Joe Doakes from Como Park writes:
“Just sittin’ around drinkin’ with the rest of the guys
Six rounds bought, and I bought five.
Spent the groceries and half the rent.
I lack fourteen dollars of having twenty-seven cents”
— “Dang Me” – Roger Miller
My Dad had that song on a LP record album we played on the Hi-Fi in the living room. It just came up on the iPod again.
I’ve heard that song for 50 years and never understood the lyrics. Now I get it – he’s so broke from drinking with his buddies that he’d need $14.00 just to end up with 27 cents. Makes perfect sense when you see the lyrics written out. (My son the math major says that means he’s $13.73 in the hole but I never was good at story problems and besides, it doesn’t rhyme).
50 years to get a joke. I wonder what else I’ve been missing.
Joe Doakes
Como Park