Just one of the best "gotcha" songs ever

Since I posted Jim Croce's acoustic and bluesy "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" earlier today, I thought about different songs talking about people who've got their comeuppance and this one popped into my mind, "Evil Woman" by the Electric Light Orchestra.

Like many of the songs I post here, it's another one that featured largely in my childhood and teen years at the White Estates pool, only this song has a little extra memory attached.

You know how Jeff Lynne and the backup singers do that thing that sounds like "Eee-eevil woman," giving the word an extra syllable? Well, I wasn't too bright when I was in my early teens and one day, I was over at my friend Emily Clarke's house, sitting on her canopy bed, just singing along with the radio. Only I was substituting my own invented syllable and singing "Medieval woman."

"Med-iiiii-eval woman!" I yodeled. "Med-iiiii-eval woman, such an evil woman...."

Emily looked at me incredulously. "What are you singing?" she asked.

"This song," I said nonchalantly. "You know, 'Medieval Woman.'"

This caused Emily to roll around on her floor, laughing hysterically. I was absolutely mortified. But also thankful that I'd made this error in front of Emily, who was my nicest childhood friend, second only to Jennifer.

I guess my lyrical lapse just goes to prove that I was a history geek even at thirteen.