KevL

No worries @Stingray5, some of the links - not just mine - are obscure/vague/tenuous/devious (delete as applicable) but that's part of what it's about. You're right in that an explanation isn't needed for each entry, that would take a lot of the fun out of it and people can always ask if they really need to know. Anyway, back to the thread with a link that's hopefully apparent. Following Rock Lobster: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Bruce Springsteen

@Stingray5 and @TheGreek (and any any other puzzled viewers); Turning Japanese was written, I believe, about an activity that would have one Coming In The Air... One Night In Bangkok led to Tie A Yellow Ribbon as Tie is a homonym of Thai(land). I realise that these may be seen as obscure or too cryptic but it's just to try and keep the thread fresh, albeit the same songs do seem to pop up regularly - I've certainly used The Vapors' song before. Our brains all work slightly differently... A serious suggestion: is it worth all participants following their song suggestion with a very brief explanation of how they've linked to the previous entry? For consistency, this would be for every entry, even if the link is blindingly obvious. It would also prevent the thread getting diverted with questions and replies such as this, not that I object to anybody asking about my links at all.

Tie A Yellow Ribbon Tony Orlando and Dawn

Turning Japanese The Vapors

The Diary Of Horace Wimp The Electric Light Orchestra

Ernie Benny Hill Horse-drawn milkcarts must have been obsolete when this was released in 1970 but milkmen themselves are now a rarity. We've recently started using a milkman, it's great having non-homogenised whole milk from a glass bottle. No milk float or early start for our guy, though, he has a Toyota pick-up and does his round during the day. One thing that has renained to this day is the 'milkman's hands': even in last week's Baltic weather he could pull 3 or 4 bottles out of the crate with one hand and walk up the drive no problem.

Yes it is but do you really think that the lyrics of the song are referring to the US or that anybody listening to it, either when realeased or now, would think of dollars? The Jam were one of the most English of bands and this was reflected in their songs.

News Of The World The Jam From Nothing Ever Happens Del Amitri "secretaries turn off typewriters..." Whilst [electric] typewriters aren't around anymore, I don't know how many jobs would be titled as a traditional secretary doing secretarial stuff. Probably called admin, HR etc; and emails and the like have made much of the secretarial role redundant.

Another from Mr Weller: Pretty Green (refers to the green £1 notes, kids).

@PaulThePlug and @Nail Soup Thanks for the suggestions but it's neither - Woolworth's is/was obviously more popular than I knew amongst songsmiths. Incidentally, I believe Woolworth is still a chain of shops in Australia, although I'm not sure how similar it is to the one that used to be here in the UK.

Ideal, just the sort of thing I was getting at. Thanks - not that I didn't appreciate your previous post, I just didn't want the thread to become loads of 'dodgy/bad taste/it was alright in the 70s' type suggestions. Another one: Saturday's Kids The Jam with "Saturday's kids work in Tesco and Woolworth's". There's another song that I heard recently with Woolworth's in the lyric but I can't think of it now...

Thanks for the replies everyone. That sounds a bit racy @Bunion - I'll have to give it a listen. I guess we could include loads of 'no longer socially/morally acceptable' songs and lyrics but I was thinking more of objects, names, places etc that have been (almost) consigned to history by technology, the general march of time etc (hope you get the drift, I maybe haven't explained it well). Keep 'em coming, though. Kev

Relax FGTH

You Keep It All In The Beautiful South

Listened to Born In The USA album by Bruce Springsteen the other day and it struck me that the line "our Pa's each own one of the World Trade Centers" in Darlington County wouldn't be there if the song was written today (ok, it could, but very unlikely). Similarly, Paul Simon's Kodachrome wouldn't flow out of any current writer's pen - again, there'd be nothing to stop it being written but it almost certainly wouldn't be. Last one for now, I've just heard the Beastie Boys' classic Fight For Your Right and the line 'your Ma threw away your best porno mag' probably wouldn't mean much to today's frustrated teens and their unlimited online supply of grot... Any other suggestions for lyrics or song themes that have been rendered obsolete or at least very outdated by events, the march of technology etc? Was thinking of factual reasons rather than just general change of fashions, song styles etc.

Unchained Melody The Righteous Bros and loads of others

Learning To Fly Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Lola The Kinks

Lessons In Love Level 42 (Missed earlier posting of this, sorry @Rich)

It's A Mystery Toyah

Station to Station DB

Dry Your Eyes Streets

Dizzy Tommy Roe

Hooverville The Christians