Monday, April 7, 2014

Judy in Disguise (With Glasses): but what does the song MEAN?




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Judy in Disguise, well that's a-what you are
A-lemonade pies, with a brand new car
Cantaloupe eyes come to me tonight
Your Judy in disguise, with glasses

Keep a-wearing your bracelets, and your new rah rah
A-cross your heart, yeah, with your living bra
A-chimney sweep sparrow with guys
Your Judy in Disguise, with glasses

Come to me tonight, come to me tonight
I've taken everything in sight
Unzipper the strings of my kite

Judy in Disguise, hey that's what you are
A-lemonade pies, hey got your brand new car
Cantaloupe eyes come to me tonight
Your Judy in Disguise, with glasses

Come to me tonight, come to me tonight
I've taken everything in sight
Unzipper the strings of my kite

Judy in Disguise, well what you aiming for
A-circus of a-horrors, yeah yeah, well that's what you are
You make me a life of ashes
I guess I'll just take your glasses


BLOGGER'S NOTE. Normally I would be adding clever visuals to illustrate this song. Not this time. I am dumbstruck. I used to hear this number in the '60s and think: it CAN'T be "cantaloupe eyes". I must be mishearing it, the classic "mondegreen" syndrome ("'Scuse me while I kiss this guy"). But no.

Their performance is - well - very '60s. This band had one hit, and they probably knew it, so they milked it for all it was worth. I especially like the awkward fat guy, a forerunner of Steve Page of Barenaked Ladies fame. The lighting tricks and cheesy trumpet effects (the playing obviously done by studio musicians) are great, especially when the accompaniment is all strings and the lads just keep on blowing away.

The imagery here is so bizarre that I suspect mondegreen syndrome is at work. We may be hearing this one all wrong. The  transcripts from these song lyric sites are based on what people hear rather than a published version of the song (which probably doesn't exist anyway). Then they get replicated and replicated, and eventually become the authentic, "original" lyric. Happens all the time.

Cantaloupe eyes. Jesus!