Janis Joplin "Mercedes Benz"
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Janis Joplin "Mercedes Benz"
I have the Detroit Auto Show on NBC on in the background and they were showing a bunch of new mercedes and playing Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" song. I always assumed she wrote the song to mock the people who pray to god and wish for a luxury car over something more valuable.. is this correct?
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Not really. It's a fairly simple song, and doesn't sound like anything except what it is:
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
I'm counting on you, Lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
Everybody!
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
I'm counting on you, Lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
Everybody!
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
#3
Banned
Originally Posted by j123vt_99
I always assumed she wrote the song to mock the people who pray to god and wish for a luxury car over something more valuable..
#5
DVD Talk Legend
Not being sarcastic at all. Read the lyrics. All I read is someone singing about working hard all their life, and wanting a few simple rewards. Your basic "everyone else has nice things, so what about me for a change?" kind of thing.
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Originally Posted by The_Infidel
Not being sarcastic at all. Read the lyrics. All I read is someone singing about working hard all their life, and wanting a few simple rewards. Your basic "everyone else has nice things, so what about me for a change?" kind of thing.
I always thought it was a statement against anti-consumerism (kind of a fight club moral for the 60s)... during her time, people were fighting for peace, change and civil rights, yet some people were more concerned about getting a luxury car.
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Yeah, when you put it that way, I can kind of see your point. I guess it's like anything, one interprets things differently. Still, if there were more extravagant things being mentioned in the song, I might lean more towards the anti-consumerism message, especially if it came across sarcastically. Me, I'm going to stick with the interpretation of it just being someone who wants a few rewards out of life.
#9
Banned
Originally Posted by j123vt_99
can;t tell if you guys are being sarcastic or not
A nice little ditty that Joplin probably whipped together at 2 am in the back of a tour bus, just fuckin around with a drink and her guitar. Nothing more.
Last edited by Rivero; 01-24-05 at 06:14 AM.