Sunday, October 16, 2022

Preface To Paralyzed: Nothing Literal Here

(image from Discogs)

The show this week - on tomorrow night! - has the theme "paralyzed."  Initially I thought I'd use the noun form - "paralysis" - but really the show isn't going to be about paralysis in its main meaning at all.

This website tells us, "Paralysis occurs when you're unable to make voluntary muscle movements. A nervous system problem causes paralysis."

& that's fucking heavy.  There's just no way I could do a light-hearted radio show with a topic like paralysis.  The internet search that found that web page linked there says in a sidebar - & I don't know if I've ever seen a sidebar like this on a web search - it says "See a doctor immediately if you experience sudden paralysis or weakness in any part of the body."

My hope is that it's obvious that the sort of paralysis one finds in a song is a metaphorical paralysis - or maybe just plain hyperbole.  "All I could do is stand there paralyzed," Elvis sang.  He wasn't actually paralyzed!

Mostly no one will care, it's just a dumb radio show, but I hope no one thinks I'm going to have songs about paraplegia!

What I will do is play that Legendary Stardust Cowboy tune.  I don't think it's the world's worst record!  I remember the first time I heard it, on a compilation at KVRX, I immediately played it on the radio.

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