Todd Rundgren "We got to find you a woman" WTF?

Cafe Society
1

Listening to my SiriusXM radio last week when suddenly what seemed to me to be the worst piece of crap of a song ever came on. It was so bad that I had to look down at the screen to see WTF it was.

Todd Rundgren *“We got to find you a woman” *.

Oh My God, you mean people listened to and even bought that?

I was out of the US for several years starting in 1975 so I must have missed his music, but that song just blew me away!

How popular was he? Did all his “hits” sound like that?

2

He peaked commercially in the 70s. His better-known hits, “Hello It’s Me” and “Can’t We Still Be Friends,” do sound a bit like it. He’s still a working musician and music producer; I saw him on one of the late-night shows being backed by Melissa Auf der Maur (of Hole) a few years back.

3

It’s We Gotta Get You A Woman. Sorry you hated it so much, but there is no accounting for taste. I look at it as a disposable pop tune from Todd’s pop era, when he was writing and recording a song in a day. Some of the songs from that period were great, some less so. Most people who hate the song hate it because the lyrics are sexist:

*Talkin’ 'bout things about that special one
They may be stupid but they sure are fun
*

Anyway, he’s 62 now and is still writing, producing and touring new music, and constantly changing his style. The last record, called Arena was arena rock, but the one before that was called Liars and was heavily techno influenced. ANd the last full album before that was bossa nova covers of his hits.

The arena tour featured Rachel Haden (daughter of Charlie Haden) and later Sara Lee (of Gang of Four).

4

It was intended as a joke. Note the last line, which notes how they both were terminal losers. But with a poppy beat!

5

Todd Rundgren’s music is full of sarcasm and irony. You can’t take it at face value. FWIW We Gotta Get You A Woman is not one of my favorite Rundgren songs; his real genius is as an experimental musician and producer; he was creating stuff back in the early 1970s that is comparable to what Animal Collective is putting out.

I will actually be meeting Todd Rundgren when he comes here in October to teach a seminar at the School of Music; I will be part of the committee that shows him around town and publicizes his participation in various events in the community. I have idolized him for a long time so I am really looking forward to this.

6

Bang on the Drum All Day is another of his pop-is-stupid-but-catchy songs.

7

Considering his body of work, I think Todd can be excused for one (or more) WTF? songs.

How popular was he? His album sales probably aren’t that impressive, but he has a loyal following. I’ve been to four shows in the last five years, and they’ve all *very *well attended, if not sold out.

8

Love Bang On The Drum, but as to the OP:

Different century, different times.:slight_smile:

Some of us “Sad Sacks” actually identified with “Leroy, boy, is that you?”

Q

9

Loves me some Todd!

Quasi

10

With reference to the “sexist lyrics,” I believe that what are “stupid” are the “things” and not women or “that special one.”

…Men are stupid, women are evil…

“Happy Anniversary” …Liars

Zep

11

The sexism in the song bothered many people when it first came out, too. But there are several factors.

  1. Most people who listened to hits at the time never paid any attention to the lyrics.
  2. The point most people took away from the song was that Leroy needed to get out and meet women and the singer would help.
  3. The lyrics are satirical; a couple of losers trying to find someone. It was as jokey as its tune suggests.
  4. Rundgren was well regarded by the critical community at the time. Not just as a singer-songwriter, but as a music producer. He turned Grand Funk Railroad from a joke to a critically respectable group, for instance.