Posted by Jonathan Adler:
Sunday Song Lyric:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_03_22-2009_03_28.shtml#1237730829
Oh that Britney Spears sure is clever. Her current single, [1]"If U
Seek Amy" isn't really about a woman named Amy -- or at least the
chorus isn't.
Love me hate me
Say what you want about me
But all of the boys and all of the girls are beggin' to
If you seek Amy
Love me hate me
But can't you see what I see
All of the boys and all of the girls are beggin' to
If you seek Amy
Get it? The Parents Television Council did, and [2]they are quite
upset.
The PTC believes that the song, entitled �If You Seek Amy,� would
violate the broadcast indecency law if aired between the hours of
6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
The song makes repeated use of the following line: �All of the boys
and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy.�
�This may sound Yogi Berra-ish, but Britney�s song is a
double-entendre with only one meaning. There is no misinterpreting
the lyrics to this song; and it�s certainly not about a girl named
Amy,� said PTC President Tim Winter.
Of course, as the [3]OED's Jesse Sheidlower notes, Britney's little
trick isn't so new. There's a long history of "If You See Kay" songs,
going back to Memphis Slim's 1963 song (though, to be fair Britney's
song does have a little twist, using "Amy" instead of "Kay"). This
cute little trick also appears in James Joyce's Ulysses and was used
by other literary giants, including William Shakespeare. So, PTC,
lighten up! Britney's just showing off her literary chops.
References
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FehBgQeVKFQ
2. http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/news/release/2009/0121.asp
3. http://www.slate.com/id/2214106/pagenum/all/
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