So, a couple of people have written to me about old music (mostly dating
around the renaissance) and about other cultures that have a bit longer-lived
musical influences. This afternoon, though, I was talking to Lisa about
something she’d read up about, the “Songs of Solomon” which are in the back
of her bible. They’re attributed to Solomon himself, although the exact date
(like most things biblical) would probably be tricky to find.

What struck the both of us was the similarity that music from about 2000
years ago has to the musical stylings of Britney.

Man: You, my love, excite men

as a mare excites the stallions
of Pharoah’s chariots.
Your hair is beautiful upon your cheeks
and falls along your neck like jewels.
But we will make for you a chain of gold
with ornaments of silver.

Woman:Your lips cover me with kisses;
your love is better than wine.
There is a fragrance about you;
the sound of your name recalls it.
No woman could help loving you.
Take me with you, and we’ll run away;
be my king and take me to your room.
We will be happy together,
drink deep, and lose ourselves in love.
No wonder all women love you!

Just as a note, I often have that “All women loving me” problem, and it
goes away if you wash with garlic butter.

Anyhow, the last bit worth pointing out (sorry Mom, it was in the Bible!)
goes like:
You are as graceful as a palm-tree,
and your breasts are clusters of dates.
I will climb the palm-tree and pick its fruit.
To me your breasts are like bunches of grapes…

Hee hee hee ha ha ha… I love the bible.