Posting on DragonLady’s post has reminded me of what is perhaps my favorite contemporary popular song of all time: Donald Fagen’s New Frontier from the album The Nightfly (1982). My regular readers will understand why this song has such impact on me. Please forgive me any errors, as I’m going at these lyrics from memory:

Yes we’re gonna have a wingding
A summer smoker underground.
It’s just a dugout that my dad built
In case the reds decide to push the button down.

We’ve got provisions and lots of beer
The key word is survival on the new frontier.

Introduce me to that big blonde
She’s got a touch of Tuesday Weld.
She’s wearing Ambush and a French twist
She’s got us wild and she can tell.

She loves to limbo, that much is clear –
She’s got the right dynamic for the new frontier

Well I can’t wait ’til I move to the city
‘Til I finally make up my mind
To learn design,
And study overseas

Do you have a steady boyfriend?
Cause honey I’ve been watching you.
I hear you’re mad about Brubeck.
I like your eyes, I like him too.

He’s an artist, a pioneer –
We’ve got to have some music on the new frontier

Well I can’t wait
’til I move to the city
‘Til I finally make up my mind
To learn design and study overseas.

Let’s pretend that it’s the real thing
And stay together all night long
And when I really get to know you
We’ll open up the doors and climb into the dawn.

Confess your passions, your secret fears –
Prepare to meet the challenge of the new frontier