In the late ’70s I remember listening to Lipps sing about going to Funkytown. I wondered where it was and looked for it on a map. I couldn’t find it. I went to the library and asked the research librarian if she could take me to Funkytown.
She threatened to call my mother. I was perplexed, dismayed and disturbed. Why couldn’t she at least tell me how to get there. Was there a bus, a train or a plane that could take me to Funkytown? I had an allowance and a lot of baseball cards, surely they would serve as compensation for the fare.
I never did find out how to get to Funkytown. But then in the ’80s I learned about Electric Avenue. Eddie Grant sang about Rocking down to Electric Avenue. I wondered if that was in Funkytown, not that it mattered because Funkytown might as well have been in Antartica.
The Beastie Boys sang about not sleeping until Brooklyn. That made me feel better, because at least I knew where Brooklyn was.
It took me until college to not only learn but visit Funkytown. It was an E-Ticket ride. Bonus points to anyone who knows what an E-Ticket is/was.
Happy to have been of service. Better to smile than to have a Tenth Avenue Freezeout or a 6th Avenue Heartbreak.
Good job mquest!
I loved this post – brings back memories and now I’m sitting here browsing blogs and singing “Electric Avenue”! 🙂 Thanks a lot Jack!
Ding, ding, ding. You win the prize. Congratulations, you are a long time resident of SoCal.
At one point in the dark ages one had to buy a booklet of tickets to go on the rides at Disney Land. A few tickets in each book allowed one to to ride the fun rides. These were called the e-ticket.