Jan 14, 2010

A Wild and Shattered Life

So last weekend I'm watching the Cowboys beat up on the Eagles with a friend of mine. And we noticed that NBC often went to commercial, they would play a snippet of some music that they thought was appropriate.  Like the theme song to the TV show Dallas.  Because, ya know, the game was being played in Dallas.  Someone in the production department deserves a raise for that little bit of genius.

Anyway, sometime before the half NBC went to commercial playing "Wild, Wild Life" by the Talking Heads.  I sat there for a moment and contemplated what connection there could be between that song and the game being played.  Then I think I mumbled "Oh, I guess it's because it's from True Stories and that movie took place in Texas.  That's a reach."

That's when the following conversation took place:

WLC: "What?"
Me: "Oh, nothing.  I was just thinking that they played that song because it's from that movie that took place in Texas."
WLC: "What song?"
Me: "It's called 'Wild, Wild Life' by The Talking Heads."
WLC: "No...that was that song by The Rolling Stones.  You know the one.  It goes...ugh, ugh, ugh...shattered."
Me: "Um, you mean 'Shattered'?"
WLC: "Yeah that was it.  'Shattered'"
Me: "No...it was definitely 'Wild, Wild Life' by The Talking Heads.  I'm positive."
WLC: "Well, as handsome and sexy and intelligent as you are, you are absolutely wrong this time."

OK, maybe the last part didn't quite happen that way.  I was dealing with the Eagles losing at the time, all right?  Anyway, what followed was about 15 minutes of him trying to prove to himself that it was really "Shattered" and not "Wild, Wild Life" by playing the two over and over again on his computer.  He finally conceded the point (HA!), but he was right about something.

The two songs do sound remarkably similar.  At least the openings of the two songs.  Check them out yourself in the videos below.  Pay close attention to the first few seconds of each song and you might be able to see why he was so confused.  Poor little guy.

But really the point of the whole story is that you shouldn't argue with me about pop culture.  Because 99 out of 100 times...you gonna lose, kid!


I really love that video. Especially the parts with John Goodman and Tito Larriva. This second video isn't really a video, but it does contain the song in question.



___________________________________________________

Note: Remember to play the Bug-Eyed Trivia Challenge every day. Don't mess with me on this one, all right?

14 comments:

white rabbit said...

I wouldn't argue with you about popular culture or Hank about books (or probably popular culture either)...

So it goes.

Kate said...

Woah.

I keep thinking, at some point, with only so many chords, we're not going to be able to make up anything new anymore, song wise.

ANd yes, weird sentence, I just woke up.

Slyde said...

i argue pop culture with you all the time, because i know more of it than you do.

i would NOT, however, argue with you on the topic of double-ended dildos.

You're the man, there!

Verdant Earl said...

Wabbit - Hank knows his books all right.

Kate - And those two songs came out a while ago.

Slyde - You're my favorite double-ended dildo, though!

RW said...

I keep hearing a fleeting similarity between a part of the old Leave It To Beaver theme and It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas. I can hear it in my head but if I run them for real I can't pin it down.

I'm going to rip my hair out now. See ya.

Mrs. Hall said...

wierd but true that both of them sound alike in the beginning. begs the question if anything is original. but god lord I doNOT want to start and artsy debate. :)

Dr Zibbs said...

My favorite Stones album.

Water Logged Canine said...

Can I buy you at a pharmacy? Cos you are a DOUCHE! Congratulations on your big win!

Verdant Earl said...

RW - I'd help you out by listening to them, but I don't want to get caught up in that particular Hell.

Holly - nor do I.

Zibbs - I'm one of those people that never really got into the Stones. So I never had a favorite Stones album. In fact, I can probably only name two.

Doggie - :)

justsomethoughts... said...

impressive
i prefer the stones mahself.

sybil law said...

I LOVE the Stones and I LOVE Talking Heads, and the beat is similar, but really, not the same at all.
You win!

Verdant Earl said...

El Duderino - I dig CCR (Just kidding...keeping in character)

Sybil - Thank you, thank you, thank you.

justsomethoughts... said...

i hate the fuckin' eagles, man

Bruce Johnson said...

Some day we will have to go mano e mano at Trival Pursuit with the ruller ship of the galaxy in the balance.......would be a good game.