TUESDAY AFTERNOON
I Googled Justin Hayward, who wrote the song, Tuesday Afternoon, to find the hidden meaning that I thought would be a deep, deep mystery! It isn't.
Mr. Hayward explained it a number of years ago very simply. Quote:
"I sat down in a field, smoked a funny African cigarette, and that song just came out. It was a Tuesday afternoon."
I believe him, but I was hoping for a much cooler answer. For instance..."I was working on a shrimp boat for an old man who had sailed around the world scores of times."
"He told the tale of a meeting up with a wrinkled face man from Sri Lanka with a peg leg, who claimed his natural leg was sucked off by a giant squid. This proved to be a blessing to the man, because he became a smuggler, and would hide precious diamonds, from Africa, in a hollowed out part of his wooden leg where no one ever thought to look. "
"As fate would have it, his diamond smuggling allowed him to meet many rich and powerful people. The greatest of these was the eccentric recluse, Howard Hughes."
"The old sailor/smuggler felt sorry for the pitiful billionaire, and asked him if he didn't long for being outside, among friends, and wearing shoes instead of shoe boxes."
Hughes said, "Sure I do, but look at me with this scraggly, dirty long hair, 6 inch long fingernails, and shoe boxes on my feet...I'm afraid everyone will stare at me, make fun of me, and beg money from me."
"Are you kidding, Howie? I've got a peg leg! A peg leg trumps just about everything, short of two heads! They will all be staring at me!"
"So the old "salt" and Howard Hughes had the most wonderful day walking through the park amongst the trees and enjoying the beauty of the natural surroundings! It happened to be on a Tuesday."
"Howard was so thankful that he gave the ancient seaman 10 million dollars for his kindness!"
"So after I heard that fascinating, seafarin', compelling story, I wrote Knights In White Satin!"
"I sat down in a field, smoked a funny African cigarette, and that song just came out. It was a Tuesday afternoon."
I believe him, but I was hoping for a much cooler answer. For instance..."I was working on a shrimp boat for an old man who had sailed around the world scores of times."
"He told the tale of a meeting up with a wrinkled face man from Sri Lanka with a peg leg, who claimed his natural leg was sucked off by a giant squid. This proved to be a blessing to the man, because he became a smuggler, and would hide precious diamonds, from Africa, in a hollowed out part of his wooden leg where no one ever thought to look. "
"As fate would have it, his diamond smuggling allowed him to meet many rich and powerful people. The greatest of these was the eccentric recluse, Howard Hughes."
"The old sailor/smuggler felt sorry for the pitiful billionaire, and asked him if he didn't long for being outside, among friends, and wearing shoes instead of shoe boxes."
Hughes said, "Sure I do, but look at me with this scraggly, dirty long hair, 6 inch long fingernails, and shoe boxes on my feet...I'm afraid everyone will stare at me, make fun of me, and beg money from me."
"Are you kidding, Howie? I've got a peg leg! A peg leg trumps just about everything, short of two heads! They will all be staring at me!"
"So the old "salt" and Howard Hughes had the most wonderful day walking through the park amongst the trees and enjoying the beauty of the natural surroundings! It happened to be on a Tuesday."
"Howard was so thankful that he gave the ancient seaman 10 million dollars for his kindness!"
"So after I heard that fascinating, seafarin', compelling story, I wrote Knights In White Satin!"
