Jack Be Nimble Jack Be Quick
"I love this song," she said.
Not possible, I said.
"No, it's cool. I love it."
But the lyrics.
"I don't care. I never listen to the lyrics."
It didn't last long, but there was a brief time in the late 70s and early 80s where Lindsey Buckingham seemed to live and breathe catchy melodies. That may just be the only possible explanation for this insanely catchy song.
And yet... to call the lyrics insipid is an insult to insipid people all over the world.
There barely are lyrics at all ("I found out long ago it's a long way down the holiday road" and "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, take a ride on the West Coast kick") and they don't seem like anything more than placeholders.
And sure, no one expects much from a song written for the movie National Lampoon's Vacation, but that was 27 years ago.
Wouldn't you think he'd have wanted to write some lyrics and make a real song out of this?
In rotation: 11/18/24
2 hours ago
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5 comments:
Maybe he should have tried... I dunno... writing real verses to go with the endless chorus of this song?
There are other examples from the same approximate period: Ever listen to the "lyrics" from "Tusk"?
I don't know how I missed this when it came out, except I've never made a habit of listening to soundtracks. You're right: Great tune with "minimalist" lyrics. Sometimes it works (see early Stooges for example). Hard to tell in this case, since I read your blog before listening to the song/lyrics, so I went in biased.
I forgot how pretty Lindsey was back then (for a Romulan, that is). He looks a lot more human these days...probably a good thing.
There are lyrics to this song? Who knew? All's I know is that the minute I hear this baby, I want to drive a car real fast over curving back roads, preferably a convertible with the top down.
The lyrics? I'm just surprised by the video. What was filling the two minutes with clips from the movie and an upbeat performance from Lindsay too Kenny Loggins-ish? Oh well, the "acting" style reminds me of Prince's from the period. Maybe this should have been a hidden track on "Controversy."
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