Caveat Lectores on PC

I may have crossed the line on political correctness recently in my effort to share my brilliant sense of humor and musical tastes. Here is my stow-ry.

Each Friday, I close the office promptly at 5:00 and go to YouTube for a little fun. Actually a lot of fun if I can find it. I love to research old music videos. Some older than others. My superior legal research skills allow me to find musical interludes that surprise even me. Naturally, there is limited fun in this if I do not share my incredible finds.

The Internet makes sharing simple. Face Book makes it easy. Alls I have to do is insert the hyperlink into a message and presto; all my “friends” get to share the wealth of my research. I have been doing this sporadically for several months.

Yesterday, Friday November 20, 2009, I found a forgotten version of “Honky Tonk Woman” by the Rolling Stones with Cheryl Crow. I like this song for two reasons. It may be the best raunchy rock & roll song ever, and it reminds me of my daughter. HTW first came out in 1969. She was nearly two years old and used to sway to the music in the adorable way only a two year old can. I smile when I hear the song, but some would find it a little less than prudish. I posted it to Face Book. That received no immediate response.

The trouble started when I went one step further and posted another favorite by Guns N Roses, “Used to Love Her.” I love the melody of this song if you can call it that. Yes, I kind of know the lyrics, but since I cannot sing a note, the most I ever do is hum to any song, even “Happy Birthday.”

The lyrics go like this:

I used to love her, but I had to kill her. I used to love her, but I had to kill her. I had to put her, six feet under and I can still hear her complain. I used to love her, (whoa yeah) but I had to kill her. I used to love her, (oooo yeah) but I had to kill her. I knew I'd miss her, So I had to keep her. She's buried right in my backyard. (whoa yeah). (whoa yeah), (whoo-oo yeah).

Boy, did I step in it or what?

I told my Significant Other, affectionately known as Little Sweetie, what I had done, and she was not amused or repulsed but then she never really heard the song. I went to Face Book this morning and found six responses: three from males who seemed to show appreciation for my musical tastes, and three from females; who were not pleased. I immediately apologized to the “friend” who seemed genuinely offended, and I deleted the message and the responses before things got out of hand. If there was going to be a discussion on Face Book among my “friends” about domestic violence, there was nothing in it for me to get credit for starting the social intercourse.

What is my point? I am not sure.

· Part of me is pissed off because I cannot publish a popular but off color music video to the Internet without creating discussion about something that should have everyone on the same side. Violent acts toward anyone, male or female, (domesticated or not) are always inappropriate, immoral AND illegal.

· Part of me is pissed off because I did not see it coming.

· Part of me is concerned that, from the comments, the men seemed to line up against the women.

· Part of me is concerned that there are probably a lot of people out there who have such bad memories of the subject they can only feel pain when reminded of a part of their past or maybe even their future.

· An apology to those people is in order and sincerely posited.

During my search for a way to cleanse my inner being of guilt over my crossing the PC line, I did some research as I so frequently do. I found that at least once a man has been accused of murder after searching for and downloading the song from Google. He was from St. Augustine, Florida. Dammitall nothing can be deleted from a hard drive.

I also found a list of songs that purportedly are dedicated to the demise of a spouse, lover or significant other. Naturally, I did not Google any of them lest I get the chair if something ever happens to anybody I know.

Here they are if you dare:
"Excitable Boy" Warren Zevon
"I Used to Love Her" Guns n Roses
"Delia's Gone" Johnny Cash
"Psycho" Elvis Costello
"The Cold Hard Facts of Life" Porter Wagoner
"Women's Prison" Loretta Lynn
"It'll Be Me" Jerry Lee Lewis
"Red Headed Stranger" Willie Nelson
"Hey Joe" Jimi Hendrix
"Hey Joe" The Byrds
"The Name of This Thing Is Not Love" Elvis Costello
"Run for Your Life" The Beatles
"30 Days" Chuck Berry
"Smoking Gun" Robert Cray
"97 Bonnie and Clyde" Eminem
"Kim" Eminem"Kill You" Eminem
"Stan" Eminem
"Tom Dooley" Kingston Trio
"Behind the Wall" Tracy Chapman
"Did She Jump or Was She Pushed?" Richard and Linda Thompson
"Time of the Preacher Theme" Willie Nelson
"Knoxville Girl" Louvin Brothers"Pretty Polly" Sandy Denny
"Goodnight Irene" Leadbelly

And Oh yes, have a nice day?

wjc