Ode to Literacy, 90s Style: Blame It On Big Jane

If you get this, you must have been a teen in the 90s, and you're probably a bit of a nerd now. :)

This is what I do when I want to write, but I can't focus on my current WIP.

So, I wrote this one after learning that someone I know hates Jane Austen. I know, I know, it really is terrible. There's no accounting for taste.

For all of my students who were BORN in the 90s, here's the video that inspired this song.


To the tune of Milli Vanilli's Blame it On the Rain:

Blame It On Big Jane


You said you didn’t read her
But you couldn’t say why
You sacrificed some good tomes
Ignoring Sense and Pride

Now you wish that you had tried her
‘Cause you’re shunned from our book club
Fridays won’t be the same
If you’d just read Persuasion
Gotta blame it on something
Gotta blame it on something

Blame it on Big Jane, yeah that would be Ms. Austen
Blame it on her use of words like “sanguine”
Her stories misconstrued
Where’d you get that book review?
Blame it on Big Jane, yeah yeah
You can blame it on Big Jane

Heard the girls’ eyes were all starry
And the men were all strong
But oh, you’re so far from facts
You had poor Jane pegged wrong (oh, ohhh)
If you hadn’t been so blinded (blinded)
You might still have a book group
But you have bones to pick
Who spells “Austen” with an “e”?
Gotta blame it on something
Gotta blame it on something

Blame it on Big Jane (it’s not that you’re forestalling)
Blame it on Marianne (who wants love at first sight?)
So easy to see through
The admiration is undue
Blame it on Big Jane, yeah yeah
Go on and blame it on Big Jane
On characters refined
Society unfair
You got to blame it on something

Blame it on Big Jane (you heard her women are galling)
Take Emma Woodhouse—she’s not exactly forthright
It’s all a ballyhoo
All overrated, says you
Blame it on Big Jane, yeah yeah

You can blame it on Big Jane

Blame it on Big Jane yeah yeah
Blame it on Big Jane yeah yeah

Blame it on Big Jane (you can blame it Big Jane, blame it on Big Jane, blame it on Big Jane, baby)
Blame it on the story lines she did write
Blame it on Big Jane (Blame it, blame it on Big Jane)
It’s all just much ado
Not your fault you eschewed
Blame it on Big Jane, yeah yeah

Gotta blame it on something
You just don’t like her writing

If you blame it on Big Jane, your taste must be appalling
Name another author that inspires such delight
We have to say adieu
No room in book club for you
Disdain for our dear Jane, no way!

- Lori Oster, AKA Brainy ForJaney

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