1974

Today I dropped a hundred on a Frank Sinatra box-set
Sat on my bed, cross-legged
And listen to Disc 2 Frank's April 8th Carnegie Hall set
From 1974
The audience applauded over every note his orchestra closed with
Cole Porter, thank you
New Yorkers worshiped the Hoboken boy that crooned before them,
Correction, most of the globe did.

In 87' I was seven and was spending every Sunday
Night with my father, watching Al Bundy
Not the most sophisticated gags
I still laughed when I didn't get, copying my dad
It's kind of sad, but I knew that theme song
Better than I knew the Canadian national anthem
Francis Albert: one, Robert Stanley: zip
Those morning classroom recitals can't help you, kid
"Who's that singing Love and Marriage?"
Daddy answered: "Ol' Blue Eyes, The Chairman."
"Never heard of him. Quite a set of nicknames
How come you don't own a single Frank cassette tape?"
"Because he sucks, son. Not my cup of Earl Grey."
My dad preferred Mellencamp, while his records play
"Whatever you say, you're the boss, pop."
From then on, my eyes rolled whenever Sinatra was brought up
And John Cougar got the head nod like "Fuck, yeah!"
"Flip the side, son." "Coming right up, dad."
I would play the air guitar, the Cherry Bomb
Ain't that America.
My friends would ask: "Who the fuck is Mellencamp?"
"Who the fuck is Mellencamp? Who the fuck is you?!"
My friends would laugh, middle fingers at me
Walk away and start singing Rick Astley
In Indiana, that shit would get you beat up,
Pulled my Zellers jeans up, Rolled my t-shirt sleeves up
I'd grab a magic marker off of my desk
And try to draw a smoking woodpecker on my bicep,
Put on my headphones, humming Jack and Diane
Holding on to sixteen, and wasn't even nine yet.
I memorized every single line said
But didn't understand what any of these lines meant
Now the question is: did I like him for his music and his messages?
Or did I like him cause my daddy was impressed with him?
Was the Lonesome Jubilee cassette a waste of a X-mas gift?
And was I wrong for giving Mellencamp a "Right on!"
And Sinatra write-off?
Or was I young? Too young to have a mind of my own?

Today I dropped a hundred on a Frank Sinatra box-set
Sat on my bed, cross-legged
And listen to Disc 2 Frank's April 8th Carnegie Hall set
From 1974
The audience applauded over every note his orchestra closed with
Cole Porter, thank you
New Yorkers worshiped the Hoboken boy that crooned before them
Correction...