Sometimes listening to an oldies station can be a real eye (or ear) opener. Lyrics hit you that would be taken in a totally different context today.
 
One prime example: a great upbeat tune called “If You Wanna Be Happy,” by Jimmy Soul. The song talks about the wisdom of marrying only an ugly woman, because she won’t fool around on you and “she makes meals on time.” Imagine anyone getting away with that now.
 
Then there’s Sandy Posey, talking about a “Single Girl” who needs a “sweet lovin’ man to lean on.” I’m pretty sure many ‘single girls’ wouldn’t appreciate that sentiment in 2020. And she scores twice on this topic, because she also had another hit called “Born A Woman,” that laments she’s been created to be submissive to her man. “A woman’s place in this old world is under some man’s thumb.” Wow.
 
There are others. Elton John’s rockin’ “Island Girl” constantly refers to her race and “the white man’s world.”
 
Dire Strait’s “Money For Nothing” was in the news not that long ago over the use of a gay slur that’s repeated prominently in the lyrics.
 
Tom Jones sings about killing his cheating girlfriend in “Delilah.” Would that get on air if it were released today?
 
Even the Beatles could make the list. In “Run For Your Life,” John Lennon relates that he’d rather see his woman “dead” than with another man. (Yet musically, it’s still a terrific tune.)
 
Despite their sometimes less than PC sentiments, I’m glad to see that most oldies stations still occasionally play these songs, which are of their time – even if, in some cases, those times seem to have passed.

Last edited by aflem (January 15, 2020 12:38 pm)