LiveWire

A post by Maynard

For some odd reason, the song “Just a Gigolo” is stuck in my head today. It’s an old tune, dating back to the 1920’s, covered by countless artists over the years (see Wikipedia for details). In 1956 the original song was merged with another old song, “I Ain’t Got Nobody”, and David Lee Roth brought the hybridized version back onto our national radar in 1985.

Four years ago, we suffered through an extravaganza of an inauguration, and the people who bitterly complained about the $50 million expense are now wildly cheering for the upcoming $150 million orgy of adulation. I suggest you turn off the TV and let the mob have its fun. But if you find yourself trapped and compelled to view more than a few seconds (maybe in a bar with a video feed, or maybe at the home of a kooky liberal relative, or maybe some deranged lunatic abducts you at gunpoint and subjects you to the Ludovico technique, except with pictures of Obama substituting for Beethoven’s concerts)…well, I think David Lee Roth’s video will serve as a quickie antidote. On the surface, it’s a silly bit of MTV fluff. But it addresses the fleeting nature of fame and flash, and mocks our pretentions. Watch it with a smile, but remember it as a lesson. And don’t begrudge the fools their day, but neither should you take them too seriously.