Thursday, November 30, 2006
Corey And Diane
Well the song was really entitled “Jack and Diane” and was sung by either John Cougar, or John Cougar Mellencamp, or John Mellencamp, or whatever he calls himself now, and it was a ubiquitous number that once you heard the first chords you remembered all the words and sang along. I too, while not a huge fan of the artists politics or much of what he has become as an artist, must admit I love the song.
Just recently I did renew my love of the song when I drove from my then apartment in PA to Princeton NJ in order to see a film that played nowhere but Manhattan and a little art house in Princeton. And I, as usual, got lost. I drove around in circles for about twenty minutes before I pulled into a little gas station, and the attendant was the first thing I had seen.
He was an immensely large man of both height and girth, meaning he was tall and fat, for those of us who aren’t paying attention. He was black, and looked as though he might shove the gas hose up my ass if I crossed him. But as he jaunted over, yes jaunted over, a smile crept over his lips and he belted out…
“A little diddy, about Corey an Diane…”
and proceeded to sing the entire song as he pumped the gas and squeegeed my windows with ballerina like grace that should have been totally foreign to him as eating healthy food seemed to be to both him and myself as well.
As the handled clicked signifying my tank was full he sang the last bars…
“Two American kids doing the best they can…”
After I paid him I asked for directions, to the theater and he gave me perfect directions using restaurants, a pancake place in particular, as focal points for my sojourn I thanked him, tipped him and pulled away as he began singing the same song, with the same verve he had serenaded me with while I was in his company.
As I drove away I wondered who the hell his Diane was, and if she loved him as much obviously loved her.
Now when I was playing my XM radio online I heard the opening guitar and drums of the song I waited for John to start off by saying…”A Little Diddy, about Corey and Diane…” but it wasn’t to be, though I know near Princeton, Corey is singing it his way.
Just recently I did renew my love of the song when I drove from my then apartment in PA to Princeton NJ in order to see a film that played nowhere but Manhattan and a little art house in Princeton. And I, as usual, got lost. I drove around in circles for about twenty minutes before I pulled into a little gas station, and the attendant was the first thing I had seen.
He was an immensely large man of both height and girth, meaning he was tall and fat, for those of us who aren’t paying attention. He was black, and looked as though he might shove the gas hose up my ass if I crossed him. But as he jaunted over, yes jaunted over, a smile crept over his lips and he belted out…
“A little diddy, about Corey an Diane…”
and proceeded to sing the entire song as he pumped the gas and squeegeed my windows with ballerina like grace that should have been totally foreign to him as eating healthy food seemed to be to both him and myself as well.
As the handled clicked signifying my tank was full he sang the last bars…
“Two American kids doing the best they can…”
After I paid him I asked for directions, to the theater and he gave me perfect directions using restaurants, a pancake place in particular, as focal points for my sojourn I thanked him, tipped him and pulled away as he began singing the same song, with the same verve he had serenaded me with while I was in his company.
As I drove away I wondered who the hell his Diane was, and if she loved him as much obviously loved her.
Now when I was playing my XM radio online I heard the opening guitar and drums of the song I waited for John to start off by saying…”A Little Diddy, about Corey and Diane…” but it wasn’t to be, though I know near Princeton, Corey is singing it his way.
