What once passed for hip, trendy has become dreadfully outdated

When Burt Bacharach died a couple of weeks ago, my favorite jazz station devoted plenty of air time to his songs, kind of a musical obituary. He was considered Hollywood hip back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, a classically trained pianist with an ear for lyrics, handsome, square-jawed husband to Angie Dickinson, writer of a string of blockbuster movie themes and popular songs.

A Who’s Who of vocalists performed his songs – Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Perry Como and Tom Jones. Most of his songs – “Alfie,’’ “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,’’ “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again“, and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” would be considered elevator music or assigned to easy listening channels.

As I was buzzing down the Thruway to a referee assignment, up popped “It’s Time to Get Ready for Love.’’ Whoa! Hit the brakes on those lyrics.

“Hey, little girl, comb your hair, fix your make-up.
Soon he will open the door.’’
“Don’t think because there’s a ring on your finger,
You needn’t try any more.’’

Interpreted in my own snarky way, the lyrics meant the caveman is coming home from the office so you better doll yourself up unless you want to lose him. You are a second-class citizen intended to be a sex-object for your husband. Don Draper is headed home from another tough day in Mad Men.

I was all ready to pounce on Burt Bacharach when I learned he shared the blame with co-conspirator and lyricist Hal David. This misogyny didn’t fly in my household growing up where two parents worked, shared the child-rearing duties for six, and rarely argued. There was no time for hair, makeup and dresses before dinner. It was more like tag-team wrestling. One came home from the baseball field, slapped hands with the spouse, then the other went to the labor and delivery floor for the evening.

As the song continued on the radio, the tune and the melody remained catchy, but I exercised my most fundamental right; I turned the dial.

Does that make me “woke,’’ the right-wing term for progressive, thoughtful persons? I don’t pay attention to silly labels. I simply won’t support media that espouses sexism, racism, fascism or right-wing nationalism. The next charge will be that I am elitist. Again, labels don’t bother me.

Songs have a way of transporting you back in time. They also remind us pensioners that we grew up in a sexist society that can’t measure up to today’s standards of equality. So get your fingers ready or wrist poised; turn that channel.

The question remains – “How long will you listen to Bacharach and David? They have other questionable lyrics too.

“What’s new pussycat? Who-o-oa.’’

This junk continued through each generation. Listen closely to the 1971 lyrics of “Brown Sugar’’ by The Rolling Stones.  You’ll understand why a lot of oldies stations have dropped it from their playlists. Woke? Nope, just not tolerating racist lyrics.

If you’re a big proponent of racism and homophobia, give a listen to Axl Rose sing his Guns N’ Roses hit “One in a Million.’’ The guy has no filter or conscience.

Want more? Fast forward to the 1990s when Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. gave up singing and playing piano at church for rapping. It’s a good thing Snoop Dogg is selling a lot of beer for Corona because I have nothing but disdain for his music. I never developed a gangsta appreciation on the mean streets of Morristown.

You can go to any search engine and enter “raunchy lyrics’’ or “sexist lyrics’’ or “offensive lyrics’’ and you’ll probably get Alan Thicke’s “Blurred Lines’’ complete with the catchy percussion, or most anything by Eminem. I wouldn’t ban them; I just don’t provide an audience.

Maybe I think too much. Perhaps I should emulate Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, shut out the world, and check into a darkness facility in southern Oregon for four days and four nights to ponder my future.

Rodgers, 39, needed time to consider whether to retire from the rigors of the NFL or play next season for $59.465 million guaranteed. I’m not clairvoyant and I don’t think too much, but I already know a few million reasons why he will opt in for next season.