Friday, July 1, 2011

Angie Baby: What's the real story?

A while back, I wished someone named Angie a happy birthday, and the title of Helen Reddy’s 1974 hit “Angie Baby” suddenly popped into my head. Although it is my favorite Helen Reddy tune, it wasn’t on my iPod’s 70s Favs playlist, and I hadn’t heard the song in years.

As it would happen, that very week I heard the song on my car radio, played by a local radio station. Listening to the catchy melody and upbeat tempo, I was reminded again how much I liked this song and made a mental note to search for it on YouTube the next time I indulged my guilty pleasure of watching videos set to oldies from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

The melody stayed with me, and soon I found myself at YouTube not only listening to the song but watching an animated video someone had created to interpret the lyrics. The song tells a story about a girl named “Angie” who lives in a make-believe world, or “well maybe” as the hook goes. Since the song is telling a story, you do try to listen to the lyrics. When the song came out in the ‘70s, my interpretation of the lyrics was that it was just a fantasy tale with a humorous twist of putting a guy in her radio. Actually, I thought the song was kind of sad and funny, a combination often experienced in real life events.

After the video and song ended, I began reading some of the comments left by other viewers. Almost all agreed that the video was well done and followed the lyrics with a literal interpretation. One of my favorite scenes in the video was of Angie sitting under a pink tree during the chorus. I couldn’t help chuckling near the end of the video when she was dancing around to “It’s nice to be insane, No one asks you to explain, Radio beside you.” What surprised me was that many of the comments mentioned “creepy” in describing the lyrics, and some thought the video had a creepiness about it. I realize the word “creepy” is overused these days about as much as “awesome” and loosely covers anything outside a comfort zone, whereas “awesome” generally means “good with an exclamation mark” But I reserve “creepy” for extremely scary, and I just didn’t think the song or video was scary.

Some comments pointed to heavy symbolism with sinister meanings, and others thought the song was political, promoting empowerment of women. I started to wonder if I even wanted the song on my play list. As I read the comments, I also began questioning my own interpretation: Angie could be anyone who was lonely or an outcast. She found solace in the music coming from her radio. Her bedroom was her sanctuary from the world, and from there her imagination could take her to a place of acceptance and admiration. In that place, all the attention was on her. But what was on the mind of Alan O’Day, who wrote the song?

After a quick trip to Alan O’Day’s Web site, I learned that the lyric story was actually based on a teenage girl who had once lived in his neighborhood and who had seemed “socially retarded.” He barely knew the girl, who was quiet and kept to herself, but sometimes he wondered how she spent her time. Remembering his own childhood as a sickly kid spending much time in bed and depending on a radio for company, the song began in his mind as a composite of the life of a reclusive teenage girl and a lonely sick kid. While working on the song, he shared what he had written with someone, and it was suggested that he change the word “slow” in describing Angie to “touched.” From there, the lyrics took on the fantasy elements, with O”Day intentionally writing a chorus [“livin’ in a world of make believe...well maybe”] that allows the listener to indulge his/her imagination.

Listeners’ wild speculations about the lyrics have led to some comparisons between “Angie Baby” and Bobby Gentry’s “Ode to Billy Joe,” according to O’Day’s account, in “The Story of Angie Baby” on his Web site. He also maintains that the song was not written as a “Women’s Lib” song.

In addition to “Angie Baby,” which reached Billboard’s Number 1 spot in 1974, he also had a Number 1 hit in 1977 with another song he penned and recorded, “Undercover Angel.” In 1983, he began writing children’s songs for the Muppet Babies and has since concentrated his writing talents on uplifting songs for children that have been used for many Disney projects and National Geographic videos.

After reading all this new information from the songwriter himself, I’m relieved to know my favorite Helen Redding song has no hidden messages or agenda but instead has a bit of whimsy added to a tale of a lonely girl living in a dream world, and when confronted with evil, doesn’t become a victim but sends her would-be perpetrator to live inside her radio and takes him out when it suits her.

“Angie baby, you’re a special lady, livin’ in a world of make believe...well, maybe.”

Now, click on the video at the top right and see how you think it follows the interpretation of the song. The second video, lower right, is from a recent song, "I Hear Voices" by Alan O'Day. It's actually a tender love song, and the video is sweet.

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