tychonievich said...

Ah, you're right. I'd never heard the original.

In the cool of the evening when ev'rything is gettin' kind of groovy,
I call you up and ask you if you want to go and meet and see a movie,
First you say no, you've got some plans for the night,
And then you stop, and say, "All right."
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.

So the spookiness was originally attributed to the girl who says no and then yes, not to the boy who asks her out. Makes much more sense!

They couldn't gender-flip it all the way, because girls didn't call boys and ask them to movies back then.

(By the way, the probable reason your earlier comment didn't register is that I've had to turn moderation back on after your link to my Trump-Biden post sent some trolls my way.)

Bruce Charlton said...

"your link to my Trump-Biden post sent some trolls my way"

Happy to be of service. You're welcome!

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