LISA DENTON: Barry, don’t tell my brother, ’cause I’d hate to give him credit for it, but I’m secretly a fan of Ted Nugent’s music, and Richie is the reason. When we were teenagers, he would always bring the cassettes along on car trips with the family. This, of course, was before every passenger could have his own music piping through earbuds. Whatever was in the car stereo, everybody had to listen to. I wonder about that now, when I think about some of the lyrics. The songs are pretty cleverly written, but it’s not that hard to decipher the code. Our parents had to know what they were about, right?
BARRY COURTER: “Cat Scratch Fever” is a real ailment, you know? But you are correct. The Nuge bridged that gap in learning for many a pre-adolescent youngster discovering the opposite sex, especially at a Catholic school like I attended. “Double Live Gonzo” was like the supplemental workbook, only on vinyl, for Health class.
Some of the songs are clever, and some are about as subtle as a buffalo in a china shop — white buffalo or otherwise. I’ve often wondered how many poor 10-year-old boys got their ears boxed for singing his songs at the family barbecue without really knowing why.
LISA: No doubt. “Wango Tango” is not really about a turbo-charged Maserati and a brand new dance that’s sweeping the nation.
BARRY: It’s a flavor at Ben & Jerry’s, right?