Soundtrack meme: Father

Until his recent illness, my Dad has always been the life of the party. People who met him for the first time always called him "charming". (Meanwhile they always called my mother "serene" ... so much so that she once threatened to run amok if anybody else ever called her serene. Didn't stop them.) Whenever there was a conversation going on within earshot -- between anyone, about anything -- my father invited himself into the middle of it and ended up dominating it. You can probably tell where I inherit my tendency to talk too much.

The thing is that this can be charming at first, but it wears on you. After a while you start to wish he would go away, or at least shut up when he doesn't know anything about the topic at hand. He doesn't, though. He's not good at those things. And he can't tell when his input has become wearying. Moreover, he reacts very badly if you try to tell him so. Either he contradicts you and offers to prove his point, or he decides that you hate him personally for some inexplicable reason ... probably because you are a malevolent asshole who should be written off as a permanent enemy. Welcome to narcissism.

Anyway, it occurred to me a couple days ago that in some respects this song is perfect for him. Not in all respects, of course: it's written about a woman, for example, and she flashes a lot more money and fashion than my father ever had at his command. But the spotlight? The front page? Oh yeah.

Like all good caricature it exaggerates. But like all good caricature it captures an essential truth unforgettably. 

Before I forget, let me start off quoting a paragraph of rules:

The Rules:
Write a post about the soundtrack of your life. Please include somewhere in the body of the meme "This was started by Kyra (last refuge of the lonely housewife)"... I want to google to see how far and wide this meme travels.

"Big Shot" by Billy Joel

Well you went uptown riding in your limousine
With your fine Park Avenue clothes
You had the Dom Perignon in your hand
And the spoon up your nose
And when you wake up in the morning
With your head on fire
And your eyes too bloody to see
Go on and cry in your coffee
But don't come bitchin' to me

Because you had to be a big shot, didn't you
You had to open up your mouth
You had to be a big shot, didn't you
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
You know what everything's about
You had to have a white hot spotlight
You had to be a big shot last night

They were all impressed with your Halston dress
And the people that you knew at Elaine's
And the story of your latest success
Kept 'em so entertained
Aw but now you just can't remember
All the things you said
And you're not sure you want to know
I'll give you one hint, honey
You sure did put on a show

Yes, yes, you had to be a big shot, didn't you
You had to prove it to the crowd
You had to be a big shot, didn't you
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
You're so much fun to be around
You had to have the front page, bold type
You had to be a big shot last night

Well, it's no big sin to stick your two cents in
If you know when to leave it alone
But you went over the line
You couldn't see it was time to go home
No, no, no, no, no, no, you had to be a big shot, didn't you
You had to open up your mouth
You had to be a big shot, didn't you
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
So much fun to be around
You had to have a white hot spot light
You had to be a big shot last night