If I had money, I tell you what I'd do
I'd go downtown and buy a Mercury or two
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury
I'm gonna buy me a Mercury and cruise it up and down the road
The girl I love, I stole her from a friend
He got lucky, stole her back again
'Cause she knew he had a Mercury
She knew he had a Mercury
I'm gonna buy me a Mercury and cruise it up and down the road
Hey now, Mama, you look so fine
Ridin' 'round in your Mercury 49
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury
I'm gonna buy me a Mercury and cruise it up and down the road
My baby went out, she didn't stay long
She bought herself a Mercury, come a-cruisin' home
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury
I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury
I'm gonna buy me a Mercury and cruise it up and down the road
~ Douglass / Geddins (David Lindley & El Rayo-X)
So sometimes it's funny how I find a song. I try to connect the song choice to something that is happening either in my world or the world-at-large. In my world today, I got an oil change on my VW. Exciting. Googling "songs about VWs" wasn't bringing anything up, so I started thinking about cars I've owned. Went back to my first car, a 1966 Mercury Comet Capri. Which I got in 1972. It was a piece of shit. Actually, my father picked it out. I paid for it, but I think it was in his name. (A year later and one week before he died, I replaced it with a brand-spankin'-new 1973 red Ford Mustang.) Anyway, this Mercury never wanted to start on cold winter days. I was student teaching in Bumblefuck, Pennsylvania, and there were many mornings when I had to hitchhike to the school because my car would not start. Nonetheless, it was my very first car, so it holds a special place. I think.
"Mercury Blues" has been recorded by several artists, but my first exposure to it was David Lindley and El Rayo-Ex. I knew of David Lindley because he has played with Jackson Browne many times and he is amazing. His version of the song just makes me want to hop in my car and drive! In fact, it is my #1 road trip song. And given that I have five CDs packed with road trip songs, that's saying something.
Ford Motor Company stopped making Mercurys in 2010. So you cannot go downtown and buy a Mercury or two. Sorry. But it doesn't matter what kind of car you drive, this song will make you want to get out and drive it. Go ahead, do it. Drive without a destination. No trip to the Acme, no picking up one of your kids, no doctor appointment. Just drive for the sake of driving. Preferably, drive on a back road and go over the speed limit. (Watch out for the possums!) Put the top down or open the windows. Turn the music up loud! And SING! Sing along with David Lindley.
You feel better now, don't you? You're welcome.
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| (Mine was green.) |
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