#SLS for 7/5/20

Jim gives us Best/Better/Good/Great.  Yeah buddy, I can work with that.  So many choices, so little time.  I opted to go with Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young”.  The lyrics spoke to us in 7th grade … the part about being a Catholic girl.  Our friend Gina called it her song after all her given name is Virginia.

The song was included on the album was “The Stranger” (1977).  I actually have the vinyl.  Purchased from Columbia House records for a penny, plus shipping and handling.  Or maybe it was six albums for 99 cents.  Whatever it was, the gimmick worked.  Anyone else remember that?  The introductory price to join the club was next to nothing.  Then each month we got a catalog of relatively new releases to buy from again.  There was fine print with an agreement to buy so many more records before one could cancel.

My brother had the idea to get the almost freebies, buy the minimum, then cancel only to sign up again with a different name to get that low introductory offer one more time.  Mom found out he used my name and boy was she pissed.  Made him let me pick out a few of the records which is how “The Stranger” and treasures like “French Kiss” and “the Best of Bread” were added to my burgeoning collection.  I sure wish I had something to play my albums on.

Without further ado and nostalgia, here you go ….

Come out, Virginia, don’t let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one
They showed you a statue and told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
But they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done…
Only the good die young

You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd
We ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud
We might be laughing a bit too loud
But that never hurt no one
So, come on, Virginia, show me a sign
Send up a signal I’ll throw you the line
The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding behind
Never lets in the sun
Darling, only the good die young

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation
You got a brand new soul
And a cross of gold
But, Virginia, they didn’t give you quite enough information
You didn’t count on me
When you were counting on your rosary

They say there’s a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it’s better but I say it ain’t
I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun…
You know that only the good die young

You say your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation
She never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?

Come out, come out, come out
Virginia, don’t let me wait,
You Catholic girls start much too late,
But sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one,
You know that only the good die young
Tell you baby
You know that only the good die young
Only the good die young
Only the good
Only the good die young

Here are the rules and ping back.