motoring

[Steve Kl.]

On Tue, 23 Apr 2002, Mark A Mandel wrote:

> Speaking of words that have gone to word heaven, Safire includes among
> them "motoring", now supplanted by "driving". There is a current
> billboard for, iirc, the PT Cruiser, bearing at the bottom the motto
> "Let's motor!". Now, the PT series is deliberately retro in design, and
> this phrase is tagged on the billboard as a trademark or service mark or
> something of the sort. Obviously the advertiser is using the word for
> the very characteristic that brings Safire to call it moribund.
> Nevertheless, this ad campaign must produce some current citations for
> it, and may even kickstart the old engine into rolling over a little
> longer.

In the early 80s, my friends and I motored everywhere. Motoring must have
been part of the early 80s teenage zeitgeist, because it was big enough
for Night Ranger to use repeatedly in "Sister Christian." Anyhow, it's on
the fringes of my active vocabulary still.

Set the wayback machine to 1983. Lynne, Erin, and Jesse, commence the
flashbacks:

____________________________________
Sister Christian, oh the time has come
And you know that you're the only one to say, OK
Where you goin', what you looking for
You know those boys don't want to play no more with you
It's true

{Refrain}
You're motoring
What's your price for flight
In finding Mister Right
You'll be all right tonight

Babe, you know you're growing up so fast
And momma's worrying that you won't last to say, let's play
Sister Christian, there's so much in life
Don't you give it up before your time is due
It's true, it's true, yeah

You're motoring
What's your price for flight
You've got him in your sights
And driving through the night

{Refrain thrice}

Sister Christian, oh the time has come
And you know that you're the only one to say, OK
But you're motoring
Yeah, motoring



-- Steve Kl.