Re: Favorite Magic Song

I'm not billy, but what about the change between "poor" to "boy" would
equate to a conclusion that
bill is younger than billy is suggesting?

That's why there's a question mark at the end of my sentence, Mark.

right, and by asking the question it would appear you think that
change of
word has some significance. And since you were suggesting that the age
difference was not as significant as Billy thinks, and you were
bringing up the word choice,
I presumed that you found significance in the change. So I was asking
you to
explain it. (similar how I asked others to explain the meaning of the
Catholic imagery
in I'll Work for Your Love, and I found out that I was missing quite a
bit by not
understanding some of the references being made).

I don't agree that the age difference is as great as Billy suggested in
either case. I don't necessarily think Shaniqua is one of the girls in
their summer clothes, who I do see as being younger than Bill (Billy,
too).

On the latter question, has anyone said that Shaniqua was one of the
girls in their summer clothes?
On the former question, I find myself seeing the age difference
similar to the way Billy does although I'm open to persuasive
argument.

"Poor" seems a word she'd use with someone of any age...it's neutral. I
just don't get that same vibe with "boy" (and I'm not even reading it
literally). It's nothing I'm going to fight about, but I did wonder if
it matters to Billy.

How is 'boy' not neutral but 'poor' is? Particularly when you concede
it's not literal. I don't see the distinction you're making other than
simply asserting there is a distinction?

And what is the age range into which you think the narrator falls,
Kevin? And what is the age range you think Billy is suggesting?

I figure the guy is in his 40s, maybe early 50s at the oldest (he's
definitely younger than Bruce himself, in my opinion). He's old enough
to perhaps be Shaniqua's father, but not her grandfather. Having said
that, I don't think the idea that he's 45 and she's 35 is that crazy,
either. I don't think there's any lechery going on in their exchange.

Why do you think he's younger than Bruce? I'm not saying he's not, but
why do you say it's definite that he is younger?

And if you put the narrator in his 50s, then arguing that he can't be
the waitress's grandfather is hairsplitting. Men in their 50s can be
the grandfather of a young lady working in a diner. It's simply
mathematics and biology, 18 year old waitress, mother had her at 18,
and her father had her at 18. Grandpa= 54 years old. I see young
grandfathers all the time. In fact, I don't think they're getting any
younger, I think I'm getting older!

And all that is not to say that we couldn't have a May-December thing
going here. I'm in the "Dan" camp that it's unlikely, but to say he's
old enough to be her granddad does not necessarily foreclose the
romance, or at the very least doesn't foreclose the idea that he
thinks it could work. (which is what Dan was getting at.)


I'm also still not sure that "she went away..." is delivered in direct
response to her question. I'm probably just being stubborn on that
because it does make sense in a linear way, but the whole song is
linear...yet that doesn't mean the events would actually occur in 3 or 4
minutes. Something happens at the "she went away..." segment of the song
that has had me thinking that the person to whom that line is delivered
is not one of the girls passing him by. I had been hearing that as not a
direct reply to Shaniqua due to that change in the music at that point,
and the "hello..." (seems he'd be addressing someone else, doesn't it?).

Whether or not he is speaking to the waitress, I think the main thing is
that this person is *not* one of the girls in their summer clothes
passing him by. For those who believe she is, then I can see why the
song is a downer for them. These lines specifically are where I get the
"Happy," "Real World" (similar) emotional vibe.

I'm unclear on why Shaniqua has to be a girl in the summer clothes,
and who was even saying that? I'm picturing two different places. He's
in the diner talking to the waitress Shaniqua. That's not where the
girls pass him by. The girls pass him by when they walk through the
town square (where the big bank clock is) and/or walk by him on the
boardwalk (which is what I picture but admit isn't stated in the
song), and he's sitting on a bench passing time (whether it be
downtown or on the boardwalk).

(By the way, for the few readers (Hi Ruth! Hi Mike Schey!) who know
what I'm talking about, I picture Bill watching the girls pass him by
on: a. the Cape May boardwalk in front of Morrow's Nut House; and/or
b. the Cape May Washington Street Mall right by Our Lady Star of the
Sea Roman Catholic Church. Not that I'm projecting or anything.)

I guess I need to see what you think the age of the narrator is before
I ask this question, but if the narrator
is young, then why would the girls in their summer clothes be passing
bill by? wouldn't they be checking him out?

He's not "young." He's a divorced guy in his 40s. Not generally old
enough to be a grandfather unless the waitress is not even 20. I don't
think she's that young.

what in the song makes you think she's not that young?

I don't think the song is depressing, btw. "Wistful" as Evan said, and
tinged with melancholy, seems about right. Sad. Not depressing.
Downer? A bit. A fine line, anyway.

Mark

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Favorite Magic Song
    ... their summer clothes, who I do see as being younger than Bill (Billy, ... girls in their summer clothes? ... but someone posted that it was sad that Bill got all ... definitely younger than Bruce himself, ...
    (rec.music.artists.springsteen)
  • Re: Favorite Magic Song
    ... interesting interpretation regarding Shaniqua being one of the girls ... I just don't think a waitress calling a 60 year old guy "boy Bill" ... What in the song makes you think she is? ... "Shaniqua." ...
    (rec.music.artists.springsteen)
  • Re: Favorite Magic Song
    ... girls in their summer clothes? ... one of the girls who just "pass him by." ... I think the waitress and Bill are closer in age than you guys do. ... What in the song makes you think she is? ...
    (rec.music.artists.springsteen)
  • Re: Favorite Magic Song
    ... interesting interpretation regarding Shaniqua being one of the girls ... I think the waitress and Bill are closer in age than you guys do. ... The song is not called, "Shaniqua." ...
    (rec.music.artists.springsteen)
  • Re: Favorite Magic Song
    ... interesting interpretation regarding Shaniqua being one of the girls ... I just don't think a waitress calling a 60 year old guy "boy Bill" ... What in the song makes you think she is? ... "Shaniqua." ...
    (rec.music.artists.springsteen)