ELTON JOHN SAY WHAT?!

Confession: Sometimes I pretend my car is a karaoke bar.

It's really a lot of fun, until I stop short and spill my martini all over me.

I'm kidding!  I don't drink and drive.  I'm too busy tweeting on my iPhone.

No but seriously,  I do sing and drive.   Anyone else?

I've been getting really good at mocking the tenor part of Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons.  And by the Four Seasons I mean the Jersey Boys Original Broadway Cast Recording.  It sounds the same, until they start talking.

In addition to jukebox musicals I also belt along to Elton John. 

But often midway through "Bennie & The Jets"  I have to stop and ask myself... what the hell am I singing? 

No offense, but for someone with a lyricist, Elton John has some pretty confusing lyrics.  I'm convinced he chooses them based on how much fun he has saying the words instead of asking,"does this make sense?".

Like what exactly is Bennie & The Jet's about?

Yeah it's really fun to belt "B-B-B-B Bennie and the Jets!"  But I really can't remember any other lyric from the song.

But thanks to Google, now I do.

I bet you never knew THESE were the lyrics of the chorus:

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet

But they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful

Oh Bennie she's really keen

She's got electric boots a mohair suit

You know I read it in a magazine

B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?!?!?!?!

Who are Bennie and Jets?  And out of all things that you would read about Bennie and her jets, why is the ONLY thing that you recall about her is that she has electirc boots and a mohair suit?  I get it Elton, you're gay, but come on.   And how does this fashion choice make her weird and wonderful?

I think there are some subliminal messages in here.  Like the lyric "We'll kill the fatted calf tonight."  Huh?!  What's a fatted calf and why do you want to kill it?  Are you promoting violence SIR Elton? Good thing he didn't call "Bennie and the Jets" "Your Song."  Yikes.

But my favorite lyric of this confusing song is the last, or shall I say the "call to action".

Where we fight our parents out in the streets

To find who's right and who's wrong 

What would happen if a kid actually fought his parents in the "streets" because of this jam?  Then the kid would go trial and the judge asked why, the kid would plead "Elton John told me to do it."

Not only that, but the "sir" wants us to fight our parents out in the streets, not even in the comfort of our own homes, but out in the cold streets to see who's "right" and who's "wrong"? Why?  For Bennie?!  What did Bennie ever do besides wear electric boots?    

But the tune is really catchy.  Bennie!  Bennie!  

PS I just looked up Bennie and Jets on Wikipedia and it all makes sense now.

In case you're curious:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennie_and_the_Jets

But you have to admit, I do have a point about how it's hard to remember/sing along to Elton's lyrics.  Try it.  Turn your car into a karaoke bar.  I dare you.