Sunday, May 13, 2018

Song Analysis: Sugar Town

This top-10 hit from late 1966 by Frank's daughter portrays an "ultimate shangri-la", in which one is shielded from the hardships, evils, and responsibilities of the world.

The character in the song is quite self-satisfied and self-possessed.
She desires not the usual crutches and obstacles of the "normal world"---she "never had a dog that liked her some", and she "never had a friend---or wanted one".

She's free to be just who she is in her own right, without the perils of obligations and enduring judgment calls from strangers and meddling acquaintances and relatives.

She also mentions being sheltered from all the inclement weather other "normal" places routinely get (although I see these verses as being somewhat metaphorical in nature as well).

She further mentions that if she were independently wealthy she'd be all-too-willing to part with all her money by giving it away to the whole world in an attempt to bribe it into backing off and leaving her alone to just live out the rest of her life in this "la-la land" of hers.

....this is as ideal a fantasy song as one can get.

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