Frustrated Pumpkin Women and Dirty Water in Boston?

The Standells: Dirty Watah


This is one of those songs that I knew and yet, never quite "got". In my own defense, the singer doesnt do a great job of clearly annunciating the object of his affection, and, the majority of times i heard this song I was either out n about (read: drunk), or it was background music (read: busy). I never even knew the Standells sang it. Yes yes, I know. But rather than dwell on my ignorant past, Id rather discuss my irritated future. Because now that I get it, I'm not sure if i'm offended.

Me like boston. Me spend many formative summer in taxachusetts. Me family tree is firmly planted there. Yes, the chinatown stank there is waaay worse than NYC's chinatown stank (which is quite a feat in and of itself) and its expensive and sterile and um... boring. Oh, and it blessed us with the earache that is Boston Hardcore.

But regardless, it didn't/doesn't deserve a geographic love song that evokes images of cholera/disentery. Plus, what kind of song celebrates the fact that the girls there are sexually frustrated b/c of a midnight curfew. Sex or curfew? In NYC we say screw curfew. What's UP with that Boston: will you turn into pumpkins if you stay out later?

Maybe the girls have to be in by midnight b/c thats when the puking from the 8 pm binge drinking starts.

I told you I knew boston.

In my defense: this was my favorite standells song and i dont mind the minor threat version at all, despite minding minor threat.


the witch... b/c the sonics are way better.