Who or what is Scaramouche? Lyrics secrets finally explained
The following classics have already been heard up and down. Even if you know the lyrics, there are still a lot of questions. Rolling Stone has got to the bottom of some particularly striking examples of strange references.
“You’re so vain” – Carly Simon
“”“You had one eye in the mirror as you watched Yourself Gavotte.”“
The Gavotte is a French folk dance that was particularly popular in the late 16th century. He was majestic and a little boar. Just as you imagine a magnificent banquet at the royal court of that time. In interviews, Carly Simon said that when writing the song she had an appearance for the main character in her head, which complied with this model. One hand raised, the other on the hip – Trés elegant!
Who or what is Scaramouche? Lyrics secrets finally explained
“The Joker” – Steve Miller Band
“”“Some people Call Me Maurice, ‘Cause I Speak of the Pompatus of Love.”“
“Pompatus” is indeed an invented word, but Steve Miller is not directly the one to be attributed to this invention. He admitted that many years ago he was influenced by a doo-wop hit called “The Letter” of the medallions from 1954. The song written by Vernon Green contains the line “Oh my darling, let me whisper sweet words of pizmotality and discuss the puppetutes of love.”
According to Green, he had invented the word “dollutes” to describe a fantasy paper doll or a marionet-like girl. Steve Miller quickly changed “Puppetutes” to “Pompatus”. “Pizmotality” is also an invention of Vernon Greens. It describes words that are so secret that they can only be said to one or a lover.
Who or what is Scaramouche? Lyrics secrets finally explained
“Down Under” – Men at Work
“”“Traveling in a Fried-Out Kombi” … “He just smile and gave me a vegemite sandwich” … “Where beer does flow and men chunder”“
This song is full of Australian slang, which makes various lines to be understandable for residents of the northern hemisphere. A “station wagon” is the name for a VW T2 in the country of kangaroos and Koalas. Thanks to the large loading volume of the small bus, which has now become a cliché. The Americans know him better than VW Microbus.
Vegemite is an Australian spread – a mixture of bow’s yeast, vegetables, wheat and various spices. What may occur untrained like a birth of hell is very popular in the former British colony. The New Zealanders also swear by the dark brown paste.
“Chunder” is also much easier than the name suggests. It means nothing more than handing over.
“Surfin ‘USA” – The Beach Boys
“”“You’d See ‘Em Wearin’ Their Baggies, Huarache Sandals, Too”“
“Baggies” were the pants in the boxer style, which were preferred by the surfers on the American west coast compared to the traditional Speedo model with a fit. The additional fabric helped prevent surfboard wax on the thighs out extremely painfully when the surf moved from a seated position to a standing position. “Huarache” is a kind of woven leather sandals that resembles a shoe rather than a sandal.
“”“The Whole Rhythm Section was the Purple Gang”“
Thanks to the proximity to the Canadian windsor, Detroit was an important stop on the “Booze Railroad”, the smuggling of the coveted alcohol during the prohibition in the USA. Spirits, beer and all sorts of other alcoholic beverages that were legal in Canada were smuggled over the Ambassador Bridge or even driven in cars over the frozen Detroit River in winter. As a rule, he landed in the hands of the notorious Purple Gang.
What Al Capone and his gang were for Chicago was Collie Cohen, the Bernstein brothers and the rest of the Purple Gang for Detroit. The gang began as a “pipeline” for Canadian whiskey in the direction of Capone, before it went with him and broke out a bloody territory.
“Hotel California” – The Eagles
“”“Warm Smell of Colitas Rising Up Through the Air”“
According to the then manager of the Eagles, “Colitas” Don Henley and Glenn Frey was declared “small buds” by their Mexican-American tour manager, that is, as a Spanish slang for marijuana.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen
“”“Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?” … “Bismillah! No! ““
Scaramouche is a traditional clown figure that appears in the Italian commedia dell’arte. He is a recurring character in Kasperletheaters. In the performances, the head of the body is usually cut off. The Fandango is a lively couple dance from Spain, which is mostly accompanied by guitars, clapping hands and castanets. It was particularly popular in the 18th century.
“Bismillah” is an Arabic word that means “in the name of God”. At the beginning it is used almost every chapter in the Koran.
“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” – The Proclaimers
“”“And if i haver, yeah i know i’m gonna be, i’m gonna be the man who’s havering to you”“
Thanks to the pronounced Scottish accents by Charlie and Craig Reid, “Haver” actually sounds more like “Heaver”, which in turn is a slang word in northern English dialects, which means “handing over”. Just like the Australians, the British seem to be inventive when it comes to the descriptions for a restless stomach. “Haver”, on the other hand, is a common verb in Scotland and North English, which is to be translated as “nonsense”.