February 26, 2007
SOCK PUPPETS
"HARPER VALLEY PTA unbecoming behavior
Young people today despise hypocrisy. Consequently, they find this song sardonically satisfying. It is a story of a young woman accused of behavior unbecoming a resident of Harper Valley, who fights back with facts about the hypocritical ways of some of her accusers.
It might be interesting to compare the accusations leveled at the widow, Mrs. Johnson—wearing a miniskirt, drinking and going around with men—with the accusations she directs at some of the members of the PTA—adultery, seduction, drunkenness—and to discusss how the accusations might be ranked in importance or severity.
The young girl who sings the song is obviously on her mother's side and quite happy to tell us about the day 'my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA.'"
Louis Savary, Popular Song & Youth Today: Fifty Songs—Their Meaning and You