This year for the 2023 A-Z Blog Challenge, I’m going to begin by listing a song or musical subject, and then see how fast and how far I can completely blow up my own “stream of consciousness,” and head “off the reservation,” by linking every real, and “Zulu Delta-imagined” fact, piece of music trivia, or not so apparent connection to what is racing around my head to that song in an “unstructured, graffiti-like” format. Complete and utter nonsense! Turn it up and turn it on, but as Van “The Man” Morrison said…….”It’s already turned on!”

Rachel Sweet released the album “Fool Around” in the United States in 1979.

The song “Who Does Lisa Like,” was on that album.

Rachel Sweet, born in Akron, Ohio began her singing career at the age of 3, when she won an electric garage door opener in a local talent contest in 1965 singing “I’m A Little Dutch Girl.”  I still have not “wrapped my head around” all the odd information and places in that last sentence.

I didn’t “discover” the song until a few years ago.

I’ve been thinking about why I love this song. It hasn’t been easy. Let’s try.

I love the opening line;

“Sitting around in the Firestone Parking Lot; it’s all right!”

The idea that this parking lot would need no more explanation as to why it’s the epicenter of youth activity, as if the song opened up with the lyrics “admiring the view from the top of the Empire State Building,” is amusing and sad. A few lines later……

“And when we call her

The line is always Bleeping

Ooh, ta ta ta”

Suddenly, I have a strange longing desire to hear that dreaded sound. 

The sound teenagers got trying to be the “number 17” caller to win the prize at the radio station. 

The hated sound you got when trying to order pizza at Little John’s Pizza (401-785-2241), when they took the phone off the hook, because they were too busy to take new orders.

The awful sound you got when you called “that” girl you really wanted to talk to, and now you suspected she was already talking to that “other guy” you hate, because you suspect he likes “her” too.

Yes, we’re talking about that deplorable telephone sound; “The Busy Signal.” It was omnipresent in the “old days,” but now has been replaced by “your” call going straight to voice mail. 

BTW. That is really the number for Little John’s Pizza. It is the only telephone number I can remember off the top of my head since I got a “smart” phone. “Insert snide comments here.”

I also love this song because it reminds me of the cool early 1980’s music I found by listening to the soundtrack from the movie “Valley Girl.” Modern English, The Plimsouls, The Jam, Bonnie Hayes, and the Flirts.

In the oddest of odd notes, just 5 minutes ago as I went to check the spelling of a few of the bands I just listed, I found the name Rachel Sweet singing a different song on the sound track. I didn’t know that. So random, or “rando” as the “kids” say.

A total Baader-Meinhof situation has Zulu Delta likes to say;

https://zuludelta45.net/2017/04/08/grata-persona-non-grata-welcome-person-not-welcome/

The song also reminds me of the time in my youth (I never thought I would have to type out a crap statement like that!), when music was literally and figuratively on the verge of a “New Wave.”

A time when the “worn out” 1970’s began to fade like one of its creepy leisure suits, and the planet would usher in the crisp, new days of the Modern World.

If that’s not enough why I like the song…..Oh yeah, …..It just flat out Rocks!

How fun is that?

Picking a song from the “Valley Girl” soundtrack for some music to leave with, I came across this bit of trivia while checking the World Wide Web for a release date to this song. I had no idea until this minute. It turns out that the band “The Flirts,” on video, were actually just back up singers and models rotating through different videos, while “everything else” was by a man named Bobby Orlando, or just Bobby O. He was a record producer, and indie record label owner, songwriter, and musician.

I also just noticed this……..check out the “old men” in the background at the start of this video keeping an “eye on things.” Hahahahahaha

It doesn’t matter though, the cool sound of more 80’s “New Wave / Pop Bubble Gum” is good enough for me.

I like the pizza shop in this video and am thinking about a “slice” right now! When the box opens and spits out 45’s, is just P.V.A……….”Pure Video Art!”