• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Before Header

  • About Us
  • Lexicon
  • Contact Us
  • Our Store
  • ↑
  • ↓
  • ←
  • →

Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Petty moves from a petty man.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

This fight is for everything.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

No one could have predicted…

The words do not have to be perfect.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

Mobile Menu

  • Seattle Meet-up Post
  • 2025 Activism
  • Targeted Political Fundraising
  • Donate with Venmo, Zelle & PayPal
  • Site Feedback
  • War in Ukraine
  • Submit Photos to On the Road
  • Politics
  • On The Road
  • Open Threads
  • Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Authors
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Lexicon
  • Our Store
  • Politics
  • Open Threads
  • 2025 Activism
  • Garden Chats
  • On The Road
  • Targeted Fundraising!
You are here: Home / Music / Song of the week

Song of the week

by DougJ|  October 21, 20118:20 pm| 25 Comments

This post is in: Music, Readership Capture

FacebookTweetEmail

From Can’t Explain.

Buoys, “Timothy” (1971)
Weird shit dept.: Sounding for all the world like the post-hippie bubblegum overrunning the airwaves at the time, “Timothy” is actually something much, much darker. It’s more famous now for its words—most of the YouTube videos I found are pleased to hammer you over the head with the theme (see here, and this is pretty good too). I don’t actually remember much controversy. I had heard it a lot before I caught the drift, and then I was kind of shocked. The Bloodrock, on the other hand, a full-on creepshow, was controversial, but that was more because the original version included sirens for effect and people hearing it in their cars were reportedly pulling over, which was understandably annoying. A later cut took out the sirens but that didn’t make it any easier to take.

More 1971 shock: Bloodrock, “DOA”
More stuff at Can’t Explain.

FacebookTweetEmail
Previous Post: « Friday Night Open Thread
Next Post: Predicting Votes by Counting Checks? »

Reader Interactions

25Comments

  1. 1.

    MikeJ

    October 21, 2011 at 8:26 pm

    Last pimpage: Name that tune at cleek’s.

  2. 2.

    smelter rat

    October 21, 2011 at 8:41 pm

    Even in the Northern Manitoba mining town of Flin Flon, this tune got air play back in the day.

  3. 3.

    Jamey

    October 21, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    I know it well. Scranton, PA’s own Buoys! I was too young to have experienced it, but my older brother was a part of the mania.

    Song was written by none other than Rupert “Pina Colada Song” Holmes.

  4. 4.

    Waldo

    October 21, 2011 at 8:53 pm

    Timothy, what’s eating you?

  5. 5.

    different-church-lady

    October 21, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    Here’s a spooky thought: do you suppose there’s any hidden violent messages in The Pina Colada Song?

  6. 6.

    MikeJ

    October 21, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    @different-church-lady: He starts with “I was tired of my lady.” Of course he wanted to kill her.

  7. 7.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 21, 2011 at 9:16 pm

    @different-church-lady: There must be something subliminal in it; it causes violent reactions in me every time I hear it.

  8. 8.

    Tom

    October 21, 2011 at 9:32 pm

    Heard this on Sounds Opinion’s Halloween special a year or two ago. Certainly a tasty nugget.

  9. 9.

    CT Voter

    October 21, 2011 at 9:40 pm

    I always thought Timothy was a donkey.

    That’s how the nuns explained it, at least.

  10. 10.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 21, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    @CT Voter: Sure, ruin it for everyone.

  11. 11.

    CT Voter

    October 21, 2011 at 9:42 pm

    And in 1972, the Uruguayan soccer team crashed in the Andes.

    I guess I probably thought there were donkeys on that flight, too.

  12. 12.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 21, 2011 at 9:47 pm

    @CT Voter: Rugby team. Important distinction and source of the “Rugby Players Eat Their Dead” bumper stickers – what?! you’ve never seen them?

  13. 13.

    burnspbesq

    October 21, 2011 at 9:55 pm

    1971 was actually a pretty good year. Who’s Next, What’s Going On, Hunky Dory, Sticky Fingers, Allman Brothers at Fillmore East.

  14. 14.

    CT Voter

    October 21, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Holy mackerel. All these years, I thought it was the soccer team. Donkeys? My illusions are shattered.

    @burnspbesq: 1971 was a good year. What followed wasn’t.

  15. 15.

    Mark S.

    October 21, 2011 at 10:06 pm

    I’ve heard of Timothy, but that’s the first time I’ve ever heard the song. It ain’t that good.

  16. 16.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 21, 2011 at 10:06 pm

    @CT Voter: Sorry, but rugby players do take a perverse pride in the incident.

  17. 17.

    tweez

    October 21, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    Timothy was a duck

  18. 18.

    Omnes Omnibus

    October 21, 2011 at 10:13 pm

    @tweez: Timothy was a witch?

  19. 19.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    October 21, 2011 at 10:40 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Indeed. Immortalized by the Clash, in a song I can’t remember what it’s called – Timmy Gun? Rudie can’t Fly?

  20. 20.

    Auguste

    October 22, 2011 at 1:19 am

    Zappa at Fillmore East 1971, too.

  21. 21.

    Aldorossi

    October 22, 2011 at 8:36 am

    In fifth grade, we listened to the 45 of DOA and it freaked out our little10 year old minds. I hadn’t heard it for 30 years, so I looked it up on the Internet. It didn’t freak me out anymore; it kinda sounded like Spinal Tap…

  22. 22.

    wrb

    October 22, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    @CT Voter:

    72 wasn’t bad

    Exile on Main St. Talking Book, Europe 72, St Dominics, Salin’ Shoes, Ziggy Stardust, Close to the Edge, Sail Away, Dr Sardonicus, Obscured by Clouds, Mannassas, Music of My Mind…

  23. 23.

    wrb

    October 22, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    @wrb:

    Looking at the lists, 73 & 74 are also very strong. Classics from Van, Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Stevie, Springsteen, Yes, Joni, Neil Young, Pink Floyd

    Suckage starts in 75. The year is saved by Dylan though, with both Planet Waves and Blood on the Tracks. Nothing else worth crap in the first 50 albums

  24. 24.

    Dougerhead

    October 22, 2011 at 1:06 pm

    @wrb:

    We can all agree it’s been all downhill since the early 70s.

  25. 25.

    wrb

    October 22, 2011 at 1:43 pm

    @Dougerhead:

    I didn’t care for the food.

Comments are closed.

Primary Sidebar

On The Road - Winter Wren - North of Quebec City (part 2 of 3) - Cap Tourmente and on the way to Tadoussac 2
Image by Winter Wren (5/13/25)

Recent Comments

  • Hoodie on News of the Weird Open Thread (May 13, 2025 @ 4:04pm)
  • Jay on News of the Weird Open Thread (May 13, 2025 @ 4:03pm)
  • PST on News of the Weird Open Thread (May 13, 2025 @ 4:03pm)
  • Llelldorin on News of the Weird Open Thread (May 13, 2025 @ 4:03pm)
  • eldorado on News of the Weird Open Thread (May 13, 2025 @ 4:00pm)

PA Supreme Court At Risk

Donate

Balloon Juice Posts

View by Topic
View by Author
View by Month & Year
View by Past Author

Featuring

Medium Cool
Artists in Our Midst
Authors in Our Midst
War in Ukraine
Donate to Razom for Ukraine

🎈Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free

Become a Balloon Juice Patreon
Donate with Venmo, Zelle or PayPal

Meetups

Upcoming Ohio Meetup May 17
5/11 Post about the May 17 Ohio Meetup

Calling All Jackals

Site Feedback
Nominate a Rotating Tag
Submit Photos to On the Road
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Links)
Balloon Juice Anniversary (All Posts)
Fix Nyms with Apostrophes

Hands Off! – Denver, San Diego & Austin

Social Media

Balloon Juice
WaterGirl
TaMara
John Cole
DougJ (aka NYT Pitchbot)
Betty Cracker
Tom Levenson
David Anderson
Major Major Major Major
DougJ NYT Pitchbot
mistermix

Keeping Track

Legal Challenges (Lawfare)
Republicans Fleeing Town Halls (TPM)
21 Letters (to Borrow or Steal)
Search Donations from a Brand

PA Supreme Court At Risk

Donate

Site Footer

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Comment Policy
  • Our Authors
  • Blogroll
  • Our Artists
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Dev Balloon Juice · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!