1 of 1- GrimsbyFan
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Metric References In Oldies Songs
Happened to hear 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) by The Four Preps this morning and it caught my ear that at the end of the song they convert the distance from miles to kilometers:
"Forty kilometers in a leaky old boat,
Any old thing that'll stay afloat.
When we arrive we'll all promote romance, romance, romance"
Are they any other oldies songs that include refernes to distance in terms of metric measurement?
- Lorne
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Re: Metric References In Oldies Songs
I've long found that aspect of 26 Miles to be noteworthy as well. There was also another big hit in 1958 that had a metric reference: Fever by Peggy Lee, with the line "Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade". And while it isn't a direct metric reference and may well be coincidental, I find it interesting that Johnny Horton's 1959 hit When It’s Springtime In Alaska (It’s Forty Below) makes use of the temperature where the two scales converge.
But I can't think of any metric distance references so far. It would make sense to me that there should be some in songs by artists from countries that have switched to metric, but kilometres doesn't fit the meter ☺ of songs as easily as miles. Klicks would, however, and that would still count.
Last edited by Lorne (March 7, 2023 11:22 am)
- AzMike
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Re: Metric References In Oldies Songs
This is a tough one, even if including anything metric besides distance.
Although sounding metric-like, Liter Of The Pack doesn't count.
Same with I Want To Meter, and Dyne To Meet You.
Straying to a band name that I think would count, there's 10cc.
But, Booker T And The MGs?, nope. (Memphis Group)
- Lorne
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Re: Metric References In Oldies Songs
Agreed, 10cc would qualify as a metric group name. There's also the funk group The Meters, but I suspect that their name comes from either the musical term or a device that measures. And while they're far beyond the oldies era, there's a Canadian band named Metric that has had some US success.
Last edited by Lorne (March 9, 2023 3:17 pm)