SHOULD WE HONOR J.J. CALE?

[DevonRex]

144. You do know that the song itself cannot "do" anything with intent, right?

The song is what is is - poetry and music and motion and emotion, forming art.

Your contention has been that nobody really listened to the lyrics. Just the "taglines" (lol) as you out it. So they thought it was cheering cocaine use. First, that cannot be the standard audience to which every artist must beer his expression. If it were, then every song would say "Don't do cocaine you fucking idiots" for 2:45.

Second, you have a bit of history wrong as well. A hell of a lot of Blues and Rock fans back then bought tapes for their cars but still bought vinyl for home. They'd put an album on, bring the arm back and listen to side one 5 times in a row. Then they'd flip it and do the same thing with side 2. Half the time the lyrics were printed right on the album or on the liner notes. That's one reason people hated to switch to tapes alone (other than that they sucked).

People back then actually knew the lyrics. At least the people who were into music did. The others? Well, maybe they were too far gone anyway. Not the artists' fault. They aren't paid to sing public service announcements for fucking idiots who already crossed the line a long time ago.