Security
Part 1 pre-reading task
Listen to the recording two or three times and then think over the following questions:
The song you are about to hear is all about a “Saturday Night Special”. Listen and see if you can guess what a Saturday Night Special is.

Saturday Night Special
Two feets they come a-creepin'
Like a black cat do
And two bodies are lyin' naked
Creeper think he got nothin' to lose

So he creeps into this house, yeah
And unlocks the door
And while a man reaching for his trousers
Shoots him full of .38 holes

Its a saturday night special
Got a barrel that's blue and cold
Ain't no good for nothin'
But put a man six feet in a hole

Big Jim's been drinkin' whiskey
And playing poker on a losin' night
Pretty soon, big jim starts a thinkin'
Somebody been cheatin' and lyin'

So big jim commences to fightin'
I wouldn't tell you no lie
And big jim done grab his pistol
Shot his friend right between the eyes

Mister Saturday Night, you’re special
Got a barrel that’s blue and cold
Ain’t no good for nothin’
But put a man six feet in a hole

Oh, that’s Saturday Night Special
For twenty dollar you can buy yourself one, too

Hand guns are made for killin'
Ain't no good for nothin' else
And if you like your whiskey
You might even shoot yourself

So why don't we dump 'em people
To the bottom of the sea
Before some fool come around here
Wanna shoot either you or me

The unit ate going to study, like the song you have just heard, is all about the threat of crime. It starts with a burglar creeping into a house at night. The couple in the house gone to bed as the song says. Despite creeping the burglar must have awoken the man, for he is getting up, “reachin’ for his trousers”, when the burglar shoots him several times, “full of holes”.
Which bring us to the “Saturday Night Special”, with its “barrel blue and cold”, a handgun. Despite calling it by such a familiar name, it’s clear the singer has no time for the handgun. He sings of it as being good for nothing but sending people to their grave, putting a man down “six feet in a hole”.
From the dangers of burglars with guns, the singer moves on to how dangerous guns can be when drinking leads to violence. We hear the story of Big Jim, the gambler. As he gets drunk, Big Jim starts to suspect he is losing at cards because others are cheating. He gets into an argument and reaches for his Saturday Night Special. He shoots his friend “right between the eyes”.
Pistols in America are cheap at just twenty dollars, but the singer warns against having one. Those foolish enough to do so ate not only a danger to others, but also a danger to themselves, for, as he sings, “if you like to drink your whiskey, you may even shoot yourself.”
1. Have you ever been the victim of crime or do you know someone who has?
2. Do you think crime is increasing or decreasing?
3. What can be done to reduce crime? Is punishment the answer or prevention?
4. What is the message of the song?