Favourite Song From More - Bar Italia Forum

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Posted by Ian
What is your favourite song from "More"?

 

 
 
 
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Posted by lipglossed
I'll tentatively rank them here:

1 - Tina

2 - Got to Have Love

3 - Slow Jam

4 - Grown Ups

5 - The Hymn of the North

6 - My Sex

7 - Background Noise

8 - Partial Eclipse

9 - Farmers' Market

10 - Spike Island

11 - A Sunset

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Hymn

Sex

Noise

Jam

Sunset

Love

Spike

Tina

Eclipse

Farmers

Grown Ups

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Ian
I'm inclined to go down this route at present though it will change:

• Partial Eclipse
• Hymn of the North
• Got to Have Love
• Slow Jam
• Spike Island
• Farmers Market
• Background Noise
• Grown Ups
• Tina
• My Sex (would be much higher up if it weren't for the chanted numbers)
• A Sunset

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Yeah, i need to get used to the chanting in My Sex - is it "X" and "Y" as in chromosomes?
 

 
 
 
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Posted by srhelvetica
Eamonn wrote:
Yeah, i need to get used to the chanting in My Sex - is it "X" and "Y" as in chromosomes?

 Maybe im wrong, but for me all is based in the verses:

"I haven't got an agenda
I haven't ven got a gender"

 

For me those voices saying "X" and "Y" and numbers are PRECISELY that: the chromosomes that makes us men or women, and the phone numbers we add to our agendas with mating purposes. Maybe it's just my theory, far from Jarvis original intentions, but.. doesn't  make all the sense in the world? (And to be honest, I absolutely LOVE the way the songs ends with those voices)

-- Edited by srhelvetica on Friday 6th of June 2025 08:09:17 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Violin Thing
1 - The Hymn of the North

2 - Spike Island

3 - My Sex

4 - Got to Have Love

5 - Tina

6 - Slow Jam

7 - A Sunset

8 - Background Noise

9 - Farmers' Market

10 - Grown Ups

11 - Partial Eclipse

I'm letting My Sex off the chanting becasue the rest of it is ace. Slow Jam slaps (I'm sorry).

I just listened to the record again while in Sainsbury's and cried to Hymn so that seals its place.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Jean
Easy - it has to be Hymn of the North. The chanting is part of the reason I love My Sex. Absolutely love the backing vocals on it. Otherwise, it's s very reminiscent of The Professional, isn't it? Which is always good. I keep hearing Separations and Don't You Want Me Anymore in one of the songs and Love is Blind talky bit in another. Need to listen again to remind myself which songs

-- Edited by Jean on Friday 6th of June 2025 09:01:14 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by lipglossed
I can't help but feel My Sex is getting in on the current social renegotiation of things like gender. Midway through the song, the chanting's only 'X' and 'Y', but in the outro, there's other letters like 'A' and 'C', as well as numbers too! The 'binary' of 'X' and 'Y' has been drowned out; the lyrics seem to be tipping a sly wink, in a way that'll resonate with certain people. Of course, having said that, I'm not personally sure I care for the chanting all that much, but I agree with Violin Thing - the rest of it is so ace (and so is Slow Jam).

It kind of is a theme of the album to be fair - the idea of needing more options and choice in life is the final theme that the album ends on.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by lipglossed
Jean wrote:
Easy - it has to be Hymn of the North. The chanting is part of the reason I love My Sex. Absolutely love the backing vocals on it. Otherwise, it's s very reminiscent of The Professional, isn't it? Which is always good. I keep hearing Separations and Don't You Want Me Anymore in one of the songs and Love is Blind talky bit in another. Need to listen again to remind myself which songs

-- Edited by Jean on Friday 6th of June 2025 09:01:14 PM

The outro of Slow Jam contains a very appealing prominent keyboard line which is very Someone Like the Moon.

The distortion on Background Noise reminds me of Seductive Barry and The Day After the Revolution. 

I love More. There's a musical continuity and they're blending all of their previous albums together with even more developed, sophisticated ideas. It genuinely feels like the PERFECT Pulp evolution.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Jean
You're right, lipglossed. I hear the Someone Like the Moon bit too. There's a bit in one of the songs that is very reminiscent of a part of The Wickerman as well. It's almost like there's some sort of vocal effect and it called to mind that song for me. I need to listen again to remind myself which song is which! I also heard Seductive Barry and Day After in there. Must be the same song you hear it on.

This is getting a bit like when Bowie brought out The Next Day and I kept hearing bits of other eras in there. I could hear Earthling on If You Can See Me, Scary Monsters on How Does the Grass Grow, Ziggy on Valentines Day, Lodger on TND, Outside on Heat etc! Love it.

I'm still just listening online as, unbelievably, the shop didn't have it! I'll be looking forward to getting the CD to hear the songs properly. Sounded great on vinyl at the listening party.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by thishouseis
After my first few listens at least:

1. Spike Island

2. Grown Ups

3. My Sex

4. Slow Jam

5. Tina

6. Hymn of the North

7. Background Noise

8. Farmer's Market

9. Got to Have Love

10. A Sunset

11. Partial Eclipse
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Pip
Interesting to see how our opinions differ! For me:

1. Spike Island

2. Slow Jam

3. Farmers Market

4. Partial Eclipse

5. Tina

6. Grown Ups

7. Got to Have Love

8. Background Noise

9. A Sunset

10. Hymn of the North

11, My Sex

This is Pulp though, so even the lowest ranked songs are decent - I would happily listen to the album in full as I would with all the others.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by jarvcore
1 Slow Jam

2 My Sex

3 Tina

4 Background Noise

5 Partial Eclipse

6 Spike Island

7 GTHL

8 Partial Eclipse

9 Grown Ups

10 A Sunset

11 Hymn of The North
 

 
 
 
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Posted by timahall
1. Background Noise

2. Spike Island

3. Partial Eclipse

4. A Sunset

5. Grown Ups

6. Tina

7. GTHL

8. My Sex

9. Hymn Of The North

10. Slow Jam

11. Farmers Market

Surprised Hymn Of The North is so popular, there's so many more exciting songs on the album to me.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Its great that there's a variety in folks' choices. Sign of summat special, I reckon.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Re the number and letter chanting at the end of My Sex, how about this for some sleuthing (by Wendy Wendy on the Pulp FB group):

 

 
 
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Posted by cutcopy
3:13-ish of The Hymn of the North - when the horns and the orchestra hit.... Listening to it again now and its made me a bit teary.

-- Edited by cutcopy on Saturday 7th of June 2025 01:32:53 AM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by tonysams1
I also had a very emotional response to the big moment in Hymn of the North - the entire song really is special. Also really digging background noise - i might be in the minority but i think it sounds better slowed down

Tina hasnt really clicked for me yet
 

 
 
 
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Posted by srhelvetica
cutcopy wrote:
3:13-ish of The Hymn of the North - when the horns and the orchestra hit.... Listening to it again now and its made me a bit teary.

-- Edited by cutcopy on Saturday 7th of June 2025 01:32:53 AM

 Ouch. I wish I could love The Hymn Of the North as much as most of you do, but I have a serious problem with those six seconds (3:11 to 3:17) that get me completely OUT of the song, out of Pulp, out of whatever I'm doing. I'm stucked there. After that point, song is MAGICAL, but that confusing moment In the song has become an obstacle for me to enjoy the whole pack.  Guess it's my "The Night That Minnie Timperley Died " moment,  2025 version. On the other hand, "My Sex" grows with every listen, and I'd say now it's one of my Top 3, with Spike Island and Background Noise 

-- Edited by srhelvetica on Saturday 7th of June 2025 08:13:49 AM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
My list, which surprised me, because i didn't really enjoy Grown Ups and Tina first, but now they are among my favs.
 
 Biggest disappointment is Got to Have Love. It was bound to happen. How can a 20 years anticipation be met ? But they could have made it better, it's a bit too safe. Now i hope they release a complete demo of it from 99. Seems like the song was completed back then even...

Farmers Market should be some kind of closer i think. I'll do my alternate tracklisting later. 
 
 1. Grown Ups
 2. Background Noise
 3. Hymn Of The North
 4. Tina
 5. Farmers Market
 6. Spike Island
 7. A Sunset
 8. GTHL
 9. Partial Eclipse
 10. Slow Jam
 11. My Sex

-- Edited by andy on Saturday 7th of June 2025 08:40:42 AM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Slow Jam will be your number one by the end of the summer 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Barcroft
1 - Tina

2. Got to Have Love

3. Grown Ups

4. My Sex

5. Spike Island

6. Slow Jam

7. A Sunset

8. Hymn of the North

9. Background Noise

10. Partial Eclipse

11. Farmers Market

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Will
1. Grown Ups

2. Slow Jam

3. Background Noise

4. Got to Have Love

5. Spike Island

6. Partial Eclipse

7. My Sex

8. The Hymn of the North

9. Farmers Market

10. A Sunset

11. Tina
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
Eamonn wrote:
Slow Jam will be your number one by the end of the summer 

 No way, i always hated bass like that. Its been that way since the 90s and wont ever change 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by lipglossed
Slow Jam is the best thing I've ever heard in my entire life basically. Although so are like 10 other Pulp songs 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
Will wrote:
1. Grown Ups
 2. Slow Jam
 3. Background Noise
 4. Got to Have Love
 5. Spike Island
 6. Partial Eclipse
 7. My Sex
 8. The Hymn of the North
 9. Farmers Market
 10. A Sunset
 11. Tina

 

Interesting! Would love to read your commentary on the songs, Will.

 

 

 
 
 
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Posted by hugomrtnzz
1. Grown Ups

2. Tina

3. The Hymn of The North

4. Got To Have Love

5. Spike Island

6. Farmers Market

7. Slow Jam

8. My Sex

9. Background Noise

10. A Sunset

11. Partial Eclipse

 

 
 
 
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Posted by superchob
Hymn of the North aside, which Im sort of obsessing over, Ive found Slow Jam stuck in my head all day. Wasnt crazy about it yesterday but its burrowed its way in there overnight. Grown Ups isnt at the top of many peoples lists, but thats catchy as hell too. Catchy as hell and musically dense - it just feels big somehow. Havent read the lyrics closely - cant do that whilst the musics playing can I, wink wink, and the music hasnt stopped. I think the only one that hasnt totally captivated me yet is Farmers Market. Spike Island is great but Ive massively over-listened to it in the run up to the album

-- Edited by superchob on Saturday 7th of June 2025 04:34:51 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Bookmark
1. Tina

2. THOTN

3. Background Noise

4. Farmers Market

5. Got to have love

6. My Sex

7. A Sunset

8. Slow Jam

9. Partial Eclipse

10. Grown Ups

11. Spike Island
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Pye
Here we go:
 
 1. Got to Have Love
 2. Background Noise
 3. Spike Island
 4. Grown Ups
 5. Slow Jam
 6. My Sex
 7. Partial Eclipse
 8. Hymn of the North
 9. A Sunset
 10. Farmers Market
 11. Tina

-- Edited by Pye on Saturday 7th of June 2025 09:59:15 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by srhelvetica
1. Spike Island 2. Background Noise > 3. My Sex > 4. Grown Ups > 5. Slow Jam 6. Tina > 7. Got To Have Love > 8. The Hymn of The North > 9. Partial Eclipse > 10. A Sunset > 11. Farmers Market
 

 
 
 
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Posted by ninotchka
For reference, His n Hers has been my favorite album since the mid 90s. I like More er more than We Love Life...what a gift! On third listen:

1) Got to Have Love

2) Spike Island

3) Hymn of the North

4) Tina

5) Slow Jam

6) Farmer's Market (I'm surprised how much I like this after not connecting with it in LA last year)

7) Background Noise

My Sex

9) Grown Ups (the chorus is a little too coherent for me)

10) Partial Eclipse

11) A Sunset

 
 

 
 
 
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Posted by lipglossed
Slow Jam is now my #1. Tina #2, Grown Ups #3, although those may swap round ...
 

 
 
 
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Posted by cutcopy
1) Hymn of the North

2) Got to Have Love

3) My Sex

4) Slow Jam

5) Grown Ups

6) Spike Island

7) Tina

Background Noise

9) A Sunset

10) Farmer's Market (I'm surprised how much I like this after not connecting with it in LA last year)

11) Partial Eclipse
 

 
 
 
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Posted by pulped
1. My Sex

    2.Slow Jam

    3.Got to have love 

    4.Spike Island

    5.Partial Eclipse 

    6.Tina

    7.Grown ups

    8.Hymn of the North 

    9.Background Noise 

    10.Open Strings 

    11.A Sunset 

    12.Farmers market

 

 
 
 
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Posted by weej
Ok, six listens in and ready to make a provisional list. This is very much not what I would have put on first listen.

1. Slow Jam

2. Grown Ups

3. Got To Have Love

4. Farmers Market

5. Spike Island

6. Tina

7. The Hymn of The North

8. My Sex

9. A Sunset

10. Open Strings

11. Partial Eclipse

12. Background Noise
 

 
 
 
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Posted by PaulTMA
It is Slow Jam for me
 

 
 
 
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Posted by hawalius1
I'm enjoying all of them, and the album in full flow is a wonderful journey - there's nothing here I don't enjoy. At the moment the songs are falling into three camps, which will undoubtedly change over time:

Go-to tracks:

Got to have love

Spike Island

Grown ups

Background Noise

A Sunset

Very happy to hear them when they come on:

Tina

Slow Jam

Farmers Market

Partial Eclipse

Can take or leave them, though of course it's Pulp so I love that they exist:

The Hymn of the North

Open Strings

My Sex

 

 
 
 
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Posted by jarvcore
Now that weve had More for a whopping 3-and-a-bit days Ive changed my mind - My Sex is my favourite. Loving the fact it sounds like The Professional revisted, that was always one of my favourites of the TIH era and I always wanted more to come of it than just a forgotten B-side. The strings and backing vocals add something special here and it feels interesting and fresh. It stands out from the album the more I listen to it.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Pip
I think the reason My Sex came relatively low on my personal ranking is its similarity to The Professional. A strength of Pulp has always been how each album has its own sound and constantly took the band into a new direction. Anything that sounds even a little derivative is less appealing.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
Pip wrote:
I think the reason My Sex came relatively low on my personal ranking is its similarity to The Professional. A strength of Pulp has always been how each album has its own sound and constantly took the band into a new direction. Anything that sounds even a little derivative is less appealing.

 

I agree, it's too much of a rehash, but less good. it's still a good album track, but i dont know, if i was the band, i would have been a bit annoyed by this. The Professional was perfect, there was no need for a remix. Maybe they have forgotten about it (i'm sure they did not) 

My personal favorite is still Grown Ups. The first 3 listens did nothing for me, the it clicked. Great lyrics, classic Pulp build up but the melody and guitar parts area really a new sound for Pulp. It has everything, and its a really melancholic take on life, yet simple. a Jarvis Chef d'Oeuvre.  

-- Edited by andy on Monday 9th of June 2025 04:02:21 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by triciathetree
Waffling on this but after several listens Id say:

1)Background Noise

2) Spike Island

3) My Sex

4) Grown Ups

5) Farmers Market

6)Got to Have Love

7) A Sunset

Hymn of the North

9) Slow Jam

10) Partial Eclipse

11) Tina

But really I think theyre all very strong and I almost feel bad putting partial eclipse so low because I love the spoken word breakdown. Its so very Pulp.

Side note: anyone else still in slight disbelief we actually have new Pulp songs to be discussing? Feels great but also surreal
 

 
 
 
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Posted by Sturdy
andy wrote:My personal favorite is still Grown Ups. The first 3 listens did nothing for me, the it clicked. Great lyrics, classic Pulp build up but the melody and guitar parts area really a new sound for Pulp. It has everything, and its a really melancholic take on life, yet simple. a Jarvis Chef d'Oeuvre.  
Similar here. First time I heard it I couldn't quite believe they'd done a song with such a blatant Britpop bounce to it at this stage in the game - and I think that's probably why it got left off Hardcore as they were understandably trying to disassociate themselves from all that. But once you get over that, it's a really good song, and as you say, great lyrics. There's something quite clever about how the rhythm doesn't change throughout the song, but somehow by the end it's anxious stabbing rather than carefree stomping.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
My Sex does have a chorus though and a really good one at that.

As much as I love The Professional, it is not as melodically-driven (the ghostly "Oh ooh oh"s are the refrain but not a patch on the verses).
 

 
 
 
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Posted by triciathetree
FWIW while I doubt it was his intention as such, My Sex does strike a chord if youre genderqueer.
 

 
 
 
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Posted by andy
Eamonn wrote:
My Sex does have a chorus though and a really good one at that.
 As much as I love The Professional, it is not as melodically-driven (the ghostly "Oh ooh oh"s are the refrain but not a patch on the verses).

 Thats why it was a bsid, but like the other TiH songs the production is no unique and special. thats what make it great.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by Eamonn
triciathetree wrote:
FWIW while I doubt it was his intention as such, My Sex does strike a chord if youre genderqueer.

 I'm sure the thought didn't escape him. He's the maestro of multiple-meanings.

 

 
 
 
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Posted by ninotchka
Also fwiw, this is how I feel as brown girl watching the Spike Island video (though, incidentally, when I waited to ask for an autograph after one of the tiny Jarv Is gigs in CA, it was me and a bunch of other--much younger--brown girls). 

-- Edited by ninotchka on Monday 9th of June 2025 07:12:16 PM
 

 
 
 
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Posted by jarvcore
triciathetree wrote:
FWIW while I doubt it was his intention as such, My Sex does strike a chord if youre genderqueer.

Gender fluidity was the meaning that I initially prescribed to it, then I looked at it through the lens of my own bisexuality. Neither of which apply to Jarvis.
But as Eamonn says I'm sure he was well aware of the numerous ways it could be read into.

I think Jarvis' intended meaning is quite clear in The New Yorker interview.

_______________________________________________________________________

The second side opens with My Sex. (My sexis neither here nor there / is neither him nor her / Its an out-of-body experience.) How did that come about?

I thought that would be a good title. It could have turned into a kind of a jokey song, but I didnt want to do that. The second verse is a bit darker in a waythe stuff like, Love is invisible to the naked eye when its raised in the dark of two peoples minds. My wife doesnt like that one. She said, Are you trying to tell me that youre gay or something? She just didnt understand what it was supposed to be about.

I feel like that would be a bad way to tell someone that.

You know, I wouldnt put it past myself.

Youd have to admit that youre a bad communicator, interpersonally.

Yeah, exactly. I suppose part of that is because I learned about sex from being in a female household. I got a female perspective on the men in their lives. That was always there when I started trying to have relationships. I didnt want to act like a jerk, like a typical guy, because basically all the husbands had left their wives. My dad had gone. And my cousin across the yard, her dad had gone as well. So men werent very popular. And I didnt really have any kind of male figure to give me their side of the story.
 _______________________________________________________________________

Instead of queerness I think it's more about gender roles and traits - he's trying to find and accept his identity as a straight cis man that doesn't match the traditional "macho" masculine expectation.
Being raised mostly around women he's had to navigate sex and identity without a male role model, picking up fragments from the female perspectives around him. "Hand-reared, one of a kind"

The line "my sex is neither him nor her" isn't claiming to be non binary but an alienation from traditional masculine behavior and energy.

"My sex is hard to explain, You can't melt it down in the rain" his gender is self-defined as opposed to learned or inherited. His masculinity isn't fragile - it won't melt in the rain. But it's not something straighforward.
He's not tethered to the conventional male narrative. He's open to viewing sex and love from different perspectives particularly those learned from the opposite sex.

"My sex is not forever, It's two silences stitched together" I love this line. At the core of intimacy is connection and quiet unspoken understanding, not performance or dominance.

"This love is too much to take in, what a strange love it's been" as a male he hasn't been socialised into handing emotional intimacy in the way women are and his understanding of love and sex is uncertain and overwhelming.

Sorry if I'm getting carried away here but I this is such a beautiful song. I think it runs the danger of many dismissing it as "just another song about single mothers and sex" but it's so much more.
It's a really self aware reflection about not conforming to gender norms. Instead of pretending and faking bravado he is embracing his vulnerability, awkwardness and uncertainty. It's not rejecting his male identity but it's redefining it in his own personal way.

-- Edited by jarvcore on Monday 9th of June 2025 07:41:46 PM

-- Edited by jarvcore on Monday 9th of June 2025 07:58:41 PM
 

 
 
 
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