Pinball Wizard An Embarrassment?

["Kevin O'Neal" <kevinandt@xxxxxxxxx>]

>From: "Schrade, Scott"
>Subject: Re: Pinball Wizard An Embarrassment?
>
>Sort of like a last-minute rewrite.  Bit of a gamble.

Thank you!

>Cuz Kev:
>It's kind of hard to miss the absurdity in the idea of a deaf, dumb, &
>blind pinball champion becoming an idolized messiah-like figure.  There's
>irony & humor in there.

Scott, I know.

>On a high, literate level.  Why you only seem to
>see it as a lame attempt at humor - an embarrassing, failed joke - is
>beyond me.

That's not how I see it at all.
Why you want to feel that I can't see the "irony and humor" is beyond *me*.

>Most rock fans seem to be able to grasp the idea that the pinball champ-
>ion metaphor is an ironic reflection of modern society, & not just a bit
>of silliness in an otherwise serious piece of rock music.

I totally disagree.  I think *most* rock/music fans don't get it at all.
Or, they get it but don't give a hoot.  They see it as a very thinly veiled
kiss-up to the masses, and frankly a strange thing that detracts from the
album.
You've been spending too much time on this list.
Your judgment is clouded.

The above is the exact response I got from my friends Jeff and Julia (both
around our age, and a bit older)  Both *very* into music. Julia is actually
a kick-ass bassist in several well known local bands.
The above is the exact response I got from two other friends (both younger
than us) who are also very into music.
When I explained the underlying "irony", they get that but then cringe at
Pinball.  "Why Pinball?"
When I explain the motivation of Pinball, I get a whole new complaint.
Ya......can't......win.

>I don't know
>why you're having difficulty accepting that, Cuzzle Kevil.

Because my experience tells me otherwise.

> I'm afraid you
>& the others you've met who believe it all to an embarrassing joke are in
>the minority.

Really?  Based on what research.
And, I've never said it was "all an embarrassing joke".

It's silly.  And, due to the popularity of the album and the song, there
obviously are many out there who enjoy the silliness.   Or, they just choose
to look past it and enjoy the musical beauty and overall grandeur of the
album......like me.

To Alan and Scott,
I've obviously pissed on some sort of sacred Who ground.
I think if you both stepped outside of Who-dom and actually got some other
folks perspective, you might see that what I'm writing is *not* so far
fetched.
Scott, I thought yesterday you were finally seeing my perspective.  That
doesn't mean agreeing with, just seeing.
I'm not looking for right or wrong, but I tell ya, I feel like I've
personally pissed you guys off, and now find myself defending an opinion.
Like it's either A, or B.  No middle ground.  As a result, I'm tired of
going round and round on this.

I think next time I'll use Lew's wise strategy of simply saying it sucks,
and then leaving it at that.

Kevin in VT