# Does Anybody Really Know, etc. by Chicago **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 27, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155 "2007-08-27T21:41:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/1 "2007-08-27T21:41:25Z")
I never really listened to the words before, and I just did. (Directed to the singer/writer) A man walks up to you on the street and asks for the time, and you respond with “Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody care?” Well, obviously, the guy who asked you for it cares. He’s probably on his way to an appointment, maybe late, and probably not in the mood for your philosophy. You say that you ARE wearing a watch, so why not just tell the poor man? Honestly, you’re kind of being a jerk. (I do like Chicago, I do like the song, it just struck me. Mundane, Pointless, needed to share) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/2 "2007-08-27T21:46:22Z")
Thank you. I always found that song irritating, for _precisely_ that reason. Now I don’t feel so alone. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/3 "2007-08-27T21:56:45Z")
It might be mundane, and it might be pointless, but it’s _Cafe Society_ M & P. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/4 "2007-08-27T22:57:19Z")
Does anybody really know what time it is? I thought it was twenty-five or six to four? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/5 "2007-08-27T23:01:54Z")
[QUOTE=postcards] I thought it was twenty-five or six to four? [/QUOTE] Woulda been my answer. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/6 "2007-08-28T00:00:36Z")
Man, you have to look at the Deeper Meaning, man. It’s like the guy asking wants to know what time it is, and he cares what time it is, but does he know What Time It Is? Dig? If he cared about What Time It Was, he maybe wouldn’t be so worried about his appointment. And he’d say Wow a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/7 "2007-08-28T00:41:37Z")
[QUOTE=RoniaBorkason] A man walks up to you on the street and asks for the time, and you respond with “Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody care?” Well, obviously, the guy who asked you for it cares. He’s probably on his way to an appointment… [/QUOTE] I always thought he was on his way to the matinee showing of _Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon_. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/8 "2007-08-28T01:03:31Z")
[QUOTE=Yllaria] And he’d say Wow a lot. [/QUOTE] Far. Out. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/9 "2007-08-28T03:15:08Z")
Adult Sunday School class- Debbie was running late & comes in “What time is it?” I respond “Does anybody really know what time it is?” Debbie: “Does anybody really care?” Both of us in unison: “As I was walking down the street one day…” Then the teacher started the class & we had to shut up. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/10 "2007-08-28T03:23:38Z")
…And all your money won’t another minute buy… Kansas, Chicago, what’s the diff? Just kidding… ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/11 "2007-08-28T03:26:48Z")
Let’s do the time warp again! ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/12 "2007-08-28T03:29:41Z")
Flash to scene from Kentucky Fried Movie. The Craw is giving the Jackie Chan guy a tour of the prison: “In here, we have men who do not know what time it is. In this cell, we have men who know what time it is, but do not care, and in this cell, we have men who do not know what time it is, but DO care …” ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/13 "2007-08-28T13:07:44Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > > [@postcards](#): > > > > I thought it was twenty-five or six to four? > > Woulda been my answer. And of course, the date would be Saturday, I think, the Fourth of July. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/14 "2007-08-28T13:20:59Z")
If you’re not wearing a watch, how can you know if you’ve actually spent an hour in the shower? Most disturbing thing to me about Terry Kath is that he could eat Spam all day long. Eww. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/15 "2007-08-28T13:22:45Z")
[QUOTE=Civil Guy] …And all your money won’t another minute buy… Kansas, Chicago, what’s the diff? Just kidding… [/QUOTE] Obviously written by someone who knows nothing about the cost of medical care! ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/16 "2007-08-28T13:47:56Z")
[yogi] You mean right now? [/yogi] ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/17 "2007-08-28T14:22:20Z")
I’ve got this friend who owns a watch that synchronizes itself with the Atomic Clock every hour. So he _really_ knows what time it is. And considering the money he shelled out for the thing, I think it’s fair to say he really cares. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/18 "2007-08-28T14:27:20Z")
[QUOTE=Kizarvexius] I’ve got this friend who owns a watch that synchronizes itself with the Atomic Clock every hour. So he _really_ knows what time it is. And considering the money he shelled out for the thing, I think it’s fair to say he really cares. [/QUOTE] Meanwhile, my diamond watch has stopped cold dead. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/19 "2007-08-28T16:50:46Z")
[QUOTE=cmkeller] And of course, the date would be Saturday, I think, the Fourth of July. [/QUOTE] Would you, by any chance, happen to be in _the park_? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155/20 "2007-08-28T17:17:40Z")
If it’s any consolation, at the end of the song those clock-oriented people take a little revenge on the narrator. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-really-know-etc-by-chicago/417155.md?page=2)