Men Without Hats, "I Like"

Younger folks roll their eyes, quite rightly, at us older folks, because we remember what once was, and how it was important to us. That's fine; soon they will be older folks, doing much the same thing.

Men Without Hats were one of my old favorites. I was sucked into their quirky charm by their odd hit, "The Safety Dance" back in 1982. I never turned back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPau5QYtYs

I wanted to look just like the singer, and I wanted to have a crazy girlfriend just like the blonde with the peasant blouse and the flowing skirt. Forgive me, I was thirteen years old. 

Another song from the same album, Rhythm of Youth, said even more to me, I swear, it was describing hipsters thirty years before the very idea existed. It was about those who worry first about their image, but it must be a counter-cultural image, mind you, and one perfectly crafted to be ironic and non-conformist, in its bland conformity to yet another fashion.

Look at me! I bought these shoes just because they are ugly, and I drink the worst possible beer, just because it tastes like piss-water. Look at how cool I am! Oh, have you seen my beard? I bathe it in essential oils. I smoke cigarettes as well, but only from tobacco grown organically.

Yup, we had those folks in the 1980's, too. It really never changes. I'm sure they had them in Ancient Athens and Rome as well. Charlatans have always been with us.

Now we have the Stoic Hipsters. Who would have thunk it? "I'm not sure which smartphone I should buy. Which one do you think is the most Stoic?" Let them be.

Men Without Hats, "I Like",  from The Rhythm of Youth (1982)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZpv16dwtYE

It makes you wonder just who they really are
They say, "Money is no object, and we've got a car"
They kidnapped Tony
Where did they go
They went to get it done before he got too old
They're incognito, they're into fame
They think they know it all—you know their family's to blame
Isn't it funny, isn't it sad
You come up empty thinking 'bout the good times that you had, but

I like:
When they talk real loud, try to tell you what they know
I like:
When it blows real hard and it doesn't even show

They say, "It's plain to see, life is not a mystery to me"
I say, "That's plain as day, I hope you've got yours right anyway"

It makes you wonder 'bout the things they say
"We are never gonna leave", "We are never gonna stay"
They talk for nothing, they talk for free
They talk behind your back and to your face they're really sweet
Check out the language, check out the clothes
Their mother buys their shoes and where she gets them no one knows
They go to parties to steal the show
By talking really loud and try to tell you what they know, but

I like:
When they talk real loud, try to tell you what they know, say
I like:
When it blows real hard and it doesn't even show

They say, "It's plain to see, life is not a mystery to me"
I say, "That's plain as day, I hope you've got yours right anyway"

I like:
When they talk real loud, try to tell you what they know, say
I like:
When it blows real hard and it doesn't even show, say
I like:
When they haven't seen a thing and try to tell you where to go, say
I like:
When it blows real hard and it doesn't even show