Snowpocalypse Now: Special "Cheap Whores on Parade (I Keed -- I Keed!!!)" Edition

[Greetings from depressingly snowbound NYC, everybody! More to the point, I originally posted this back in 2009(!), a time that in most regards now feels unbelievably ancient and remote. I'm reposting it, however, because a) upon re-reading it, I thought it was pretty well-written; b) the music links have long-since disappeared; and c) because it touches, however tangentially, on some issues in our contemporary culture and news that seem suddenly relevant. Enjoy! -- S.S.]

So the other day, I was talking with a friend about The Rolling Stones -- something that seems to happen less frequently than it used to, now that I think of it -- and the subject of some of their, shall we say, problematic songs came up. By which I mean the, you know, kinda sexist stuff like "Under My Thumb" et al, and as often happens, we drifted off into the larger issue of morality in art, i.e., is it still art if it's also morally reprehensible? Or, frankly, does art have a responsibility to be moral?

Yeah, right, yada yada yada. I should add, BTW, that in terms of music, at least, it's not just pop that has these kinds of problems. For example, I have Jewish friends who absolutely will not listen to Richard Wagner and (to a lesser, perhaps less fair, extent) Anton Bruckner because the sound of jackboots intrudes for them. And what about my personal favorite guy, Carlo Gesualdo...

...the 16th century aristocrat and composer who wrote some absolutely sublime madrigals at the same time he was murdering and mutilating people and getting away with it because of his social status?

Anyway, at some point in our discussion the subject of Richard Thompson came up, and my friend allowed how it was becoming difficult to overlook the fact that Thompson -- genius songwriter that he most certainly is -- was responsible for what might possibly be considered an inordinate number of songs that demonstrate a, shall we say, problem with the ladies. I countered that this was more misanthropy than misogyny, but I was probably just being difficult; in any case, it got me thinking.

It also gave me an excuse to post clips of two not as different as you might think versions of a Thompson song that could be exhibit A for what my friend was talking about -- "Turning of the Tide."

How many lips, how many hands, have held you
Like I'm holding you tonight
Too many nights, staying up late,
Too much powder and too much paint
No you can't hide from the turning of the tide

Did they run their fingers up and down your shabby dress
Did they find some tender moment there in your caress

The boys all say "You look so fine"
They don't come back for a second time
Oh you can't hide from the turning of the tide

Poor little sailor boy, never set eyes on a woman before
Did he tell you that he'd love you, darling, for evermore?

Pretty little shoes, cheap perfume,
Creaking bed in a hotel room
Oh you can't hide from the turning of the tide

Okay, so first here's Richard's version, from his 1988 album Amnesia. As you'll hear, it's kind of a jaunty rockabilly song despite the downbeat lyrics. Amazingly lyrical guitar, too; the overall effect is strangely poignant.

And now here's the revved up punk rock version by Bob Mould, from the 1994 Thompson tribute album Beat the Retreat. Apart from the dangerous speed level, you'll note that Mould sounds far more disgusted with the trollop in question than the composer did; I'm reminded of Jules Feiffer's famous line that "In this culture, it's not just homosexuals who hate women -- it's everybody." 😎

In any case, a great song, if arguably troubling, and both versions are keepers, I think.

Your thoughts?