Pretty Girls Make Graves
Tonight I was talking to someone at a bar and she said that her favorite Smith’s song was “Pretty Girls Make Graves”.
I was like, “Well sure, but you know that the name or phrase was appropriated from a Jack Kerouac book”
She was like, “No, the song by The Smiths.”
Anyhow, the etymology of the saying is from Jack Kerouac’s book Dharma Bums, in case anyone is confused.
Like it happens with anything you already know and you think other people are complete idiots for not knowing the history of said thing:
Excerpt from Dharma Bums, Jack Kerouac
“Pretty girls make graves,” was my saying, whenever I’d had to turn my head around involuntarily to stare at the incomparable pretties of Indian Mexico. And the absence of active lust in me had also given me a new peaceful life that I was enjoying a great deal. But this was too much. I was still afraid to take my clothes off; also I never liked to do that in front of more than one person, especially with men around.”
The thing about Jack Kerouac or any of the beats— or Charles Bukowski— anyone creative and weird– is that they were not hipster jerkoffs trying to make cool, hip art. Look at Jack Kerouac. They were normal people making art about their frustrations with society and the people around them: they’re you and me.
Don’t let hipsters appropriate that please.
Thank you.
Random Posts
Loading…
Tagged with "jack kerouac", charles bukowski, dharma bums, pretty girls make graves, the smiths
Check out my friends @ CraigsLOL
Loading ...
Right on!
Maybe you’d appreciate my Kerouac-obsessed blog at http://www.thedailybeatblog.blogspot.com.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be over in the corner jumping to conclusions about who hangs around talking about their favorite Smiths song and the people who love them. And doesn’t that particular song put the whole conversation about waist deep in irony?
One of my favorite books. An American classic (better than On the Road in my opinion).
If you haven’t had the opportunity – check out Kerouac’s audio recordings. There are a handful of CDs out there of him reading poetry and excerpts from his novels. You’re right. He’s just a regular dude. His voice sounds like an every day average guy. He talks about drinking and self consciousness and travel, etc. Good shit.
Jason’s last blog post..Open Sore Porn
Morrissey has plagiarised quite a few poets in his time. Sheila Delaney and Oscar Wilde to name just two. This makes his anti plagiarism song “Cemetary Gates” seem all the more ironic.
“Theres always someone somewhere, with a big nose who knows, why plagiarise and take on loan?”…is how the lyric goes. As for “Every day is like Sunday..la la la la la etc..” Well thats all well and good for you to jest Moz but have you spared a thought for the numerous people who suffer from Alzeimers to whom everyday really is Sunday? Or to those on Death Row who don’t really count the days anymore? On a slightly different note, If I were on death row I would expand my last few days by ordering my last meal from Pizza Hut. Hey Presto you have a least a week!