# Now how about the worst bit o wisdom from a song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347 "2011-05-01T03:44:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/21 "2011-05-02T00:23:52Z")
Dance like an Egyptian. I don’t think Egyptians really dance like that. But if you do, you’re going to look silly. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/22 "2011-05-02T00:26:09Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > More prosaically, if you can come on and feel the noise, you’re too close to the speakers and they’re probably too loud anyway. It’s no place to get wild, wild, wild. Plus your speakers will get all sticky. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/23 "2011-05-02T00:27:31Z")
_When you’re alone and life if making you lonely, you can always go downtown. Linger on the sidewalk where the neon lights are pretty. How can you lose?_ Eventually, someone will offer to sell you some heroin, and then you’ll be totally sorted – really! Then you can sleep in subway or stand in the pourin’ rain and just generally not give a fuck about anything. It’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/24 "2011-05-02T00:37:08Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > What’s wrong the premise of que sera, sera? It’s not saying that you can’t control your future, just that you shouldn’t worry about it overmuch. It is a fatalistic philosophy which, if generallyadopted, would result in the lack of any meaningful attempts to affect the future and improve the lot of mankind in general and oneself in particular. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/25 "2011-05-02T01:25:24Z")
“Roxanne, you don’t have to put on the red light…” Hey, c’mon, she’s a whore, she has to pay her bills. She’s not gonna make it trying to get along on your brokedy-ass income, buddy! ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/26 "2011-05-02T04:55:55Z")
“Party like it’s 1999” Woohoo! Turn up the volume on that Ricky Martin CD and stockpile some canned goods for Y2K 'cause I just scored some tickets to _The Phantom Menace_! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/27 "2011-05-02T06:10:58Z")
Then too, all those Beatles songs telling us that “Love is all you need” and “Love is the answer” made a certain sense in a decoupaged plaque / T-shirt slogan / Hallmark card kid of way, but try applying them to life, and you’ll end up very disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/28 "2011-05-02T14:39:20Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > But that’s the best you can hope for? I certainly hope for much better than that. Bearing in mind we are talking about your \*death \*here–just what do you hope for? If your hope is _not dying_, well, that is not a realistic goal. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/29 "2011-05-02T16:33:15Z")
“Hope I die before I get old.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/30 "2011-05-02T18:36:55Z")
“Don’t fear the reaper” ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/31 "2011-05-02T19:25:30Z")
“just get on the bus Gus” yeah, right, I did that…ended up in Reno…and some guy kicked me the nuts just to watch me cry. Hell, I coulda stayed home for that and saved the time and bus fare. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/32 "2011-05-02T19:40:55Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with. Presented that way, there are at least two ways to interpret that bromide. 1. If the person you feel passion for is unavailable and shall remain so, accept that and find a way to love someone who IS available. 2. If your lover is away, fuck your neighbor. The first interpretation is not bad. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/33 "2011-05-02T19:50:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > “Hope I die before I get old.” Thread winner! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/34 "2011-05-02T19:56:37Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Presented that way, there are at least two ways to interpret that bromide. > > 1. If the person you feel passion for is unavailable and shall remain so, accept that and find a way to love someone who IS available. > > 2. If your lover is away, fuck your neighbor. > > The first interpretation is not bad. My understanding is the song was about having sex with groupies during a tour (“cause your baby is so far away”). So I’m going to agree with it being bad advice. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/35 "2011-05-02T20:12:37Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > Steppenwolf: “If I was the President of this land, / I’d declare total war on the pusher man.” And he did, and now we see what would have happened if the government hadn’t admitted its mistake and repealed the Volstead Act. I find it awesome and delightful someone brought up the Volstead Act here, that’s all. It’s a great act, right up there w/ the Mann Act. > [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > Dance like an Egyptian. > I don’t think Egyptians really dance like that. But if you do, you’re going to look silly. It was Walk Like an Egyptian; I’m no anthropologist but I don’t think they slithered. Terrible advice in a lyric - The Tubes, ‘She’s a Beauty’; _**You can say anything you like, but you can’t touch the merchandise. She’ll give you every pennies worth, but it will cost you a dollar first. You can step outside your little world. You can talk to a pretty girl. She’s everything you dream about… but don’t fall in love… She’s a beauty — one in a million girls, she’s a beauty. Why would I lie?**_ Listen, buddy, she’s great and you can spend money on her but she’s pretty! So, don’t fall in love w/ a pretty girl. Why would I lie? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/36 "2011-05-02T21:19:50Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Presented that way, there are at least two ways to interpret that bromide. > > 1. If the person you feel passion for is unavailable and shall remain so, accept that and find a way to love someone who IS available. > > 2. If your lover is away, fuck your neighbor. > > The first interpretation is not bad. I’m pretty sure it’s about groupies. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/37 "2011-05-02T21:22:34Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s about groupies. The _song_ is about groupies, yes. The Doper I responded to quoted a single line from the song, and I said that that single line, without a context, could be taken in at least two ways. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/38 "2011-05-02T21:36:02Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Listen, buddy, she’s great and you can spend money on her but she’s pretty! So, don’t fall in love w/ a pretty girl. Why would I lie? The song advises the listener to not fall in love with a stripper. [That strikes me as good advice.](http://www.theonion.com/articles/i-think-that-stripper-really-liked-me,10883/) Strippers act really friendly, but that’s because it’s their job to act friendly. ---
**Author:** ![eno801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@eno801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eno801)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/39 "2011-05-02T21:41:25Z")
Let’s go take some drugs and drive around Drive around Gas up the car, get some beer too How about a sixpack for me and a twelvepack for you the Silos ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347/40 "2011-05-03T00:25:46Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > I find it awesome and delightful someone brought up the Volstead Act here, that’s all. It’s a great act, right up there w/ the Mann Act. A great one maybe, but by no means a _good_ one. Otherwise, thanx! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-how-about-the-worst-bit-o-wisdom-from-a-song/580347.md?page=3)