Overdue Props

You know what song has spent the last three years doing nothing but convincing me to love it? Smokey Robinson and The Miracles 'You Really Got a Hold On Me'. I realize that I'm a little late joining the party on this one.

For a person who has loved Motown deeply since diapers, it always bothered me that this song creeped me out so intensely. But I was watching Sesame Street the other day (I know, 3/4 of each damn episode is dedicated to Elmo now, and it's rarely worth the time, but occasionally I'll catch a gem sketch from the 80's and it will make my whole damn day. A tip - Plaza Sesamo, the Spanish language version, airs a lot more old school clips. Yes, they're in Spanish, but when was the last time you saw Prairie Dawn play the piano? Exactly. And who couldn't benefit from five minutes of elementary school Spanish instruction every day?) and I had a flashback to a skit set to 'You Really Got a Hold on Me' that really tripped me out as a toddler.

Using the modern magic of YouTube, I was able to find it.

Here it is; a delightfully creepy number featuring Mr. Robinson himself, and the letter U. The 80's were so fucked up. And 80's-era Sesame Street episodes followed asuit - but they were also freaking genius. Anyway, it explains why my whole generation is a little...off. And, why my emotional memory always took me to a bad place when I heard this song. Good news though - I totally appreciate it now.

That was a tangent, and I apologize. The point is - I am no longer creeped out by the song. I love it more with easch listen, and I feel grown up for it. Maybe it's lame, but it makes me feel like I've gained some modicum of maturity. What can I say, somethings grow on me with age. Acquired tastes. Like whiskey. And the History Channel. And bad pornography. I told you...off. Blame the 80's.