MULLET (MUHL-it): noun (1) any of a variety of bottom dwelling marine warm-water fishes; (2) hairstyle; hair is cut short in front, sides and top of the head while allowed to grow long in back synonyms: Kentucky waterfall; Tennessee top hat; Missouri compromise; Canadian passport; Guido; shlong (short-long); neck blanket; mud flap; ape drape; bridge & tunnel; Camaro cut; hockey hair; 10/90 (ratio of hair front to back); two-haircuts-in-one; business up front, party in the back
First some history on the word "mullet" as used to describe the haircut: takeourword.com, whoever they are, pins its origin to the "term of derision, mullethead, which comes from the name of a fish that has a large, flat head. It was thought to look stupid, and so the name mullethead came to be used to describe anyone considered dull or stupid. It dates in the written record with this meaning from 1857. This use of mullethead was shortened in the 20th century to mullet, retaining the same meaning, and that is thought to be the source of the haircut name."
The explanation itself seems stupid enough to be right. Multiple sources also credit Mike D of the Beastie Boys with first using "mullet" to describe the haircut in print via the band's Grand Royal magazine, roundly dissing the do and injecting the term into pop culture lingo forever. When and where the haircut itself originated is a mystery best left unsolved.
Your next question might be "why honor the bastard son of all haircuts on a classy music blog like The Eighth Nerve?" That's easy, if a little embarrassing. I was born and raised in Kentucky with an adolescence that spanned the mid-eighties. As if that's not enough to guarantee me a mullet before puberty, and it is, I also played soccer and listened to lots of Def Leppard. My two best friends in high school played hockey and drove an I-Roc Z respectively. We all had mullets, though we didn't know what to call them at the time - our barbers were simply instructed to "make the front look nice, but leave the back."
It's easy to forget that the mullet wasn't always associated with trailer parks, white trash and dykes on Harleys - the stigma didn't really kick in until the early 90s which means it didn't reach Kentucky until - well, ever. In its heyday the mullet represented common ground for jocks and rockers, city-folk and trailer trash alike. Whatever their non-haircut differences, people wore mullets to say they wanted to have a good time and they liked their rock-n-roll. That's right, like all cultural phenomena the mullet has a soundtrack. So here it is - of its time, a little nostalgiac, and wholey reflective of our current sentiments on the subject (and in no particular order) - 25 Songs Of The Mullet!
First some history on the word "mullet" as used to describe the haircut: takeourword.com, whoever they are, pins its origin to the "term of derision, mullethead, which comes from the name of a fish that has a large, flat head. It was thought to look stupid, and so the name mullethead came to be used to describe anyone considered dull or stupid. It dates in the written record with this meaning from 1857. This use of mullethead was shortened in the 20th century to mullet, retaining the same meaning, and that is thought to be the source of the haircut name."
The explanation itself seems stupid enough to be right. Multiple sources also credit Mike D of the Beastie Boys with first using "mullet" to describe the haircut in print via the band's Grand Royal magazine, roundly dissing the do and injecting the term into pop culture lingo forever. When and where the haircut itself originated is a mystery best left unsolved.
Your next question might be "why honor the bastard son of all haircuts on a classy music blog like The Eighth Nerve?" That's easy, if a little embarrassing. I was born and raised in Kentucky with an adolescence that spanned the mid-eighties. As if that's not enough to guarantee me a mullet before puberty, and it is, I also played soccer and listened to lots of Def Leppard. My two best friends in high school played hockey and drove an I-Roc Z respectively. We all had mullets, though we didn't know what to call them at the time - our barbers were simply instructed to "make the front look nice, but leave the back."
It's easy to forget that the mullet wasn't always associated with trailer parks, white trash and dykes on Harleys - the stigma didn't really kick in until the early 90s which means it didn't reach Kentucky until - well, ever. In its heyday the mullet represented common ground for jocks and rockers, city-folk and trailer trash alike. Whatever their non-haircut differences, people wore mullets to say they wanted to have a good time and they liked their rock-n-roll. That's right, like all cultural phenomena the mullet has a soundtrack. So here it is - of its time, a little nostalgiac, and wholey reflective of our current sentiments on the subject (and in no particular order) - 25 Songs Of The Mullet!
"Here I Go Again" Whitesnake
"Little Fighter" White Lion
"High Enough" Damn Yankees
"Rebel Yell" Billy Idol
"Pride (In the Name of Love)" U2
"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" Journey
"Pour Some Sugar On Me" Def Leppard
"In A Big Country" Big Country
"Centerfold" The J. Geils Band
"Tom Sawyer" Rush
"Panama" Van Halen
"What You Need" INXS
"Renegade" Styx
"Rag Doll" Aerosmith
"Stanglehold" Ted Nugent
"The Walls Came Down" The Call
"Fortunate Son" Creedence Clearwater Revival
"No Smoke Without a Fire" Bad Company
"Sister Christian" Night Ranger
"Shadow of the Night" Pat Benatar
"Everybody Wants You" Billy Squier
"Working For The Weekend" Loverboy
"Juke Box Hero" Foreigner
"Freebird" Lynyrd Skynyrd
Just in case you thought the day of the mullet had come and gone here are a few links to modern mullet culture:
mullet.com
mulletmadness
mulletjunky
mulletlovers
mullethunters
mulletsgalore
mullet haiku
mulletfest
got mullet?
rate my mullet
British mullets
an illustrated history of mullets
a little mullet reading
a little mullet listening
where to buy your very own mullet
mullet heaven!
Lists are culled from my personal library and reflect what I used to listen to when I was growing my mullet. If there are any songs you feel I over looked then by all means, cut your hair.
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