My Gen X Playlist: Hairdresser On Fire – Morrissey

Daily writing prompt

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

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When I changed companies early in my career, I moved to a new apartment to reduce my commute. The weekend before my start date, I decided to clean myself up and get a haircut. Because I was new to the area, I just randomly picked a place to cut my hair. My hair is fairly simple – short and clean cut. When the hairstylist was finished, my jaw hit the floor. Short was an understatement and there were other things going on. I can’t really explain it. It just looked, well, off. There was nothing I could do but wait until it grew out. That didn’t solve my immediate problem of my first day at the new company. I’ll never forget the feeling of stepping into the elevator on the first day. A Senior Vice President was already in the elevator and literally did a double take. His “Good morning” trailed off. . . Good times.

There is a lot of second guessing after the fact. Why didn’t I look at the reviews on Yelp? Why didn’t I call my regular barber? Morrissey wrote about something similar on Hairdresser on Fire back in 1988.

Morrissey . . . in a 1988 interview, commenting: “No, it’s just a very simple song about trying to get hold of a hairdresser.”

– Wikipedia

I’ve got faith in you
I sense the power
in the fingers
within an hour the power
can totally destroy me
or it could save my life

It never dawned on me there could be enough drama about a haircut to write a song to. But after my experience, I now understand. It’s as if my entire life is in their hands. OK, I’m being overly dramatic. But, still . . .

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Here is London
here is London
is it home of the free,
or what?
can you squeeze me
into an empty page of your diary
and psychologically save me
I've got faith in you
I sense the power
in the fingers
within an hour the power
can totally destroy me
or it could save my life
here is London
'home of the brash, outrageous
and free'
you are repressed
but you're remarkably dressed
is it Real?
but you're far to busy
busy scissors
busy clippers
hair dresser on fire
all around Sloane Square
and you're far too busy
to see me
"busy,busy"
hairdresser on fire
was a client over-cautious
he made you nervous
and when he said
"I'm gonna sue you"
I really felt for you
so can you squeeze me
into an empty page of your diary
and supernaturally change me
CHANGE ME, CHANGE ME