I'm With Stupid (A Lyrical Discussion)

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#1 Post by **Drico One** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 7:11 pm

“The great Bermuda Triangle’s a mystery to be sure…” trills Spitting Image’s Neil Tennant on the latest Pet Shop Boys single “I’m with Stupid.” Well, maybe not, but in the rush to identify which dust-blown PSB track the new single harks back to, I felt the satirical puppet show spoof was as close a match as any to the worryingly generic I'm with stupid. Thankfully, the track is saved by a lyric worthy of Tennant’s name and comes replete with couplets that stand comparison with any he has penned.

It’s been unusual this week listening to I'm with stupid for the first time. In the past, when hearing the debut of an album-trailing single, I’ve been intoxicated with excitement or left flattened by disappointment. This one heralded a new experience: ambivalence. There’s sparse drama in a production that tries terribly hard to add excitement to a tune that offers little in the way of thrills, and there’s precious little pathos to compensate. Whereas PSB singles tend towards bombast or poignancy, I'm with stupid walks its own faintly ridiculous path to the White House, plays it for laughs, and gets a few.

“See you on the TV, call you every day, fly across the ocean just to let you get your way,” hums Tony Blair sadly in his Downing Street office. “No one understands me where I’m coming from, why would I be with someone who’s obviously so dumb,” he continues in a stark reference to how his “special relationship” with Glennjridge is perceived by his less xenophobic countrymen. This, of course, is a couplet that deserves a place in the rarefied pantheon of classic one-liners that made Rent, So Hard, and Can You Forgive Her? discographical monuments. Soon we’re on the steps of the White House, as Tony recounts his love: “Love comes, love grows” – oooer missus – “When you rise to meet me, take my hand to greet me,” and later we have the perfect picture of that moment: “You grin, I pose, it’s not about sincerity, everybody knows…”

The lyric is tremendously clever and self-consciously hilarious, but not as subtle as some may contend. While Joe Public will hear it as the usual gay PSB love song (believe me, he will - if he hears it at all), it isn’t deft enough to double-up as a gay love song involving anybody other than our two favourite war criminals – with the possible exception of lovelorn couple Satan and Saddam of South Park fame. The meaning is savagely obvious to anybody prepared to decipher Neil’s sometimes veiled diction. From the very first line, we’re dealing with an obviously famous object of affection. The “special relationship” is quickly invoked, and we’ve even got a reference to hawks and doves. The million-dollar moron could only be from Texas, though less affluent types have been known to come from the New York area.

Moving swiftly on, the busy lyric chatters away excitedly and always keeps you interested, but I wonder how much of a novelty it will sound a few years from now. Therein lies the irony. It is something of a novelty record in that its subject matter is so cuttingly specified to make it almost redundant to any other time and place. This is the satirical second movement of “I Get Along,” at once brilliantly obvious and perfectly aimed. Essentially, while the former hid its apparent inspiration behind an oblique sing-along lyric, I'm with stupid is far too preposterous to be anything other than the razor-sharp spoof of our beloved Christian fundamentalist power brokers that it is. In that sense, it ties its meaning so closely to its protagonists as to be the antithesis of the usually timeless PSB record. This one’s as timeless as a dinosaur.

Nevertheless, that’s a strength here. The sheer ludicrousness of it all makes for biting satire. Whether it makes for a great PSB single is a matter for another day.

Now, kiss me. I'm Irish.

Drico.

Dog · #2 Post by **Dog** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 7:43 pm

Not out celebrating, Drico?

Maverick · #3 Post by **Maverick** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 7:45 pm

An interesting read, as always.
That's as close to a kiss I will get.

CroMagnon · #4 Post by **CroMagnon** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 8:59 pm

There is certainly an element of truth in what Drico says about the lyric (based on listening to the 2 min clip - if anyone wants to forward a poor newbie information that would allow me to hear the full track, please feel free!), but at least the whole Bush-Blair-Iraq situation will be remembered for many years to come and will be slotted into every history text book as an example of how not to handle international relations. By contrast, the topic for I get along was an incredibly localised UK story in politics (Blair and Mandelson) and thus had to be better concealed within the "love-story" lyric.

TheGardner · #5 Post by **TheGardner** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 10:38 pm

Damn, there are some similar thoughts around, I had in the past couple of days...

Welcome back you beloved "Ranting Monster"

Kris · #6 Post by **Kris** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 11:55 pm

A compelling read, Drico. I was just thinking the other day that it surely wouldn't be long before you made a return and here you are. Good to see you back.

Young Offender · #7 Post by **Young Offender** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 1:23 am

Welcome back you Irish man....

#8 Post by **Drico One** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 9:09 pm

Dog wrote:Not out celebrating, Drico?

Just being here is a celebration, Dog. Of what, I'm not yet sure.

Maverick wrote:An interesting read, as always.
That's as close to a kiss I will get.

Ah now, don't be shy, Sailor.

TheGardner wrote:Damn, there are some similar thoughts around, I had in the past couple of days...

Welcome back you beloved "Ranting Monster"

Ah thanks, Gardner. I grew my fur all shaggy just for you.

Kris wrote:A compelling read, Drico. I was just thinking the other day that it surely wouldn't be long before you made a return and here you are. Good to see you back.

Ah yes, as predictable as a pool of St. Patrick's Day vomit.

Young Offender wrote:Welcome back you Irish man....

Nothing like a firm shake of the hand in the absence of a big sloppy kiss. That's very nice of you. I'll zip up now.

Drico.

#9 Post by **StevePSB** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 10:04 pm

Welcome back Brian.

StevePSB

#10 Post by **Drico One** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 10:07 pm

Hi Steve. Who's Brian when he's at home?

Drico.

FreshDebesh · #11 Post by **FreshDebesh** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 11:18 pm

Ah yes, the other member of the Justice League has returned.

Palpatine · #12 Post by **Palpatine** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 11:41 pm

Hi Drico,

I agree with you to some degree about I'm with stupid. In the past, I would aways feel really excited about a lead single (It's a sin, Domino Dancing, So Hard, Can you forgive her??) or disappointment (Before, I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more, HAD). With I'm with stupid i feel relief...relief that it's well-produced, if a bit generic, with a nice chorus, funny lyrics and that it isn't camp, cheesy or truly awful. I honestly like I'm with stupid and I'm looking forward to the album.

Dog · #13 Post by **Dog** » Sun 19 Mar 2006, 12:30 am

Maybe this is really a measure of us...

Let's assume Can You Forgive Her? and I'm With Stupid are actually - in every way - as good as each other. Maybe this is just really a test of how much we have changed over the last 13 - gulp - years.

ArseSpanker · #14 Post by **ArseSpanker** » Sun 19 Mar 2006, 12:56 am

I agree in the most part, but to describe 'I'm With Stupid' as a novelty record because of the subject matter seems a bit odd. This means Bob Dylan, presumably, is Doop, Mr Blobby, Jive Bunny and Bob The f*** Builder all rolled into one extensive novelty career.

glennjridge · #15 Post by **glennjridge** » Sun 19 Mar 2006, 1:26 am

nah its not a novelty, its topical. the fact its done via a fun title makes one think it is but its really just satire.