bookerprize@groups.io | Michael's end - why are these so funny? (2024)

marion

Eve weeps with laughter when Michael confesses he has told his therapist this is his favourite song list:

Ray Stevens, Misty. Four seasons, December 1963 (Oh what a night). Chris Montez, The More I see of You. Elvis Costello, Oliver's Army. Dire Straits, Romeo and Juliet.

His therapist's number one was: Starland Vocal Band, Afternoon Delight - and she liked Bohemian Rapsody. (I have come across this one.)

What is the joke? I don't know any of them, except BR.

Bemused,
Marion

I'm not really touching on what particularly would be funny about these
songs (and not familiar with all of them) - although many seems cliched.

What struck me was the irony: the therapist uses the song list as a
technique to analyze Michael. Eve thinks this is absurd and laughable, and
then goes right ahead and analyzes both Michael and the therapist, based
on? Yes, their songlists!

It also shows something almost universal: how we cannot bear to be the
object of ridicule. Here it was Michael (but I think most other people
would have reacted the same): after Eve laughed at and made of fun of the
experience and him, Michael stopped going to the therapist.

- Sivani

Teresa

Dear Marion and Sivani,

I'm glad you brought this up, Marion, as I've been prepared to post that Michael's songs are some (if not *all* -- okay, not 'Misty') of my absolute favorite songs, esp. the Elvis Costello and the Dire Straits, two of my all-time favorites. Not sure what that says about me. :)

And 'Afternoon Delight' has got to be one of the songs I've always hated the most, ever since it came out. The lyrics are silly, and the tune is annoying and insidious -- once it's in your head, it stays there and you want to rip it out immediately! My opinion, of course! :)

I agree with Sivani about why Eve finds all this funny, but I don't see where Eve analyzes the therapist and Michael -- is that later on?

Eve laughs before she even hears what the songs are -- the whole idea is ludicrous to her. (Why is the therapist listing her own songs anyway? Shows me she is pretentious and egotistical.) Eve next laughs when she hears that Charis' top song is 'Afternoon Delight' (I think I would've had to stop going to that therapist too!), so I don't see that she is laughing at Michael or his choices.

Teresa

Sivani wrote:

marion

Isn't it interesting how we read the same scene and react so differently to it! What I jumped out of the exchange for me were these phrases:

'She was sitting on the bed. Michael felt foolish, but it was quite nice foolish. He sat on the edge of the bed too, a little ashamed, a little giggly himself.' I thought that although Eve was laughing at his choices (I didn't know why), it wasn't done in a hostile way because they were sitting on the bed together, and he was feeling a bit giggly too. But at the end of the scene there is that passage saying that she'd never looked so beautiful, 'and so hateful.' So I got mixed messages - again.

I wondered if the songs revealed Michael's romantic side, and that was one of the things she found so funny as she knew, and later he knew that she knew, that he had been a sexual predator. He then finds her amazing.

Anyway, he evidently had very good taste in music. :)

Marion

Teresa

marion wrote:

I thought that although Eve was laughing at his choices (I didn't know why), it wasn't done in a hostile way because they were sitting on the bed together, and he was feeling a bit giggly too.

I took it that she was making fun of the situation, and I thought Michael understood that and even agreed with her.

But at the end of the scene there is that passage saying that she'd never looked so beautiful, 'and so hateful.' So I got mixed messages - again.

I figured he was attracted to that 'hateful' aspect of her, and again I thought it wasn't really directed at him.

I wondered if the songs revealed Michael's romantic side, and that was one of the things she found so funny as she knew, and later he knew that she knew, that he had been a sexual predator. He then finds her amazing.

They are romantic songs, except for "Oliver's Army", which most certainly isn't -- it is a political song. And the Dire Straits song is very sad, as you might expect from its title, though it's not the Shakespeare story.

Anyway, he evidently had very good taste in music. :)

lol Thanks. :)

Certainly better taste than the therapist. ;P

Teresa

aczender

Thought this was an interesting thread even though I haven't
finished the book. It reminds me of those "if you could take 10
records to a desert island.." games we used to play in the car.
Well, I did, anyway.

--- In BookerPrize@..., marion <m.e.burgin@...> wrote:

Eve weeps with laughter when Michael confesses he has told his
therapist this is his favourite song list:

Ray Stevens, Misty. Four seasons, December 1963 (Oh what a night).
Chris Montez, The More I see of You. Elvis Costello, Oliver's

Army.

Dire Straits, Romeo and Juliet.

The choices are kind of ironic given Michael's extracurricular love
life, I guess. "Oh What a Night" sort of celebrates the one-night
stand, doesn't it? But as someone else pointed out, "Romeo and
Juliet" is a sad, romantic song, very out of character for him. I
can't explain "Oliver's Army." I don't know "The More I See of You"
but the title strikes me as the author's inside joke with regard to
the Amber plotline.

Wasn't there a movie about a stalker called "Play 'Misty' for Me"?

His therapist's number one was: Starland Vocal Band, Afternoon

Delight

- and she liked Bohemian Rapsody. (I have come across this one.)

These are funny because they are possibly the least judicious
choices ever...perhaps not what one would hope for in one's
therapist.

Speaking of cheesy music, I enjoyed this Washington Post blog post
about the "uncoolest songs ever." You will note that "Take on Me" is
listed several times as is "Afternoon Delight."
http://tinyurl.com/qrxzm

Full disclosure: "Take on Me" is on my iPod, too. I recognized that
video reference right out of the gate.

az in Chicago

--- In BookerPrize@..., Teresa <ttbrader@...> wrote:

Dear Marion and Sivani,

I'm glad you brought this up, Marion, as I've been prepared to

post that

Michael's songs are some (if not *all* -- okay, not 'Misty') of my
absolute favorite songs, esp. the Elvis Costello and the Dire

Straits,

two of my all-time favorites. Not sure what that says about

me. :)

I thought that Eve's reaction was to the therapist using the list of
songs to 'analyse' - yet in a way that is valid because don't we do
that when we are trying to find common ground between - say - new
acquaintances. After all I now know that Teresa and I share a love
for Dire Straits and if I wash up on the same desert island as
Marion she will already have Bohemian Rhapsody so I don't have to
take that one!

But the scene tells us more about Michael as you say - the fact that
he can't bear to be laughed at is more a clue to his low self esteem
which he has been trying to boost for years with all his 'affairs' -
notably with 'inferiors, i.e. his students. That's why the last one
which we see, with the student who doesn't 'revere' him is so
laughable and causes him to rethink his life.

Regards, Gwyn.

--- In BookerPrize@..., "aczender" <azender@...> wrote:

Thought this was an interesting thread even though I haven't
finished the book. It reminds me of those "if you could take 10
records to a desert island.." games we used to play in the car.
Well, I did, anyway.

Lovely to hear from you Ann, and a better game than 'Peep the Sheep'.
But actually here in the UK we have an even better radio version
called 'Desert Island Discs' but participants are only allowed 8
records, here's a link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/desertislanddiscs.shtml

I don't know if you and Erik caught an episode of it when you were
here in May?

Regards, Gwyn

Teresa

aczender wrote:

I haven't finished the book.

What do you think of it so far?

It reminds me of those "if you could take 10 records to a desert island.." games we used to play in the car. Well, I did, anyway.

I've played that game -- and with books too instead of music.

The choices are kind of ironic given Michael's extracurricular lovelife, I guess. "Oh What a Night" sort of celebrates the one-night stand, doesn't it?

It does, and how great it was with this one particular woman. It's a cheesy song and not one I'd include as an all-time favorite, but I did like it when I was younger. And I didn't know then it was about a one-night stand. I thought a guy just couldn't forget a woman he had met and never saw again. My innocent days. :)

Wasn't there a movie about a stalker called "Play 'Misty' for Me"?

Yep. Very popular movie in the '70's. I remember my parents going to see it. Clint Eastwood (playing a radio d.j.) being stalked by a female fan. "Fatal Attraction" 'stole' this plot line.

Teresa

Teresa

Thanks for this. Fun.

I guess we all have our own favorite un-cool song. A past one of mine is on the original blogger's list: "All Cried Out" -- Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam. It's not a good song at all and I almost hate to admit it, but there ya go! :)

Teresa

aczender wrote:

Teresa

My Dire Straits CDs are all packed and ready for our desert island, Gwyn. :) I love Mark Knopfler's guitar-playing for one thing, so distinctive and evocative.

I also have to admit that I've collected every version of Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet" available (they've done it live a couple of times on different CDs). I heard a live version of it on the radio -- a replay of a BBC radio show, I think, and it's my favorite, but I've never been able to find it collected anywhere.

There was a time when I guess you could say I was obsessed with the song. :) My kids remember! Rhea remembered it not too long ago and told a friend it was my favorite song when it came on the radio.

Teresa

Gwyn wrote:

Eve finds the idea of trying to establish what kind of personality or issues
one has by looking at the songs they like ridiculous.
Then she turns around and does the inverse: because the therapist is such
and such a person, I bet she likes X & Y (like Bohemian Rhapsody). It's a
bit like saying: It's ridiculous to say that because you like green you must
be jealous, but it is perfectly acceptable to say that because you have
anger issues you must like red.

- Sivani (known for my unsuccessful metaphors)

Teresa wrote:

Teresa

Ah, I see. Thanks!

Eve ends up being right with her guesses, though, doesn't she? Which makes her laugh all the more and causes Michael to be quiet, but also to acknowledge how beautiful (and hateful) he finds her.

Michael doesn't answer her question about "Imagine", but we assume she is right. Unless he just wants to hear her laugh some more.

These two seem to be at their closest when they are making fun of others.

Teresa

Sivani wrote:

--- In BookerPrize@..., Teresa <ttbrader@...> wrote:

Thanks for this. Fun.

I guess we all have our own favorite un-cool song. A past one of

mine

is on the original blogger's list: "All Cried Out" -- Lisa Lisa and

the

Cult Jam. It's not a good song at all and I almost hate to admit

it,

but there ya go! :)

For Paul and I it is Peter Sarstedt's 'Where do you go to my lovely?' -
although I suppose that part of the fun is seeing the look of
excrutiating embarrassment that passes across the faces of our
children, possibly because normally our music choices - according to
them - are pretty cool...... But yes it would probably go to a desert
island with me!

Regards, Gwyn