That’s my latest theory to explain the victory of Alvin Greene in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. They thought he was Al Green. (Never mind that this is South Carolina and Al’s from Memphis; just indulge me for a moment — I’m on a roll here.)
And if that’s what those voters were thinking, well then, who can blame them? Certainly not I.
A few days ago, I was listening to Pandora while blogging, and had to stop what I was doing to listen fully to an awesome track by the
Rev. Al. It was an unlikely song to be so awesome. It was “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?” Yep, the Bee Gees tune.
Now, I feel about the Bee Gees sort of the way Rob in High Fidelity (my very favorite book of the last 15 years, which I know I mention all the frickin’ time) felt about Peter Frampton. (In fact, I feel more that way about Peter Frampton than I do about the Bee Gees, because some of their pre-disco stuff was good. But their disco sins are difficult to forgive.) If you haven’t read the book, you may remember the scene in the movie. Rob and Dick and Barry go to hear this new singer in a club, and as Rob enters, he hears the strains of “Baby I Love Your Way,” and grimaces, “Is that Peter F___ing Frampton?” and almost leaves. But he listens, and is so enchanted with what the singer does with the song, that he says to Dick and Barry, “I always hated this song,” and they moan a sympathetic, “Yeahhhh…” and then he confesses, “Now I kind of like it…” and they moan, “Yeahhhh…” (Here’s the scene, by the way.)
OK, so sexual attraction was also involved there. But I know that with Rob’s highly refined pop music sensibilities, he would also have been blown away by Al Green doing that Bee Gees tune. It was amazing.
Where was I? Oh, yes… so if that was why folks voted for Alvin Greene, all is forgiven.
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You mean they are two different people?
Dang, I hate it when that happens.
I don’t understand people that don’t like disco music. The energy, excitement and blissfulness of the genre. It just makes you feel good all over to rock and sway to the gyrating beat of a powerful disco tune. So much 60s era music was message oriented to the point that some of it made me want to run away and hide. Disco music on the other hand was about having fun. After the constant drama of the 60s the mid-late 70s was a breath of fresh air that reverberates to this day. Boy do I miss those days.
Bud– I think its generational–I also am of disco era high school vintage, and the sophisticated rhythms and instrumentation of disco, coupled with the happy vibe you note makes it far more palatable than the grungy noise of Brad’s stuff….
I had a couple of Al Green albums back in the day – cool dude –
This is my favorite theory so far. Of course, if I’d thought it was THAT Al Green I would’ve voted for him.
I graduated high school in the early 70s during the rock’n’roll boom. Disco? Ewwww! I’d rather listen to nothing.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/06/11/nikki-haley-and-rand-paul-races-where-have-all-the-reporters-go/
I’ve heard talk that there is a bumper sticker coming out that says:
“Don’t blame me. I voted for Vic Rawl.”
Well, I visited http://www.politics1.com/sc.htm which lists national and state constitutional officers for South Carolina. I visited Vic Rawl’s web site; there was no web site for Alvin Greene. I voted for Vic based on his credentials.
There is now a domain for Alvin Greene. That domain and web site was created June 10, 2010.
So, don’t blame me! I voted for Vic!
Now, I should pay more attention to the runoff for Solicitor.
But my guy won decisvely! I decided against voting for the lesser of the four evils for governor that was promising to reform Washington, DC.
This year is too critical for the success of South Carolina! We have suffered under 16 years of “Do Nothing Governots”. South Carolina deserves better leaders! We don’t need 4 or 8 years of “Sanford in a Skirt”.
This headline made me laugh out loud!
(and I wonder what people think as we travel all over the wide west w/ our SC license plates)
@ Debbie– I have been the toast of a conference at Harvard with all my insider details about SC politics. Wouldn’t it have been better if I could have regaled them with tales of how we have overcome our educational deficiencies or how we are bringing in great jobs (well, Boeing–but that is it)?