Quote of the Day
Courtesy of my boss, whom we call Q:
I just copyedited some text that cites Etta James's song "At Last." Our fact-checking department had added an exclamation point, so we would print it as "At Last!" I questioned it and handed it back to Q. A few minutes later ...
Q: Yeah, research added that exclamation point.
Me: Weird.
Q: Yeah. It doesn't seem right.
Me: It's not an exclamation-pointy song.
Q: I know.
Me: And Etta James doesn't seem exclamation-pointy.
Q: Yeah, she doesn't strike me as someone who is in the business of shouting things.
Now, I admit I don't know much about Etta James. But this impression isn't unreasonable solely based on the song, right? Wouldn't it be a totally different song if she'd screamed it? Engaged couples the world over would have to settle on their Plan B song (which always seems to be "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith) for their first dance at their weddings. And we can't have that happen, can we?
I just copyedited some text that cites Etta James's song "At Last." Our fact-checking department had added an exclamation point, so we would print it as "At Last!" I questioned it and handed it back to Q. A few minutes later ...
Q: Yeah, research added that exclamation point.
Me: Weird.
Q: Yeah. It doesn't seem right.
Me: It's not an exclamation-pointy song.
Q: I know.
Me: And Etta James doesn't seem exclamation-pointy.
Q: Yeah, she doesn't strike me as someone who is in the business of shouting things.
Now, I admit I don't know much about Etta James. But this impression isn't unreasonable solely based on the song, right? Wouldn't it be a totally different song if she'd screamed it? Engaged couples the world over would have to settle on their Plan B song (which always seems to be "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith) for their first dance at their weddings. And we can't have that happen, can we?
Labels: grammar, pop culture, work
posted by Marla at 4:16 PM
5 Comments:
First off, I'm totally lost with regards to the exclamation point on "At Last." A slow, swoony song like that does NOT necessitate an exclamation point.
Second, how cool is that that we did pretty much the same thing this past weekend? Can't wait to see your pictures...my mom likes to reminisce about when the plastic fork was made of wood...
Now I would have guessed "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green as the Plan B song. That could totally handle like, two exclamation points. Etta James - what a wuss!
first of all, i have to admit that i feel immediately defensive on the part of the research department for reasons best left undisclosed. (ok, yeth, i'm a member of said dept.)
so here's what i have to say:
1. a quick nexus/google search reveals that the song takes an exclamation point more often than it does not--including on a copy of the album sold on amazon.com.
2. i disagree re: etta james being a screamer. the lady knows how to use her lungs loudly, bloodcurdlingly, well, screamyingly (go with the word, i beg of you, o copyeditrex). she screams all the time. have you ever heard "in the basement?" 'tis one of the greatest r&b songs of all time--and girfriend screams it. as in SCREAMS. i would argue that her trademark is the thin line between hysteria and normal indignance that she makes her home. i love her. and she is a screamer.
that said, i do enjoy the idea of many, many newly married couples getting screamed at as they sway in finery they shall never wear again in front of friends and relatives who are scratching their heads confusedly (and gifting fine crystal). so awesome.
research dept, represent!
xxxxx
your ornery friend
Ah, my ornery friend. As someone who did no research on Etta James for this post and who doesn't know much about her (but the more I read about her now, the more I can't blame the woman for screaming), I knew I could rely on you to learn me The Etta. And please know I meant no disrespect to you and your research peeps: I never meant to imply that it was wrong to add the exclamation point; I just think the exclamation point is weird for that song. And said misjudged puctuation is the fault of the douchebag who published the misplaced punctuation in the first place. Of course, I'm a firm believer that awkward punctuation can change the meaning of absolutely everything, especially song lyrics.
Like this:
You? Make me feel like dancing! I'm gonna dance the ... night. Away, you! Make me feel like dancing! I feel, like, dancing? Woo; dancing. Woo: Dance the night — away.
Wow. It's a good thing Leo Sayer had a copy editor.
By the way, that was one of my favorite songs, "You! Make Me Feel! Like Dancing?"
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