After last week's political think-fest it's time for a quiz that represents some appropriately leisurely concerns. I'm thinking a cruise; the refreshing tang of the ocean breeze, the romantic cry of a seagull, and $12.95 Pina Coladas on the fantail. Hence, a nautical theme for today's question.
All good-hearted folk cherish nautically-themed songs-- who among us doesn't enjoy a good sea-chantey over a glass of grog? -- but only a select few hit the debased modern pop charts.
What nautical term describing the disposition of a sail supplied the title to a chart-topping hit more than ten years after Eliot Lurie and his Rutgers buddies wrote "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" in a New Jersey barn?
First correct answer to comments wins a packet of Bartender Pete's Instant Rusty Nail and an airline bottle of Captain Morgan. No Googling or using your sextant. One guess per comment, please, but you may comment as often as you like.
Posted by BT at July 16, 2004 08:11 AMI hope someone gets this soon, I don't know long I can go without using my sextant. I mean, heck, it could end up like that Seinfeld episode.
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 08:58 AMFurl, You Know It's True.
Posted by: Rory on July 16, 2004 09:38 AMI'm a Furl in Love.
Posted by: Rory on July 16, 2004 09:39 AMVogue.
As in, "Arr, Jim lad, vogue the mains'l and splice the mizzen-mast!"
Posted by: Rory on July 16, 2004 09:41 AMThe Mainmast's Unfurled (Blow the Man Down)
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 09:52 AMApparently, there's only one nautical term for the dispostion of a sail -- or perhaps sails really only have a single disposition.
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 10:04 AM(I Am) Sailing.
C'mon, what else would a sail be disposed to sing?
Posted by: Rory on July 16, 2004 10:06 AMBrandy (You're a Tacking)
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 10:10 AMOr perhaps the wombatfilers are in fact all landlubbers who *know* only one term for sail disposition. If we had a true sailor s/he would have probably smacked us all down by knowing that "Escape (The Pina Colada song)" is a sail disposition.
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 10:12 AMJeez, and I brought in an Eskimo, pardon me -- Inuit -- in case I needed tons of words for snow.
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 10:18 AMlet me make this clear -- I know of only one recent chart-topping song whose title is a nautical term describing the disposition of a sail.
The song itself was in fact, not about the sea or sailing. It is doubtful, indeed, that the composer or most of its listeners knew the title's origin.
Posted by: BT on July 16, 2004 10:22 AMBig Yellow Tacksy.
Posted by: Cap'n Rory on July 16, 2004 10:23 AMHow's everyone holding up with the sextant thing?
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 10:25 AMDouble checking my spelling, I found that Inuit does not apply to all Eskimoans & the supposed offensiveness of the word "Eskimo" is misunderstood. This entry was interesting, although quite contradictory:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=eskimo
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and now back to the quiz:
Three Sheets to the Wind
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 10:25 AMSend Me the Billow You Dream On
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 10:26 AMWind Beneath My Wings.
Posted by: Cap'n Rory on July 16, 2004 10:26 AMPuff the Magic Dragon.
Posted by: Cap'n Rory on July 16, 2004 10:27 AMHey Ya!
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 10:31 AMI Just Called to Sail Isle of Ewe.
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=185283&y=888209&z=3
Posted by: Cap'n Rory on July 16, 2004 10:31 AMBalls to the Wall.
Posted by: BoxJam on July 16, 2004 10:33 AMWe're all out of puns
We can't sail without you...
Pink Moon
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 10:48 AMIn the Ignorance Olympics, it's a tough battle between my not knowing sailing terms and not knowing recent pop hits.
The Macarena
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 10:52 AMThank you, India
Posted by: BoxJam on July 16, 2004 10:58 AMHere's a Quarter - Call Someone Who Cares.
Posted by: Black 'Jam Flint on July 16, 2004 11:01 AMBrandy (You're a Rip Sail)
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 11:04 AMGar! 'Tis boisterous in the galley!
Presumably not "Hoist Up the John B. Sail"?
Smells Like Lateen Spirit?
Posted by: Jonathan on July 16, 2004 11:06 AMYou're So Vane?
Posted by: Jonathan on July 16, 2004 11:07 AMI'm guessing a song with an alcholic drink or something in the title, which was named originally from a sail's "disposition" (and by the way, Bill, I have an idea for a quiz in August, but I'm not sure I can phrase the question in just that Bill way).
Margaritaville. Wait - Margarita's a real woman.
Tequila Sunrise.
Posted by: Black 'Jam Flint on July 16, 2004 11:10 AMOuch, ouch, ouch. These are making my head hurt, and not in a good way.
Posted by: Gavin on July 16, 2004 11:15 AMto save Gavin's poor achin' head (you really should lay off Bartender Pete's Powdered Rusty Nail mix), I'll provide a clue -- the song was from the soundtrack to a popular film, which also had nothing to do with jibs, booms, mainsailts, sheets, or the mizzenmast.
Posted by: BT on July 16, 2004 11:20 AMRunaway.
Posted by: Black 'Jam Flint on July 16, 2004 11:21 AMLa Bamba
Posted by: Scott on July 16, 2004 11:27 AMIt's Still Rocks and Shoals to Me?
Mr. Edwards, please describe for the group how your head could hurt in a good way.
Posted by: Jonathan on July 16, 2004 11:27 AMAh, the embarassment of late posting.
Posted by: Jonathan on July 16, 2004 11:29 AMEye of the Tiger
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 11:38 AMTheme from Flashdance (What a Feelin')
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 11:39 AMFootloose
Posted by: Jonathan on July 16, 2004 11:42 AMOn Golden Blonde
Posted by: Black 'Jam Flint on July 16, 2004 11:49 AMAbracadabra ("I'm gonna reach up and grab ya")
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 11:51 AMHakuna Matata
Posted by: Black 'Jam Flint on July 16, 2004 11:58 AMLand, ho!
Jonathan has done it -- "footloose" is a nautical term designating a sail swinging, surprise, loose, from its bottom or foot. Enjoy an extra twenty-four hours of shore leave, matey, and watch out for press gangs.
Double-take bad-pun bonus points to Cap'n Rory.
Don't pay the ferryman,
Commodore Wombat
Posted by: BT on July 16, 2004 11:58 AMDomo arigato, Mr. Wombato
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 12:23 PMThanks
Posted by: teenidol on July 16, 2004 12:25 PMAvast, ye scurvy seadogs! Into the foc'sle fer band rehearsal, or I'll have ye swingin' from the yardarm before breakfast. First number is one by Cap'n Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, "Jump Jive and Whale."
Posted by: Jonathan on July 16, 2004 12:32 PMDamn. I'm too late. I was gonna run with "I'll Be Mizzen You"
Posted by: Paul on July 18, 2004 07:56 PM