Science fiction, fantasy, mystery and what-not
Floofy Idol (floofinition) – English floof star, songwriter, and floofsician who emerged from the London Floof scene and became part of the third wave of punk floof (poof) rock.
In use: “Floofy Idol was known for several songs (such as “Rebel Meow”), but his cover of an earlier song, “Floofy, Floofy”, became a big hit for him.”
I always find this song, “Dancing with Myself” by Billy Idol (1980) an exuberant, uplifting song. Sure, it’s a (mildly) cynical statement about being alone in a crowd and preferring your own company over your friends.
My version, of course, is “Writing for Myself”. You know, you write these novels and they go nowhere but storage media or a stack of paper. I was thinking it more in amusement than in dejection; well, there’s nothing to lose and nothing to prove when I’m writing for myself, oh, oh, a-oh.
“Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol is a good walking song. Released in 1983, it’s another one of those songs that, between volume and enunciation, I distrusted what I was hearing and kept wondering, what’s he singing in that part? Well, eventually, the answers came and I share them with you.
He lives in his own heaven
Collects it to go from the seven eleven
Well, he’s out all night to collect a fare
Just as long, just as long it don’t mess up his hair
Well, that makes a lot more sense than the silly phrases I imagined. Still, it remains a damn fine song to stream in my head when I take a walk.
I walked two miles this morning prior to my writing session. As I did, I thought, man, it already feels hot. Sweat was soaking my shirt, hat, and shorts. I knew from checking the weather that it had already been in the seventies but that the heat index was about six degrees hotter.
It felt it. It fortunately didn’t feel like the one hundred nine degrees reported in Denver, thank the fates. As expected for me, I began streaming songs about heat, and ended up with this Billy Idol gem from 1982, “Hot in the City”.
Feeling like a rebel today.
At first, I thought, gimme some power chords. Nirvana came to mind, with “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” “Here we are now, entertain us.”
But, then, naw…”Rebel Yell” began streaming, and quickly segued into one of my favorite Billy Idol tunes, “White Wedding.” “It’s a nice day to start again.”
It’s cooler today, with a projected high of just eighty-eight under clear blue skies. Definitely a nice day to start again. Here it is, Billy Idol, from nineteen eighty-two, when I was just a wee man of twenty-six years. Boy, what would need to be sacrificed to be twenty-six again, hey?
Michael Seidel, writer 