That's not actually the song I want to talk about, but it did come on right after the one I do want to talk about and it kind of sums up my point, I think.
I was in the car, driving to the dairy, when Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" came up on the mixed cd my husband had in the car stereo.
In case you're not familiar with the song, it includes some fairly bizarre speaking sections where she mentions various events in her life -- childhood home burning down, going to the circus, finding and then losing love -- and then notes how umimpressed she was by them.
The refrain is her response to each of these events: "Is that all there is? If that's all there is, my friends, then let's keep dancing. Let's break out the booze and have a ball. If that's all there is."
The song ends with her addressing her listeners saying that she imagines they're wondering why she doesn't just kill herself if she's so unsatisfied, but that she's not ready for that "final disappointment." And then the refrain again.
I have no idea how popular this song ever was. (If someone wants to research that and post it in the comments, go for it!) But I think it's relatively well known.
I like the song. I think. I like to sing it, I know that. But the overall sentiment bugs me. A house burning down is a big deal. The circus is cool. The ectasy and pain of love are real, important, deep human experiences. Does she really not have any ability to care about things, or is she just trying to be uber-cool?
I think most people probably don't connect with the seeming callous detachment of this song. I think a lot of people would find it as distressing as I do. And yet, we enjoy the song. Why? I think the key lies in the refrain. Even though we're not impressed with what life has to offer, we can still dance and have a good time. If she likes to dance, she can't be all that bad, even if she does have an annoying habit of pretending that life isn't affecting her.
And I'm calling her bluff. I don't believe her. I think she does care, but she's just trying to deaden the pain by pretending she doesn't. Which is probably another reason people appreciate the song, because we've all been there once or twice.
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3 comments:
Good post. It is a troubling (but lyrically interesting) song. Some combination of irony, world weariness and keeping a stiff upper lip. But in terms of the singer's view toward life, it makes me think of the phrase "you're doing it wrong."
I wiki'd its popularity:
"It was a popular single [in 1969], reaching number 11 on the U.S. pop singles chart - becoming Peggy Lee's first Top 40 pop hit since "Fever," 11 years earlier - and doing even better on the adult contemporary scene, topping that Billboard chart. It won Lee the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and then later was named to the Grammy Hall of Fame."
Thanks, Flax! I knew I could count on you to do the research. I wonder if there was something about that moment that made it resonate. I'm thinking about crazy, 60s style cocktail parties, like in "Catch Me If You Can."
You're welcome. My brain perked up upon processing the word "research."
Have a good time on your trip. I know you're laying the groundwork for going on that cruise.
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