The Dean and I

"The Dean and I" is a song by the art rock/pop band 10cc, from their 1973 eponymous debut album, written by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The song was released as the third single from the album in August 1973 and peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Chart^[1], making it the lowest of the singles from the album which charted in their own right. The single reached the top of the Irish Singles Chart on 20 September 1973.^[2]

The album version of the song is slightly longer than the single version. Most of the material cut for the single release is from the introduction where the lyric on the album "Humdrum days and a humdrum ways" is sung repeatedly. The single version of the song can be found on the compilation Greatest Hits ... And More (2006)

The song is written from the perspective of an American father telling his children about how he met and fell in love with their mother, with the first real line of the song being "Hey, kids, let me tell you how I met your mom. We were dancing and romancing at the senior prom". The epic poem Paradise Lost by John Milton is mentioned in the lyrics. The later part of the lyric tackles the grim realities of middle-aged married life "...when the paint is peeling, and all the chips are down..."

The song is a parody of 1960s commercial pop music, notably of the Beach Boys where the line "And then I kissed her" is sung in a style similar to the band's 1967 hit single "Then I Kissed Her". High School Confidential by Jerry Lee Lewis was said to be an inspiration for part of this song.

A notable 1974 performance of the song appears on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.

References

External links

• 10cc performing "The Dean and I" on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert on YouTube
• Graham Gouldman and Friends performing "The Dean and I" on YouTube