# three questions about Benny and the Jets **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048 "2010-06-13T22:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/21 "2010-06-14T14:45:33Z")
Never mind, it was already said. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/22 "2010-06-14T14:51:32Z")
Ah, “really keen”, that’s what was being sung. One more of life’s mysteries unraveled. So there _is_ no such thing as “Redicain”…I just _knew_ it! I thought it was some made up, bizarre race of space rockers, ala Ziggy Stardust! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/23 "2010-06-14T14:56:53Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > I love threads like this when they discuss a song I’ve known most of my life and have never had a problem understanding! Although I like the song, the only actual words I’ve ever been able to understand as words are “Bennie and the Jets!” and “read it in a magazine!” I pretty much listened to it as if it was mostly in an unknown foreign language. ---
**Author:** ![abbeytxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@abbeytxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abbeytxs)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/24 "2010-06-14T15:42:44Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Oh, phew. I was staring at that photo trying to figure out if that bottle Moe was holding had poison in it or something. The “dubious” smilie threw me off. I tend to be a bit smilie impaired, as well as forgetting that you all can’t hear the tone of the thoughts in my head when I type them. I actually thought it was a pretty funny pun, in a big groan sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/25 "2010-06-14T16:10:54Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Although I like the song, the only actual words I’ve ever been able to understand as words are “Bennie and the Jets!” and “read it in a magazine!” I pretty much listened to it as if it was mostly in an unknown foreign language. Over the years, I managed to decipher most of this song’s lyrics without help, but I must admit that the “fatted calf” bit completely eluded me. Elton obviously has an eccentric way of pronouncing certain things. After hearing the song for 30+ years, it was only a few months ago that I learned what words he was singing immediately following the title phrase of “Rocket Man.” And to be honest…I’ve already forgotten them! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/26 "2010-06-14T16:31:32Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Over the years, I managed to decipher most of this song’s lyrics without help, but I must admit that the “fatted calf” bit completely eluded me. > > Elton obviously has an eccentric way of pronouncing certain things. After hearing the song for 30+ years, it was only a few months ago that I learned what words he was singing immediately following the title phrase of “Rocket Man.” > > And to be honest…I’ve already forgotten them! Well, he did tell you it was going to be a “long long time”! 😃 ---
**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:** [June 14, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/27 "2010-06-14T17:03:05Z")
> [@abbeytxs](#): > > I tend to be a bit smilie impaired, as well as forgetting that you all can’t hear the tone of the thoughts in my head when I type them. > > I actually thought it was a pretty funny pun, in a big groan sort of way. Thanks. And sorry for the tone and I apologize. You did indeed whoosh me, and big time. But come on, you knew somebody was going to make a “Moe-hair” pun sooner or later. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/28 "2010-06-14T17:24:18Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > 1. What in the hell does the song mean? The lyrics make absolutely no sense to me. > > 2. Is it true that it was never recorded in a studio, and the version heard most on the radio was recorded at a concert? > > 3. What exactly is mo-hair? I know it’s a material of some type, but was it a synthetic fiber of the 70’s, or is it used today? 1. You have three, maybe four point of views represented in this song. The first verse is a promoter hawking BatJ concerts. The chorus starts with a kid who has succumbed to the hype asking Candie and Ronnie if they’ve seen them. Candie or Ronnie reply negatively: “(No), but they’re so spaced out”. In response, the original kid then gives his/her reasons why: weird, wonderful, Bennie is really cool, mohair suits, etc. The second verse can possibly be the promoter saying that listening to BatJ will drive their parents crazy, or it could be a third POV, this time coming from a big fan who has blown up BatJ to be this outrageous thing that will drive their parents crazy and is the epitome of rebellion. 1. Studio version, crowd noise added. 2. Already answered. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/29 "2010-06-14T18:03:53Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Over the years, I managed to decipher most of this song’s lyrics without help, but I must admit that the “fatted calf” bit completely eluded me. > > Elton obviously has an eccentric way of pronouncing certain things. After hearing the song for 30+ years, it was only a few months ago that I learned what words he was singing immediately following the title phrase of “Rocket Man.” > > And to be honest…I’ve already forgotten them! “Burning out his dreams up here alone.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/30 "2010-06-14T18:09:03Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > “Burning out his dreams up here alone.” His _fuse_. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/31 "2010-06-14T18:26:38Z")
> [@abbeytxs](#): > > It was for posting a really bad pun and I was kidding. 😃 I’ve survived for eleven years as a Doper posting worse. 🙂 (In fact, [this](http://www.formanandfield.com/images/categories/f3310.jpg) may be my worst visual pun. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/32 "2010-06-14T18:26:54Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > WAG: For “wishing death” on a Doper. (Yourself.) > > Alternately, for posting a really really bad pun… Huh? What was the pun? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/33 "2010-06-14T18:50:22Z")
The guy in **Chocrane’s** post is Moe from the Three Stooges, notorious for having bad hair. Mohair = Moe hair. Chocrane’s right… perhaps we should just shoot him/her. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/34 "2010-06-14T19:07:51Z")
Where’s the threatening another doper thing? Or was that just the “Shoot me now” comment? Sorry…got confused and assumed that the picture of Moe was some sort of veiled death threat. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/35 "2010-06-14T19:15:49Z")
That was the “shoot me now” comment, which is, in the letter, against the “don’t threaten violence” rule, but definitely not in the spirit. If I’m wrong, y’all can kill me. Shit! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/36 "2010-06-14T19:21:38Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > I’ve survived for eleven years as a Doper posting worse. 🙂 > > (In fact, [this](http://www.formanandfield.com/images/categories/f3310.jpg) may be my worst visual pun. Did you post that when someone asked you for a link? If so, Bra, vo! If you posted it when Carol Stream or Rand Rover started frothing at the mouth and **demanding** a link, Double bravo. ---
**Author:** ![mufatango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@mufatango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mufatango)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/37 "2010-06-14T21:01:48Z")
[This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_l_runP4-Q&feature=related) is the first version of the song I ever heard - Biz Markie and the Beastie Boys live. I always thought its incoherence was due to Biz just being massively stoned and slurring, but after I looked up the original version, I really think he was just imitating the hard-to-understand lyrical performance… ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/38 "2010-06-14T21:24:05Z")
One thing I really liked about Elton John was how each album included the lyrics in the liner notes. Cleared up a lot of confusion. And “spaced out” wasn’t necessarily a negative comment back in the 70’s! ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/39 "2010-06-15T02:53:50Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > 1. You have three, maybe four point of views represented in this song. > > The first verse is a promoter hawking BatJ concerts. > > The chorus starts with a kid who has succumbed to the hype asking Candie and Ronnie if they’ve seen them. Candie or Ronnie reply negatively: “(No), but they’re so spaced out”. In response, the original kid then gives his/her reasons why: weird, wonderful, Bennie is really cool, mohair suits, etc. Department of Anality: the line is “Ooh, but they’re so spaced out” (“Oh” in the second chorus). The speaker does not change at this point. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048/40 "2010-06-15T11:42:22Z")
Yes, that’s why I put the “no” in brackets. As you mentioned, in the first iteration of the chorus it’s more of an “ooooh, but they’re so spaced out” (with the “ooooh” being phonetic with “too” and “two”). Whether the speaker changes is up to interpretation… I can see it both ways, true. That’s the nice thing about 1970’s-era Bernie Taupin lyrics - they’re not as simple to parse as most pop songs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/three-questions-about-benny-and-the-jets/543048.md?page=3)