Driving home from rehearsal tonight, I heard the KLPX DJ announce a new song. New? KLPX does classic rock. The most recent songs they ever play are from the '90s.
The track was "Analog Man" by Joe Walsh, and yes, it was new. Lots of references to high-speed internet, spam, etc.
I really wanted to like this song.
And I kind of do. Musically speaking, it's fun. It sounds like a natural evolution of '70s rock and roll, one of my preferred genres. But the lyrics? Here's an excerpt:
What's wrong with vinyl, I think it sounds greatAnother ...
LPs, 45s, 78s
But that's just the way I am
I'm an analog man
The whole world's glued to the cable TVI can't help but think that the guy who wrote "My Maserati does 185 / I lost my license, now I don't drive" could come up with something a little more subtle.
It looks so real on the big LCD
Murder and violence are rated PG, too bad for the children
They are what they see
Beyond that, though, there's a certain disconnect. I associate this style of rock with youth and rebellion and forward motion. But the song's message is essentially, "Things are different now than they used to be, and that's terrible."
Bleah.
Do me a favor. Remind me that I reacted this way when technology and cultural trends get ahead of me, and I yearn for a simpler time when I understood what was going on.
Or, hell, remind me whenever I go on about how much better classic rock was.
