#"Well, you tried it just the once, found it alright for kicks
But now you found out that it's a habit that sticks
And you're an orgasm addict"#
Orgasm Addict, The Buzzcocks
A while back, I did a Musical Monday post about the song Teenage Kicks by the Undertones -- and commented how it was originally about masturbating, with the lyrics reportedly running "I wanna hold, wanna hold it tight, get teenage kicks right through the night" before they toned it down with "wanna hold her tight". Since then, I've noticed recurring visitors from google, searching to see if it's true, and instead finding my own corner of t'internet.
I was curious to see what other pages on "Google zoeken" a search for teenage kicks about masturbating brings up, and where I am on this list. What I am most interested in today is link #1, the Wikipedia "List of songs about masturbation".
Plenty of songs on the list are self-explanatory, and don't require much thought -- like the above "Orgasm Addict". Others are a little more obscure, like the Vapors "Turning Japanese". But there are many songs on this list that surprise me.
Maybe I'm naïve and have led a sheltered life, and possibly I'm not very good at picking up on the thinly-veiled subtexts of a song. I'm also known for sometimes missing blindingly obvious references in a song, take for example Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like A Lady". I used to think it was a fantastic song, a work of rock genius, but never really quite grasped the song seems to be about a transsexual -- lines like "never judge a book by its cover" and "she whipped out her gun, tried to blow me away" that completely eluded me in my teens, now would seem cringe-worthy, if it wasn't the mighty 'Smit. Consider also, if you will, Meat Loaf's epic-length "Paradise by Dashboard Light". For years, the significance of the baseball game on the radio in the middle of the song eluded me. In my defence, the sport isn't widely played in England, and adolescents here aren't (or, at least, weren't) readily familiar with the "bases" -- and I'm still not really sure (or particularly bothered) what they are.
"Love is Better Than a Warm Trombone" by Gomez appears, and confuses me. I've loved Gomez for years, and have a particular affection for this song, but it still escapes me how the song could be about conducting one's self in a solo symphony.
"With his hands in his pocket he lowered his eyesIt hardly sounds like the most decadent expression of self-love to me.
he said 'miss, I guess I ought to apologise, I've been fallin', I'm falling down"
Also appearing on the list is "Dare" by Gorillaz. Never having given it much thought before, after reading the lyrics I can concede that perhaps this one might be. Interesting trivia surrounding the song; it was reportedly entitled "It's There" originally, but the wonderful Shaun Ryder just didn't seem quite able to get it right -- so they just changed the name of the song. With this in mind, the repeated "it's coming up" and "it's dare [there]" does seem suggestive, but is it about grooming the wookie? I'm not convinced.
Let us not forget She Bop by Cindy Lauper, Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol, and Longview by Green Day.
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat songs about beating off. Can't beat it.
Grooming the wookie? *giggles* ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's weird you should post this. A fast food chain here in the States is advertising their new burger with the background music of "Blister in the Sun" as a theme. It's disturbing. And I told both E & The Man about it. E straight out didn't believe that there WERE any songs about masturbation (he's of a different generation) and The Man said, "It gives a whole new meaning to the term 'special sauce.'"
ReplyDeleteUh, hold the special sauce on my burger . . .
ReplyDeleteI remember my dad listening and singing along to a song about "My girl Bill". And if you listen to the lyrics its about a dude falling for a transexual. My old man was horrified when i pointed it out to him, this song was made EONS ago! Who would have thunk it.
ReplyDeleteDr Kenneth: There's plenty of obvious choices, but I was fascinated by the songs I knew...but had no idea.
ReplyDeleteMadameBoffin: I thought "tinkering with the R2 unit" was just too geeky, even for me.
Aurore_Sandeau: Apparently "Blister in the Sun" isn't about masturbation at all. It's open to debate...
Steph: heh, I shall have to find that song -- sounds a bit like "Lola", but less obvious, perhaps? And does your Dad think "Puff the Magic Dragon" is really about a boy and his magical dragon? ;)
Grooming the wookie??? Bwahahahahaha! That's great.
ReplyDeleteI love that old Meatloaf stuff - that whole album is awesome.