Products in Song Titles Top Ten: B*tchin’ Camaro (#9)

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Happy 60th anniversary to my aunt and uncle! I’m on my way to their 60th anniversary celebration this afternoon. Of course, I’m going to torture you first with another brand name that shows up in the title of a song. At least nobody will complain about the forthcoming country music after this tune…. #9: B*tchin’ Camaro - The Dead Milkmen I saw these guys in concert in, I think, 1988. I was the oldest person at the show (save for the band) by a GOOD ten years. Yeah, these guys aren’t exactly Dylan or Hank Williams. But they were very funny listens for a few times. Case in point: this song, one of their best-known tunes, that is broken into two segments. The first half is a brutal slam at the surf/“cool kids” culture. It’s sort of the male version of “Valley Girl,” except the Dead Milkmen were from Philadelphia. (Just goes to show you this kind of stuff is universal.) After they finish taking the teen culture apart with the dialog they rip into car lovers with the punk half of the song. And I mean, they go to town with the jokes. From throwing “Tony Orlando and Dawn” in the lyrics because it rhymes to the arrogance of being the owner of a cool car (“if I happen to run you down please don’t leave a scratch”), this song had me laughing for a long time after it ended. That was 35 years ago. Now, I still get a good chuckle out of this. It’s appropriate, too: the National Street Rod Association annual show is in town this weekend. B*tchin’ Camaro Written by the Dead Milkmen Recorded by the Dead Milkmen From Big Lizard in My Back Yard, 1985 Product: Camaro automobile I don’t want unleaded!