# Rock/pop songs with now-dated references **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412 "2010-04-08T15:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/81 "2010-04-11T21:00:40Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Nowadays people still use headphones, but what is a Walkman? It is Sony’s brand of MP3 player. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/82 "2010-04-11T21:05:27Z")
Sir Mix-a-Lot’s _Baby Got Back_ has the line: “So your girlfriend rolls a Honda, playin’ workout tapes by Fonda” Does Jane Fonda still make workout videos? (Damn, I just realized that song’s 20 years old now …) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/83 "2010-04-11T21:44:00Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Sir Mix-a-Lot’s _Baby Got Back_ has the line: > > “So your girlfriend rolls a Honda, playin’ workout tapes by Fonda” > > Does Jane Fonda still make workout videos? > > (Damn, I just realized that song’s 20 years old now …) I think the more dated reference there is workout _tapes_. If Fonda is still making workout videos, they’re unlikely to be on VHS. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/84 "2010-04-11T22:14:25Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Nowadays people still use headphones, but what is a Walkman? The earliest sight I remember of anyone with a Walkman was an advert for Robert Palmer’s “looking for Clues” single around 1980 I honestly thought it maybe was some kind of ironic parody of a hearing aid… ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/85 "2010-04-11T23:29:45Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I think the more dated reference there is workout _tapes_. If Fonda is still making workout videos, they’re unlikely to be on VHS. Ooo, good catch 😛 ---
**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:** [April 12, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/86 "2010-04-12T00:22:15Z")
The antique student in “I’m Going to Say It Now” by Phil Ochs points out that _“you’re supporting Chang Kai-Shek while I’m supporting Mao”_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/87 "2010-04-12T01:01:31Z")
“But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao / You’re not going to make it with anyone anyhow” Probably as true today in China as anywhere else, if not more so. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/88 "2010-04-12T01:26:54Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Probably as true today in China as anywhere else, if not more so. My father-in-law visits China 3-4 times a year on business and says Mao is still revered pretty widely. ---
**Author:** ![MeepersC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meepersc/32/12088_2.png) [@MeepersC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeepersC)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/89 "2010-04-12T01:40:33Z")
How about Travis Tritt’s “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”? Again, referencing the now almost-obsolete pay phones. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/90 "2010-04-12T03:00:03Z")
From ‘She’s Crafty’ by the Beastie Boys: I think her name is Lucy but they all call her Loose I think I thought I seen her on eighth and forty-deuce Implying the girl is a prostitute, but nowadays she’d just be a tourist. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/91 "2010-04-12T09:38:49Z")
I’m surprised that no one’s yet mentioned [“Kiss”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOf_FJmb3V4), by Prince and the Revolution. “You don’t have to watch **Dynasty** / To have an attitude / You just leave it all up to me / My love will be your food” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/92 "2010-04-12T15:00:00Z")
On a similar note, though it’s country rather than pop/rock, Hank Williams, Jr.'s _This Ain’t Dallas_: This ain’t Dallas, and this ain’t Dynasty. This is a real-life two job working family. And I ain’t J.R. You ain’t Suellen We’re just a man and a woman holding things together. . . . Now we all like to watch those shows and we all like to dream. You know J.R. is making deals and Alexis is making steam. Joan and Linda, Victoria and Morgan they’re a sight to see. My ole lady said, “I know what you’re thinkin’” I said “Now honey, don’tcha know all of that is on TV!” ---
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/93 "2010-04-12T17:10:16Z")
“The Late Great Johnny Ace” by Paul Simon “On a cold December evening I was walking through the Christmas tide When a stranger came up and asked me If I’d heard John Lennon had died” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/94 "2010-04-12T17:15:15Z")
> [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](#): > > “The Late Great Johnny Ace” by Paul Simon > > “On a cold December evening > I was walking through the Christmas tide > When a stranger came up and asked me > If I’d heard John Lennon had died” That’s not a dated reference. He’s telling a story in the past tense. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/95 "2010-04-12T17:23:19Z")
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Reagan and Haig, Mr. Begin and friend, Mrs. Thatcher, and Paisly, “Hello Maggie!” Mr. Brezhnev and party. “Scusi dov’è il bar?” The ghost of McCarthy, The memories of Nixon. from The Fletcher Memorial Home (Waters) – Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/96 "2010-04-12T17:25:55Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > “And now you find yourself in '82” > Asia - Heat of the Moment I’d have to search for this but I believe there’s no apostrophe by 82. According to the Asia singer and lyricist John Wetton, “82” was the name of a nightclub. Unfortunately it happened to also be the year the song was released. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/97 "2011-04-06T03:42:02Z")
Stepping on pop-tops in Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. I was trying to explain to my young nephews recently how soda cans used to be opened. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/98 "2011-04-06T03:53:32Z")
Johnny Paycheck-_Take This Job And Shove It._ Not in this current job market. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/99 "2011-04-06T04:19:48Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Dead Kennedy’s California Uber Alles: > > I am Governor Jerry Brown > My aura smiles > And never frowns > Soon I will be president… And now this one becomes _relevant_ again. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412/100 "2011-04-06T05:34:13Z")
In Summer of 69, Bryan Adams is somehow able to buy his first real 6-string at a five-and-dime. BARGAIN! In his '65 Love Affair, poor Paul Davis got zero action at the drive-in, despite trying to make her give in. The Statler Brothers, in between counting Flowers on the Wall, passed the time watching Captain Kangaroo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-pop-songs-with-now-dated-references/535412.md?page=6)