I had a couple of random discussions with my wife Pam while we were out the other day, and I wanted to share this in order to give you an idea of the kind of things that we find funny.
I don't recall how we got on the subject of the phrase "footloose and fancy free", but there we were, discussing it. I wondered out loud where that term came from originally, since it is so odd-sounding. Footloose? Did you break your ankles? Pam said maybe it meant that your feet were not bound, but that seemed strange to both of us. Is having loose feet a good thing? It sounds a bit dangerous if you are trying to walk, or dance, or exist.
Fancy free? Pam said that this sounds like someone with no imagination (free of fancy). I agreed, but this doesn't jibe with the actual meaning of the phrase, which I have always taken to mean that someone doesn't have a care in the world.
I would care if my feet were loose and I had no imagination, wouldn't you? Wouldn't anyone? Also, why have I never questioned this in relation to the movie "Footloose". Have you ever really thought about those lyrics to the theme song?
Tonight I gotta cut loose
Footloose
Kick off your Sunday shoes
Please, Louise
Pull me offa my knees
Jack, get back
C'mon before we crack
Lose your blues
Everybody cut footloose
If you know me at all, you know that I didn't know all of these words without looking them up. Reading them on the screen, however, I wonder now why Kenny Loggins wasn't institutionalized in the 80's. What the heck does this chorus actually mean? I am surprised that people werent' playing this one backwards on their turntables trying to interpret some secret meaning, like the Beatles' "Revolution #9". By the way, I did that as a kid with the Beatles tune, and my friend and I could have sworn we heard John Lennon clearly state, "S**t undersea, huh", which is obviously a poke at "Yellow Submarine". Ringo never was the talented one.
Sorry for the diversion....
As part of a completely different discussion, on our way home from church yesterday, I spotted a truck with several kayaks and paddles in the back (NOTE: Please do not take what I am about to say as a slight if you love kayaking).
I said to Pam, "I cannot imagine owning a kayak."
She replied, "I can't imagine owning ONE kayak, much less enough kayaks to necessitate an entire kayak rack! I also cannot imagine ever seriously considering going kayaking."
The next portion of her diatribe will give you some idea of her sense of humor, which I love:
"Let's see - I want to participate in a sport where I am not allowed to move my legs at all, because I want to depend entirely on my upper body strength. I'm strong, see? Perhaps if I were encased somehow in a fashion that would prevent me from using my lower body. I need a boat that is easily capsized if I lose my balance. Then, of course, I need to be placed in water, preferably fast-moving water. Basically, I need a sport that will cause me to drown quickly if I can't somehow twist myself back above the surface without the use of my legs."
She also suggested that maybe a good new sport would be "extreme kayaking", which would take place on a river of sulfuric acid. I think lava would be cool, too.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our odd sense of humor.
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How ironic that you post about being "footloose and fancy free". Not one for watching day time television, I caught a few minutes of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire this afternoon and one of the questions was about that very saying.
Kayaking doesn't sound like much fun to me either--I'd rather float in a tube.
Kayaking is a lot more fun (and easier) than a (*&)(@# canoe. I have tipped every canoe I've ever been in. Kayak's are much more stable and if you do flip, it's incredibly easy to flip back over. I don't think I want to go over Niagara Falls in one, but a meandering river is a lot of fun. Now, getting out... that's always comical. Imagine a watermelon stuffed into a thimble. That's pretty much what I look like.
PS... you guys are quite funny. :)
Well Jason, Pam, There's not much going on in the world right now. I can see how this would necessitate topics such as these. Dissecting music is something I had a bit of interest in also. That is if you count listening to Louie, Louie 1200 times and writing all the naughty (oops) words down on paper! The words were really radical then. I got into trouble.
Hey I have a great idea for Pam that will allow her to ENJOY Kayaking! Yeah, really! This is the perfect fashion that will bind her legs with just the right flair and might even save her life!
I can see it can't you?
Just a suggestion.
Later in the rain~Deb
Jason,
I love Footloose and I'm the proud owner of two kayaks AND a kayak rack.
Hmmphhh!!
P.S. I love nonsense conversations!
MELODY - Kenny is crazy, huh?
KAY - Thanks! I appreciate that.
TERRY - Pontoon boats are certainly less work, and less stressful!
AMANDA - That is really weird, isn't it? I have found that happens to me a lot - I will hear a new word or phrase or something I haven't thought about in ages, only to hear it repeated several times in succession from different sources.
SANDRA - Proudly living inland here, and loving it!
JESSE - I think I am simply too claustrophobic to get into a kayak. I am not really big on small boats in general, I suppose. Can I call you Tippecanoe?
MARA - Many of our discussions run along these lines, it would seem. It has been that way for almost 17 years now. :-)
DEB - Looks like a great plan, as long as the fin part of the costume is removable at some point.
ELAINE - I didn't say that I didn't like Footloose - I used to love that movie when I was a kid. I just don't really understand the phrase or the weird lyrics. As for kayaking, I am judging something that I have never experienced firsthand, which is a hobby of mine. I may soon write a post on how much I hate surfing, although I have never done it, either. I know you like nonsense conversations - that's why we're friends. ;)
GEORGINA - I have no doubt that kayaking will continue to grow in popularity, but you will never catch me in a kayak. I am too claustrophobic.
KATERINA - Where did you see my wife looking serious? Her sense of humor is one of the reasons I married her (plus the fact that she laughs at my juvenile humor). Glad you liked this one -
AUDREY - I enjoy etymology as well. I am thinking of doing a series of posts on funny phrases and my interpretation of the origin. You may have already looked it up, but "footloose" actually refers to a sailing term, when the foot of the sail is not attached, and it is impossible to control.
So I'm wondering if doing the bootie-shake could be called "butt loose". Oh wait! How about butt loose and bootie free!?!
Now we know who's sense of humor is more warped. =P
LISA - Perhaps you are the winner, or perhaps I don't share the most warped parts of my sense of humor here. :-)
SHARON - Good stuff. Thanks for your funny comments. I don't think I would like kayaking or having a Harley. Glad you liked this one -
GARY - We are always coming up with stuff like this. My wife says my sense of humor is "what if this happened?".
BEN - Perhaps you're right. Why not?