Tampa Calling

I’m at Vinyl Fever yesterday rummaging through the bargain bin of used CDs, wasting away more time than I should, sweating tough decisions like do I really need some Abba in my life?

First, I select three used VHS tapes — yes, I said VHS tapes — a copy of the 1967 performance piece Lenny Bruce in “Lenny Bruce” ($2.99), The Fabulous Baker Boys ($0.99) and Office Space ($0.99). I had already seen the latter two several times each, but they’re good movies to have around the house. Especially Office Space, which is an ideal selection when the drinking buddies stop by. Or when the day’s been a drag and you need an automatic laugh.

The Lenny Bruce tape was a major find, and at $3, I felt like I should’ve been handed some kind of smart-shopper award. I watched it last night. It wasn’t Bruce at the top his game — he mostly read from his own court documents — but it was fascinating nonetheless to actually see the comic genius perform.

But I needed more music. Preferrably a couple CDs in the under $5 range. The first one I plucked was k.d. lang’s 1992 masterpiece Ingenue, which includes the hit “Constant Craving.” That disc was an easy pick, I’d been meaning to add it to my CD collection for some time.

The next choice wasn’t so easy, though. I passed over it twice yesterday. On past occasions, dating back several years, the CD had been in my hand but never made it out of the store with me. I must admit, holding that Abba Gold: Greatest Hits ($3.99) made me feel like I was a teenager again buying condoms. What if someone saw me purchasing this disco schlock?

What the hell, I thought. And I took it with me to the counter with the other stuff. When I had to produce my I.D. the clerk gave me a curious look. Of course, I figured the worst. I figured he was thinking: Look, it’s the asshole from Creative Loafing buying an Abba CD.

I got in my car and put in the disc. “Dancing Queen” came out first, immediately lifting my spirits and causing me to wonder why I had waited so long to make this purchase. The CD continued to play at home while I folded laundry, swept and did the other domestic chores I despise. “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “S.O.S” and even the maudlin “Winner Takes It All” worked their pop magic on me. “Fernando” and “Waterloo,” not so much. But that might just be because I’ve heard those songs before, already formed opinions about them.

Still, my favorite Abba song of all time, is called “You Owe Me One.” I discovered it last year here on Fluxblog. It borrows a bit from ” Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight),” matching a lilting melody with a devastating lyric about faded love.

Well, now that I have admitted to owning and enjoying an Abba CD, I feel better about myself. One should always be honest with what he likes and dislikes. After all, it’s only rock ‘n’ roll.

Of course, pictures like the one above, probably had a lot to do with scaring me away from Abba.

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