Songs, magical songs

I woke up with a song I don't like stuck in my head and it won't go away. So, as long as it's here I might as well make fun of it.

"Wake Up Little Susie" by The Everly Brothers.

This is what Wikipedia has about the song's premise:

The song is written from the point of view of a high school boy to his girlfriend, Susie. In the song, the two go out on a date to a drive-in movie theater, only to fall asleep during the movie. They do not wake up until 4 o'clock in the morning. They then contemplate the reactions of her parents and their friends.

Although banned in such places as Boston, the song does not state that Susie and her boyfriend had sexual relations. Indeed, it strongly implies that they did not: the couple simply fell asleep because they were bored by the film.


This song was released in 1957. Here are the key lyrics, my thoughts in red:

"Wake up, little Susie, wake up
"We’ve both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
"The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock, and we’re in trouble deep "

What drive-in is unmanned in the 50s? Nobody noticed a car just sitting there and thought to check it out before 4 in the morning, at a movie that was supposed to be over before 10 the previous night*? Until reading that, I'd always assumed they fell asleep in the boy's house watching a movie on TV. It makes more sense, but only barely. Also, nice touch telling her to wake up and cry already.

"I told your mama that you’d be in by ten
"Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again"

*Yeah, I got ahead of the song there, but see? She was supposed to be in by 10. Also, they goofed AGAIN? Kid, if this is becoming a habit, why start worrying now? You didn't learn anything the first dozen or so times and you managed to live past them. Is this the time where her mama is going to end you with a rolling pin?

"The movie wasn’t so hot, it didn’t have much of a plot
"We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot "

"Our" reputation? Let's see.. HER reputation is probably shot, what with acting a slut and all, but you're gold playah. Although, all this concern of yours about "our" reputation... hmmm...

"Whatta we gonna tell your mama
"Whatta we gonna tell your pa
"Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say “ooh-la-la” "

Tell them he's gay. 'Out' his ass. It's obvious really. He took you to a drive-in movie and you both fell asleep for over six hours and didn't fool around at all. He wakes up and is panicking like a bitch. He's gay and you're his beard. Tell your mama and pa that he's a boy you feel comfortable with, you spend hours doing each other's hair and gossiping about which jocks at school are cute. That'll shut them up. Sure, being outed in the 50s isn't an optimal thing for him, but at least it puts the reputation ball back in your court, Susie. Ask yourself, "Do I want to be called a slut?" And remember how panicked and whiney he was when you were trying to catch some z's. Is this a guy you want to ruin your reputation for? As for your friends, shit, they're gay too. "Ooh-la-la" indeed.

No doodle today. I'm out of time and really not feeling up for it right now.

Comments

Heather said…
That was awesome. I never saw the song that way - and I always thought they were at his house as well.

"Panicking like a bitch." My motto of the day! :D
Collin said…
I'm thinking it's because we are the TV generation. Only three channels, but still, Shock Theater.
Heather said…
Hmm....you're right. People in the 50's didn't have VCR's. Silly 80's child, me.
Trashman said…
Susie was a whore.
This song always makes me laugh because.. well, come on, you stay out late with a boy and your rep's gone to hell just like that? What kind of girl does that make me?

I know it was back in the 50's and things were different then, but it still makes me laugh.
Derek Knight said…
the everly brothers were queers! or maybe not, I just felt like saying that. Never really have been fond of that song.

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