Kinks – "20th Century Man" (1971)

I'm a paranoid, schizoid product

Of the 20th century

2 or 3 lines – which made its first appearance on November 1, 2009 – is mos’ definitely a product of the 21st century. 

Today we’re celebrating the 14th birthday of 2 or 3 lines the blog by interviewing 2 or 3 lines the blogger – who is more a 20th century man than a 21st century man.

Hence our featured song.

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Q:  It’s become an annual tradition for me to interview you on each  anniversary of your wildly popular little blog, 2 or 3 lines.  Do you remember how long ago it was when I first interviewed you?

2 or 3 lines:  Actually, I do.  You first interviewed me on the blog’s 10th anniversary, which was November 1, 2019.

Q:  For the better part of the last year, you’ve been dropping hints about a rather dramatic change in your life.  I understand you’re prepared to quit beating around the bush and come out with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

A:  That’s correct.  It’s something I really should have gotten off my chest months ago.

Q:  Better late than never, as they say.  But I want to start off this year’s anniversary interview by asking you a question about the newest members of the 2 OR 3 LINES “GOLDEN DECADE” HIT SINGLES HALL OF FAME and the 2 OR 3 LINES “GOLDEN DECADE” ALBUM TRACKS HALL OF FAME – which were announced in September and October, respectively.

A:  Before you ask that question, let me say how proud I am of the new 2023 inductees.  The hit singles hall-of-famers really run the gamut – we’ve got something from the Beach Boys, a couple of Brill Building pop classics, some standout Motown hits, a great folk-influenced record, and a beautiful blue-eyed soul ballad.  And each of the artists who had an album track inducted into that hall of fame this year is responsible for several HOF-worthy records – there’s nary a one-hit wonder in the group.

Q:  I did notice that a number of the new hall of fame selections had been featured on 2 or 3 lines previously.  Instead of having to come up with new material about those records, you were able to simply cut-and-paste your original posts about them.  Was that your strategy?  In other words, did you choose those records on the merits, or because picking records you had previously written about saved you a lot of time and effort?

A:  You’re such an d*ck.  You ask that same question every year – why don’t you give it a rest and ask something new?

Q:  I’ll give it a rest as soon as you answer the question – this isn’t the first time you’ve ducked it rather than giving me a straight answer.

A:  [Silence.]

Q:  So that’s a “yes”?

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Q:  Let’s talk a little about today’s featured record.  The Kinks released “20th Century Man” in 1971, but it’s lyrics are just as relevant to the 21st century.  For example:

I was born in a welfare state

Ruled by bureaucracy

Controlled by civil servants

And people dressed in grey

Got no privacy, got no liberty    

A:  Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

The Muswell Hillbillies album

Q:  Indeed.  I believe you were born in 1952 – just a couple of years after the midpoint of the 20th century.

A:  Your math is a little off, sport.

Q:  How so?

A:  I was delivered in 1952, but I was conceived in 1951 – and conception is what really counts, isn’t it?

Q:  I’m not sure we want to get into that issue right now.  But even if you’re correct, we’re still talking about 1951, not 1950.

A:  I’m guessing you’re one of those people who thinks the 21st century began on January 1, 2000.

Q:  Well, it did – didn’t it?

A:  Think about it.  Back in the day, the calendar went directly from 1 BC to 1 AD?  There was no year zero.  Correct?

Q:  Yes.

A:  So what was the first year of the first century?

Q:  The year 1 AD, I guess.  

A:  So what was the first year of the 21st century?

Q:  2001.

A:  Exactly!  And the first year of the 20th century was 1901 . . . which means that 1951 is smack dab in the middle of the 20th century because it’s midway between 1901 and 2001!

Q:  Hmmm . . . something about that doesn’t seem right, but I’m exactly not sure what it is.  Anyway, it’s time to turn our attention to the dramatic change in your life that took place not quite one year ago.

A:  I’ll tell you all about that in the very next 2 or 3 lines. 

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“20th Century Man” was released on the Muswell Hillbillies album – which I believe was the first Kinks album I ever owned.  (I’ve since purchased several Kinks albums that were released before Muswell Hillbillies was.)

Muswell Hillbillies was a commercial failure.  Most of the critics loved it, but I didn’t – I don’t remember a single song from that album other than “20th Century Man.”

Click here to listen to today’s featured record.

Click here to buy the album version of that record from Amazon.