The Not-Pop Jukebox

Some days you hear something new in a song you have listened to a hundred times. For me, that happened this morning with James Hunter. I was listening to People Gonna Talk and suddenly I realized that it was Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear from Me re-imagined. Now, we all know there’s nothing new under the sun but that doesn’t mean that one take on a subject doesn’t capture your imagination better than another.

For some reason, Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear from Me always struck me as a conceited concept. It sounded like a cad saying, “Sit home and twiddle your thumbs until I get around to dangling you on this string again.” That's because of the verse that admits he's been "seen with someone new" and "other arms may hold a thrill". Who want that sort of garbage? I’d dump such a jerk so fast his head would spin. But when I listen to it with People Gonna Talk in mind, I understand that both songs address the same subject—gossip of the malicious sort.

And so I put it to you, darling readers. Which song would you rather hear from your erstwhile lover, from whom you are separated for a time and about whom your “friends” tell sordid tales? Would you rather be reassured that “you never will” hear from him or her that you’ve been dumped or asked to “please let the decision be your own”? [As a bonus for you ME2 fans out there, I consider People Gonna Talk to be Commander Shepard’s song. If you don't know what that means, ask Bioware. /geeknote]