In the Virgin of the Birds Cinematic Universe (or the VOBCU, itself a subsidiary of the Ball of Wax Cinematic Universe, aka the BOWCU), Pennsylvania is our HQ. Jon Rooney (humble leader of Virgin of the Birds) is making it his life’s mission to include as many references as possible to PA in as many songs as possible. And on “Delco Saved the World” Jon gets to carry on with his noble cause while celebrating the state’s crucial role in this past presidential election.
With its 1st verse listing notable people, food and accents from Delaware County and the 2nd verse repeating “no one likes us we don’t care,” three times, “Delco” comes off as a jingle Jon was commissioned to write by the Pennsylvania tourist board, but that he decided to “go another direction with” at some point while discussing honey buns in said 1st verse. That’s bad for the tourism board but good for Ball of Wax.
Between this song and Jon’s cover of “You Don’t Bother Me” on the You Don’t Bother Me: A Fundraiser for Ballard Ave Music Venues compilation this past May (plus a couple of other demos I’ve personally been privileged to hear), Mr. Rooney is coming along nicely with his man-and-a-drum-machine productions. The unflappability of the beats and iciness of synths underpins Jon’s words and voice (double-tracked to add to spookiness) quite well in a way that makes inherent declarations that much more official sounding . . . and in canon with the rest of the VOBCU.