AND I WOULD WALK 804 KLICKS AND I WOULD WALK 804 MORE: I was listening to this Canadian band I like, Great Big Sea, this morning. A perfectly nice ghost story origin song about a dead pirate who haunts the rocks between Newfoundland and St Pierre. As he was chased by the RCMP:
They said they heard him laughing
With the Mounties closing in
His engines scream murder
And his face set in a grin
The seagulls started lifting
Like an angry banshee choir
He hit the rocks at 50 klicks
And the sky lit up with fire
I ask you: How is "klick" better than "knot" in this context?
Look, I am a great proponent of the metric system for all scientific endeavors and international sporting events. I'm fine, too, with keeping every day measurements in English units -- 65 miles per hour speed limits and kids measuring 48" to ride this ride. But when it comes to songs and poetry written in English, is it ever more poetic to use "kilogram" or "klick" than "pound" or "gallon" or "hogshead" or "mile"?
(I'll not an exception for any songs about smuggling, where "kilo" is to be preferred.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n_JYkI3Y-s
