Her: I’ve just downloaded the latest season of “Call The Midwife” – apparently the last episode is set in late 1962.
Me: Ah, so I suppose in the final scene someone will say “Hey, have you heard the song by that new band The Beatles? They’ll never get anywhere with a daft name like that…”
Her: Do you have to shoehorn a pop culture reference into every bloody thing we talk about?
———-
Surely I’m not the only one who does this…do I need help, or are there others out there with a similar disposition?
fentonsteve says
Nope. I work in a team of 10, seven of us are a few years either side of 50 and the others are early twenties (university graduates).
I have lost count of the number of times when seven get the giggles, usually when I quote a lyric or say “and we know a song about that, don’t we boys and girls?”, and I see three totally blank young faces staring back at me.
fentonsteve says
While I’m at it, I can’t be the only one who watched the episode during the last series of Endeavour showing a pop band, all dressed in brightly-coloured military uniforms and tie-dye, getting it together in the country and dropping acid. It was set in summer 1966.
Script writers: you had one job. When I pointed out the error, Mrs F told me to shut up, as “nobody cares”.
Rigid Digit says
I care – how are we to enjoy the suspension of reality, if they can’t even get the references right.
The Boat That Rocked was ruined for me when the hippie DJ bloke returned to the sinking ship to retrieve his prized record collection.
Including his favourite record of all-time – Incredible String Band’s The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion.
It had only been out a month when the Marine Broadcasting Act came into force
dai says
The Boat that Rocked was ruined for me when I realised it was a terrible film.
Rigid Digit says
That too – I probably should’ve said “more ruined”
deramdaze says
Endeavour, actually pretty accurate in depicting the period, comes crashing down as soon as pop music is even marginally hinted at.
Funny, but I’d have thought the easiest job of all they have to do would be to get the release date of a song right … but never forget, the average Joe knows nothing about pop music, and seemingly doesn’t know where to look.
Black Celebration says
That “nobody cares” comment really jars doesn’t it? Largely because it’s true. I do think it’s important to get these things right.
Sort of related is the use of Bowie songs in ads since he died. My wife said “let it go” earlier when a bank TV ad featuring scenes of wholesome family life had Changes as its soundtrack. Just fuck off. That’s directed at the makers of the TV ad, not my wife.
Rigid Digit says
You’re not alone.
Idle phrases in conversation will often be met with the name of the artist, year and record label.
We have a department at work called X-Ray Technology Centre (and my company does love an abbreviation, hence XTC) – I have often asked if they are working overtime again – to a sea of blank faces
And if it ain’t a musical reference that can be got, I’ll mangle a football reference in somehow
Vincent says
I get through senior academia with a variety of Zappa lyrics and allusions, slides of Iggy Pop, Van der Graaf Generator quotes and the rest of it. I do it for devilment as my pals who know and care get it, and they therefore see I remain a devil-take-the-hindmost rogue never crushed by The Man. The Vice-Chancellor, REF coordinator, and Athena swan Equality representative, not so much. The students: not at all.
Tiggerlion says
I suspect @Moose-the-Mooche does this a lot.
I can’t remember lyrics very well but I can remember Monty Python sketches. Judicious quotes to an ‘audience’ too young to have heard them go down very well. They think I’m witty with my “If looks could kill, I’d be going home in a bucket” or “He was very kind. He gave his muvva flowers and that.” Well, at least they have the good manners to laugh.
Rigid Digit says
Python is another of my default responses.
See also Blackadder and The Young Ones
Moose the Mooche says
I can go much more obscure than that. If somebody leaves the most infinitesimal pause after “What is exactly is…” I will finish the question with “…Boyle’s Law for the expansion of gases?”
Moose the Mooche says
bungliemutt says
I have lost count of the number of occasions when I have annoyed the hell out of Mrs Bungliemutt by adding to something she has just said by quoting a line from a song, usually in the most inappropriate circumstances.
Mrs Bungliemutt has suffered a lot.
ip33 says
I’m forever trying Hancock at work if the situation arises (Magna Carta, did she die in vain? A Pint etc. Lady Don’t Fall Backwards by Darcy Sarto.) and absolutely nothing, not a sausage. 29 years I’ve been trying and I’m not giving up.
davebigpicture says
I returned some mics to another company which were used for an amateur string quartet. When asked if the quartet were any good, I was delighted to be able to say, “They played all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.”
Pajp says
I paraphrased that (“all the right words, but not necessarily in the right order”) in an email to a colleague the other day.
I haven’t had a response. Perhaps he (wrongly) thought that I was being critical of what he’d written. Perhaps I should have added a *smiley*.
Beezer says
I have a work colleague, just a few years older than me. He’s into the same sorts of things as I am as far as I can tell.
He offered to pop out to the Caffe Nero close by last week and get us a coffee each.
‘What would you like?’
Having just watched Hancock in ‘The Rebel’, I said predictably. ‘A cappuccino. With no froth!’
He didn’t get it. Which should be my epitaph
Carl says
As a regular blood donor I pity the staff who, while most likely being born years after Hancock died, have to hear that quote. Probably from people who were also born after Hancock died.
davebigpicture says
One of the nurses told me they watched The Blood Donor during training. Also, I was carrying a Hancock biography to read at one session and the person that booked me in glanced at it and said, “You can’t bring that in here.” Very droll.
Ahh_Bisto says
I always break out into song at any given opportunity whether it’s TV or real life.
To wit. Ma Bisto came home yesterday with some flat peaches so obviously I have to put on my best Hugh Cornwell, “Walking on the beaches looking at flat peaches” and as she’s putting them one by one into the fruit bowl, “Well there goes another one lying on the avocados”.
Oh how she doesn’t laugh.
Moose the Mooche says
Shopping is a bit of a minefield in this regard. Mrs M will not ask me for the whereabouts of the prawns… she will just find them herself.
Mavis Diles says
There’s always some person out there who gets it worse than you…
fentonsteve says
There’s a door at work which used to do the “eeoowww” from the Chemical Brothers’ Block Rockin’ Beats until it was (sp)oiled.
davebigpicture says
I worked at a place that had a Michael Jackson tail lift on a truck, making an “oww” sound as it got to the top of its travel.
The days just flew by.
Moose the Mooche says
The noise that our old phone made when it was put back in its dock often set us off on the theme to Please Sir. A programme neither of us even bleeding like.
Gary says
A mate of mine’s phone notification ping sounds just like the start of Sloop John B. It annoys both of us immensely that I sing the opening line every time I hear him get a message.
Moose the Mooche says
The “ping” of an iPhone message makes me want to sing “Ouuuur lives together… are so precious… together…. we have grown…” thankfully I’m usually rugby-tackled to the ground before I can get to the Showaddywaddy bit.
minibreakfast says
The sequence of beeps from certain bin lorries reversing sparks an immediate rendition of Soft Cell’s Tainted Love from me.
Moose the Mooche says
Genuine question from Mrs M a few years back: “Did the grass verges get cut today or was that you playing Kluster again?”
Uncle Wheaty says
We stayed in Torquay last Saturday on our way down to Cornwall for a family holiday.
As I opened the curtains in our Travelodge room I expected to see…..
No Wilderbeest appeared and sharing my thoughts would have been wasted on the FPO and kids.
Black Celebration says
There’s a place called Torbay here in NZ. An article about a distinctive house with a wonderful view attracted this comment :
“Sad what Torbay people think is a wonderful view!”
I couldn’t help it.
“May I ask what you expect to see from a window in Torbay? The Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain…?”
aardvarknever says
How did your contribution go down?
Black Celebration says
After a short exchange of wtf’s I ended up having to explain by providing the link. Don’t remember any “likes”.
aardvarknever says
A valiant effort though!
Sitheref2409 says
Apparently, no-one in America has seen “The Young Ones”, which means my “right kids?!” is often underappreciated.
By which I mean not appreciated at all.
davebigpicture says
Their loss. Since rewatching The Young Ones, I have been surprised at how brilliant it still is.
Harold Holt says
It was on MTV in the US back in the day, late(ish) at night, and had a bit of a cult following.
Here’s the trailer.
ruff-diamond says
“he’ll never sell any ice cream going at that speed”
“That’s my whole big thing point”
“By all means, I’d be quite prepared for that eventuality”
“Not another kitten stuck up a tree?”
All met with blank stares of incomprehension by my American friends and colleagues. Uncultured barbarians…
Tony Japanese says
One of my favourite past times is to add the phrase ‘that lesser known song by [insert artist here] when somebody almost mentions the title of a well known song.
Recent highlights include Elton John’s ‘Ticket Man’ and Good Charlotte’s ‘Pox Doctor for the Rich and the Famous’.
aardvarknever says
My work place became a little bit duller a few years ago when a colleague retired. We lightened our days by slipping “Hitch Hiker’s Guide to The Galaxy” quotes into the mix.
“Share and Enjoy” is still an expletive I can mutter with a quiet sense of satisfaction. Also “Belgium man, Belgium”.
Moose the Mooche says
….lovely crinkly edges…
Harold Holt says
Ghent.
Moose the Mooche says
…my legs floating off into the sunset….
Harold Holt says
Brain the size of a planet.
aardvarknever says
“Press the other button.”
“He writes them in crayon.”
“And the other one.”
Moose the Mooche says
…ask a glass of water
Harold Holt says
…you guys are so unhip it’s a wonder your bums don’t fall off.
I’m so hip I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis.