# Question About Jessie's Girl **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104 "2019-08-23T14:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2019, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/61 "2019-08-25T04:49:08Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > I agree it has a more elaborate structure than pop songs in general. But I would dissent on the idea that this was rare for the era. The 80’s had its share of 3-chord bubblegum, but it was really common for songs to have elaborate chord/melodic structures. At least in the first part of the 80’s. Ok, yeah. The era did have plenty of other pop songs with weird structures. Saying it was special for the time was simply wrong, and I apologize. It’s not that it’s chord progression is weird or anything tonally crazy - it’s a screwy structure, with a weird double chorus and other little catches. It’s not one of those songs where you can learn the progression and pretty much play it on autopilot, and it doesn’t sound like anything but a song you could play on autopilot when you’re just listening to it. When it came to learning it for a cover band I was participating in at work, I was surprised at how odd the structure was, I had to pay attention, and it still came across as a straight ahead pop song. I was a lot more impressed with Springfield afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Esprise\_Me](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprise_me/32/2947_2.png) [@Esprise\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprise_Me)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/62 "2019-08-25T14:59:15Z")
Contrast this with Toby Keith’s “High Maintenance Woman,” which is thematically somewhat similar but actually does have shades of incel-dom. In that song, a man old enough to not only be working as a maintenance man but to think of it as his career vs. an afterschool job, pines after what he assumes is a high-maintenance woman (because she’s beautiful and rich, I guess), but concludes he can’t ask her out because she wouldn’t date a blue collar guy (because reasons?), yet despite thinking so poorly of her character, he still desperately wants her. There, I can see the seeds of toxic masculinity and NiceGuy-ism germinating. In Jessie’s Girl, I only see the soil where such seeds might be planted, if the guy doesn’t grow up a little before he gets on Reddit. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/63 "2019-08-26T02:41:56Z")
She’s got to be Somebody’s Baby. She must be Somebody’s Baby. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/64 "2019-08-26T03:06:19Z")
I think it’s grossly unfair to class someone as a ‘villain’ for having thoughts about a friend’s girlfriend that he doesn’t act on. The song reads to me as a young man who’s jealous of his friend’s girlfriend and probably not sure how to approach the whole dating thing in general. He’s working through the kinds of thoughts a lot of teenagers have, but doesn’t do anything to try to cause his friend to try to break up. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/65 "2019-08-26T14:44:42Z")
She might like him better if the slept together. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/66 "2019-08-26T16:50:32Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > She might like him better if the slept together. But there’s something in her eyes that says maybe that’s never ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/67 "2019-08-27T17:36:08Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I guess if I had to make a binary choice, I’d say he’s a bad guy based off the “I’ve been cool with the lines” line which I could extrapolate into him trying to steal his friend’s girlfriend. But mainly I just see him as a dude who’s fallen for the same girl as his friend and is wrestling with the emotional fallout of being in regular proximity to her without being able to act on it. Not hero nor villain. This. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/68 "2019-08-27T17:57:56Z")
What he needs is adult education. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/69 "2019-08-27T18:01:27Z")
Maybe it was Saturday night? I guess that makes it all right. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/70 "2019-08-27T18:37:24Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > The tragic point of the whole song is that Jessie’s girl is named Stacy and Jessie is really in love with Stacy’s mom. 'Cuz she’s got it going on, of course. > > If Jessie would get off his butt and make the move to Stacy’s mom this would all sort out just fine for everyone with the exception of Stacy’s dad. > > Glad to help, > Bubba Is there any indication in that song that Stacy’s dad is still in the picture? ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/71 "2019-08-27T18:49:18Z")
> [@Esprise\_Me](#): > > Yeah, I can see someone who falls for the toxic incel mindset starting out with this situation and these feelings, and maybe someone who’s actually being a total creep identifying with the speaker in the song. But I just don’t see anything within the four corners of the lyrics to suggest anything more than a young guy struggling with the triple whammy of 1) I want girls but they don’t want me, 2) my best friend has a girl and I’m envious and feeling a little left behind socially, and 3) this particular girl is really attractive and I have a crush on her, and I have to see her all the time because she’s dating my friend, but all I can do is sit here and eat my heart out. It’s kinda refreshing that he doesn’t claim to be in love with her when he doesn’t know her at all, as the speakers so often do in pop songs. I also picture the speaker being about sixteen years old; I would view these sentiments much differently coming from someone old enough to rent a car. He does say he wants to tell her that he loves her – but the point is prob’ly moot. You can take that to mean he wants a relationship with her where he would eventually tell her that he loves her, but I tend to think it’s meant as right now. I also see it as a teenage protagonist. I don’t think it necessarily works to put a hero or villain label on him. (Or her. Mary Lambert has an excellent, and more mature, I’d say, cover of it. Interesting how it changes just with interpretive choices.) Teenagers are usually pretty dumb about love in many ways, for many reasons. One aspect that I don’t like, even more than the omission of her name, is that the relationship is characterized through possession. Jessie’s girl. I want to make her mine. Which of course leads into discussions here about “stealing” a friend’s girl. I know it was the imagery of the time – I’m not faulting RS for using it, exactly. I mostly just want to point out for this discussion that you can’t steal a person. You can be a terrible friend for not respecting your friend’s relationship, or feelings. The girlfriend can betray whatever agreement she has, but, assuming she has agency, she can’t be “stolen.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/72 "2019-08-27T21:20:02Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > What he needs is adult education. And to shake off those ol’ summertime blues. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/73 "2019-08-27T21:33:08Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Is there any indication in that song that Stacy’s dad is still in the picture? To break the theme of the thread with a serious answer, the song says Stacy’s Dad walked out. > [@](#): > > And I know that you think it’s just a fantasy > But since your dad walked out > Your mom could use a guy like me ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/74 "2019-08-27T22:06:15Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I guess if I had to make a binary choice, I’d say he’s a bad guy based off the “I’ve been cool with the lines” line which I could extrapolate into him trying to steal his friend’s girlfriend. But mainly I just see him as a dude who’s fallen for the same girl as his friend and is wrestling with the emotional fallout of being in regular proximity to her without being able to act on it. Not hero nor villain. That was my understanding, as well. Rick (the singer) is just an angsty teenager whining about how his good friend has gotten involved with a really appealing girlfriend and he’s in love with her as well. “I’ve been funny, I’ve been cool with the lines…” just tells us he doesn’t know what it really takes to attract a girl or guy (i.e. you need more than just that). This is more stereotypical teen drama. And wishing isn’t pursuing; what we see is that he’s too clueless to go find someone else for himself. –G! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/75 "2019-08-27T22:27:10Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Maybe it was Saturday night? I guess that makes it all right. No, it’s another Saturday night and he ain’t got nobody. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/76 "2019-08-28T02:38:47Z")
He knows Jessie, but he’s not _friends_ with Jessie. They don’t hang out or anything. Jessie is actually kind of a prick. So how come Jessie ended up with that hot girl he saw hanging off him? Man, he’s thinking, why can’t I find a woman like that? She’s loving him with her body, he just just knows it! Dammit, he wishes that he had Jessie’s girl. It’s nothing personal, just envy from afar. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/77 "2019-08-28T04:06:52Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > No, it’s another Saturday night and he ain’t got nobody. Doesn’t he know that morning has broken, like the first morning? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/78 "2019-08-28T12:46:56Z")
Is he a hero? The girl is Jessie’s 4-year-old _daughter_, you bunch of sickos! ---
**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:** [August 28, 2019, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/79 "2019-08-28T13:48:50Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Is he a hero? The girl is Jessie’s 4-year-old _daughter_, you bunch of sickos! But she’s very mature for her age. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104/80 "2019-08-28T14:08:30Z")
He’s nuts over her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-jessies-girl/839104.md?page=5)