Well, I think about this a lot. I'm less strict than I used to be in some ways, just because too many songs were getting ruined for me and I can't deal with it. "King's Crossing" is one of my absolute favorite Elliott smith songs of all time, since I had it on some bootleg way pre-Basement, but then on Basement the production was so clear that I could tell that he was saying "keeps a fat man feeding in Beverly Hills" and i was like, god damn it, and now he's dead and I can;t even write him a letter about how can't he change that to "vampire" or something. It almost wrecked the song for me. But then it didn't. Somehow I got to a point of love the song, hate that metaphorical choice.
Also, as everyone knows, I hate it when songwriters use sex work as a metaphor. I mean, theoretically it could be done in a way that's ok, I'm not x-ing off anything absolutely, but generally? When actual sex worker's voices are marginalized, but their existence is used all over town by other people as a metaphor for toxins or despair or lack of self-respect or wtfever, you all know...but it happens. Even in songs I like. Courtney love is a great example of someone who i give some kind of pass to on this particular peeve. Largely because she was once a sex worker, but she throws around "whore" and whatnot, and I don't know that she actually ever whored. Who knows. Point being I also give her a pass, kind of, because of the way she employs these metaphors which feels, to me, for whatever it's worth, less othering and dehumanizing than the way most artists do.
Ok Im really tired and rly gtg but this is a good topic.
how come that entire paragraph ended up in italics?
i totally hear you re: elliott smith and fat-phobia in general is such a fucking pain in the ass song-wrecker. but i get the effort to hold both things at once. deal with this with movies and books too all the time...
re: sex work metaphors, i totally disagree because you have forgotten one of the greatest songs in history: ROOOOOXXX-ANNE. come on, it's on papa's list of "near-perfect songs." how could he be wrong?!
(i shouldn't have to do this but... THE ABOVE IS A JOKE.... in case yr not in our family and think maybe i'm serious.)
Also, as everyone knows, I hate it when songwriters use sex work as a metaphor. I mean, theoretically it could be done in a way that's ok, I'm not x-ing off anything absolutely, but generally? When actual sex worker's voices are marginalized, but their existence is used all over town by other people as a metaphor for toxins or despair or lack of self-respect or wtfever, you all know...but it happens. Even in songs I like. Courtney love is a great example of someone who i give some kind of pass to on this particular peeve. Largely because she was once a sex worker, but she throws around "whore" and whatnot, and I don't know that she actually ever whored. Who knows. Point being I also give her a pass, kind of, because of the way she employs these metaphors which feels, to me, for whatever it's worth, less othering and dehumanizing than the way most artists do.
Ok Im really tired and rly gtg but this is a good topic.
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i totally hear you re: elliott smith and fat-phobia in general is such a fucking pain in the ass song-wrecker. but i get the effort to hold both things at once. deal with this with movies and books too all the time...
re: sex work metaphors, i totally disagree because you have forgotten one of the greatest songs in history: ROOOOOXXX-ANNE. come on, it's on papa's list of "near-perfect songs." how could he be wrong?!
(i shouldn't have to do this but... THE ABOVE IS A JOKE.... in case yr not in our family and think maybe i'm serious.)
Reply
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