Rape Me by Nirvana came on the radio and I might be a little surprised that cancel culture hasn't gotten to it yet. Is there something about it that I'm missing?
@L_D_G 2/2
Gllian G. Garr described the song's lyrics as "part submissive invitation, part defiant taunt, a mix that confused and disturbed many listeners," and led to Cobain frequently having to explain the song's meaning.
When asked by MUCH's Erica Ehm in an August 1993 interview how the band was helping to raise awareness about sexism, Cobain replied, "By writing songs as blunt as 'Rape Me.'"[14] He stated that it was a song meant to be so blunt that no one could misinterpret its meaning.
@Old_Dave you know, I get it. I understand what they were going for, but it doesn't scream that to me. At the very least I feel like the song makes you wonder and you're forced to go look it up. IE: "it can't go THAT way, can it? Must Google!"
This is leads to my initial question because cancel culture seems largely knee jerk. Though not to say underserved in the long or short...it's very reactionary.
@L_D_G
I agree the words leave a lot of room for not interpreting the way Cobain intended.
@L_D_G It may be about context.
I'll have to go have a listen to have an informed opinion as I haven't heard it in ages.
@stueytheround I heard part of it and tried listening to the lyrics and then I looked them up. 90% of it is "rape me" with a few other lines that sound intended to provide a victim empowerment narrative...but it's just not THAT obvious to me, hence my toot starting this.
@L_D_G From wiki: 1/2
"Rape Me" was conceived as an anti-rape song, written from the point of view of the victim. "It's like she's saying, 'Rape me, go ahead, rape me, beat me,'" Cobain told Darcey Steinke of Spin in 1993, "'You'll never kill me. I'll survive this and I'm gonna fucking rape you one of these days and you won't even know it.'"[12]