Thursday, September 9, 2010

Mother-in-Law

May 1961

I'm sure most every American should know this next one; I remember it being a staple of oldies radio when I was growing up. But I betcha can't name the singer!



That's right, it's the legendary Ernie K-Doe, famous for such hits as "Mother-in-Law," and uh... well... yeah, he's the very definition of a one-hit wonder. But where most OHWs tend to be annoying novelty songs, this one's pretty rockin' and I like it. He's not exactly probing the depths of the human spirit, but it's a fun and unique idea for a song, and I'm glad we have it.

What is it about the mother-in-law stereotype that is so enduring? Are mothers-in-law really so problematic? I've never been married, so I can't say I've had any personal experience. I suppose all parents want the best for their children, and some can be overly critical of their kid's spouse. But the lyrics here paint a quite literally demonic picture of her: "Satan should be her name/To me they're about the same." I can't help but think ol' Ernie could be doing more to accept his new family member.

His Wikipedia article states: "In the 1990s K-Doe began billing himself as 'The Emperor of the Universe' and, wearing a cape and crown, he became a famous local eccentric on the New Orleans scene." Keep in mind, he was a 60-year-old man in the 90s. This possibly sheds a little light on his relationship with his mother-in-law. Although this story may be an exaggeration, she may not have been so wrong to want him away from her daughter. But hey, he's the one with the song, so his side of the story is a lot more convincing.

B+