Have you ever heard the song Cousin Dupree by Steely Dan? It was on their comeback cd, Two Against Nature, which came out in 2000. It's a fine example of the twisted-ness that pops up from time to time in Steely Dan's music.
The song's voice is that of a creepy guy working on his next career move "from the comfort of my Aunt Fay's couch." He sees his younger cousin for the first time in years, and "all I can say is 'Ouch!'" He goes on to express the torture he feels, watching her with her boyfriend, and strutting about the house in her "tight capris." He laments, "What's so strange about a down-home family romance?" Finally, he makes his move with a dumb pick-up line, and gets his comeuppance.
The thing about this song is that the sick nature of it all is paired with a jaunty, hook-y melody that gets under your skin. The thing is positively infectious.
So I'm washing the dishes a while ago with the iPod on shuffle, and up pops Dupree. I find myself singing and moving, one with the narrator. Then it hits me: Am I enjoying this song a bit too much?
Isn't it amazing how well-written music (or books or movies, for that matter) can put you into the shoes of someone you normally would never identify with?
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