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Mandingo Cliche Lyrics

"It was confessional, yet dishonest. Jane pretends to be horrified by the sexuality that she in fact fetishizes. She subsumes herself to the myth of black male potency, but then doesn't follow through. She thinks she 'respects Afro-Americans,' she thinks they're 'cool,' and 'exotic,' what a notch he'd make in her belt, but, of course, it all comes down to the mandingo cliche, and he calls her on it. In classic racist tradition she demonizes, then runs for cover. But then, how could she behave otherwise? She's just a spoiled suburban white girl with a Benneton rainbow complex. It's just my opinion, and what do I know?"
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Cover art for Mandingo Cliche lyrics by Belle & Sebastian

"It was confessional, yet dishonest. Jane pretends to be horrified by the sexuality that she in fact fetishizes. She subsumes herself to the myth of black male potency, but then doesn't follow through. She thinks she 'respects Afro-Americans,' she thinks they're 'cool,' and 'exotic,' what a notch he 'd make in her belt, but, of course, it all comes down to mandingo cliché, and he calls her on it. In classic racist tradition she demonizes, then runs for cover. But then, how could she behave otherwise? She's just a spoiled suburban white girl with a Benneton rainbow complex. It's just my opinion, and what do I know..."

I absolutely love Catherine's voice on this track...the song cuts off the last bit of what she said which was "but I think it's a callow piece of writing."

I really liked Storytelling...and the score by B&S is some of their finest songs b/w Storytelling & Fuck this shit.

 
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