Tell me more, tell me more
November 15, 2008Warning: this entry quotes song lyrics deemed “explicit” by the Recording Industry Association of America.
2008 marks the ten-year anniversary of when Liz and I first dated (and then broke up). The first movie we saw together was a 20th-anniversary showing of Grease, so for Liz’s birthday this year, I made a music video using old photos and a parody of the Grease duet “Summer Nights” to tell the story of our romance:
Summer lovin’ — had me a blast.
Runner lovin’ happened so fast.
I met a girl — totally rad!
I met a boy; he knew my dad….
To record the parody, I obtained a karaoke version of “Summer Nights” from Seattle Karaoke Enterprises (which, despite its name, is located in Tukwila). Every time I go there, there’s a really young-looking kid named Joe behind the counter. I half-expect him to heckle me about my unhip music choices, like the Jack Black character in High Fidelity, but he’s actually quite helpful. He made sure I wanted a CD based on the movie version of Grease rather than the Broadway show, and when I expressed surprise at the “Parental warning: explicit lyrics” sticker on the selected CD, he said, “It’s because of the song Greased Lightning: ‘She’s a real pussy wagon’ and ‘The chicks’ll cream’.”
Joe’s depth of knowledge impressed me, to say the least. I’ve been a fan of Grease since I was five years old, when my mom and I would dance around the kitchen to “You’re The One That I Want,” and I had NO IDEA that it was such a minefield of vulgarity.
In any event, I took the CD home, made the recording with the help of my friends Do and Lori, scanned in some photos, and put everything together with Microsoft Windows Movie Maker. A wholesome good time was had by all.
My Track Record 
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