Six Different Ways

@beehaus There are snakes that are known by names (in the various local languages where the snakes come from) like "hundred pace snake" (a Chinese pitviper), "seven-step snake" (Bothrops asper Central America), and "father of ten minutes" (one of dozens of names for stiletto snakes/burrowing asps (Atractaspis; they have a lot of English names too) in Africa because that's how long someone is expected to be able to keep going after being bitten before succumbing to the effects of the venom. (Just had to mention that after I read your "6 steps" idea. [insert big, toothy grin here])<br /> <br /> I doubt Robert Smith has any personal experience of "multiple personality disorder" (which, though apparently not entirely a product of somebody's imagination, is very very rare), but he might suffer from bipolar disorder, i.e., manic depression. I have never experienced mania myself except for one possible incident where I was taking an antidepressant in what turned out to be too high a dose. Even though there was no memory loss or other symptoms suggestive of dissociation (which characterises MPD), looking back on that time, I was stunned by my own behaviour, which was extremely out-of-character (not to say extremely embarrassing!). I couldn't believe I had done certain things.<br /> <br /> Gettng back to the song, though...another possibility is that perhaps it's about polyamourous relationships. I should include a disclaimer here: that thought may just be the result of wishful thinking on my part; way back in the Dark Ages when I was a teenager, I had already taken to what at the time was still an extremely novel perspective on romantic relationships, and I have no doubt that the idea that Robert Smith might share my opinions on the matter would have delighted me. Since those days I've learned a great deal through experience about the practical implementation of what at the time was only an ideology for me). I have found that three relationships at most (maybe four, if some of them are involved with one or more of the others as well as with me) is the upper limit before sheer excessive complicatedness sets in. I expect even Robert would find it difficult to juggle six lovers (not counting one-nighters).<br /> <br /> The lyric that intrigues me that most is the line, "it's that American voice again." Robert makes quite a few references to a small number of foreign countries: America and Japan are, in fact, the only ones I can recall. I wonder what his opinions of these countries are and why they seem to make their way into so many of his songs.<br /> <br /> (Even stranger, in my opinion is his use of an above-average number of references to ice-cream and flavours thereof; for example, "vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss" ("Mint Car"); "as the river flowed, one more ice cream body [??!!!] / flowed underneath the bridge" ("La Ment" — this bit always struck me as rather disturbing, but perhaps I am being overly literal in my interpretation...the first time I heard the song, I heard it as "bunny" instead of "body;" I can only imagine how people here would interpret that!), "Smear this man across the walls / like strawberries and cream" ("Push" — true, it's not about ice-cream, but it's still got that fruity desert item connexion)...anyone have a clue (or psychoanalytic commentary or something/) what this means?)

@curefanx13x Yeah, I read in one of their biographies that the genesis of this song was definitely a discussion of how many ways there are to skin a cat. Don't know if it's true. I kinda like the idea that it's about how Robert deals with the press.<br />