Drop the Pilot

No comments?

Well let me just say this song is obviously about her trying to court a married woman.

Joan herself recently answered this: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/10514581/Joan-Armatradings-enduring-charm

'"People read all kinds of things into that song," she says, "but it's just about trying to convince someone to leave the person they're with because you're a better match. The bit about elephant riders and guys on motorbikes and so on confused a lot of people, but the message is very basic: forget him and get with me.'"

Here's the meaning plain and simple. It is a story about her trying to turn a straight woman gay (probably for the first time) hence "I'm right on target My aim is STRAIGHT" Her object of desire is "In love", from then on she is trying to persuade the woman to start a gay relationship with her. She then confirms her lesbian contempt of men referring to them as monkeys. balloons could be a reference to breasts, i had to look for the definition of mahout and wikipedia recognizes it as an elephant rider... in my quick opinion mahout is one and the same with pilot, maybe she was trying to be derogatory once more to males without resorting to name-calling as with "monkey", where 'pilot' doesn't automatically bring up any negative connotations mahout certainly does, and i think the overall implications are that of the male being the master of the woman, riding her, piloting her, controlling her and bending her to his will. the "kissing cousins" line is simple to decipher as it is explained in the following lyrics "theres no smoke no flame" she is advising the woman that she is in a passionless relationship. finally i believe that the line " don't use your army to fight a losing battle" is referring to the woman using the excuse that she is heterosexual for not wanting a relationship with joan as irrelevant and if it is a losing battle i think this strongly implies that there is some connection, maybe they shared a moment or had an affair.

Great discussion, the lesbian angle makes a lot of sense just from that "drop the monkey smell my perfume" line because men don't wear perfume right? Funny how it could be interpreted as racist if she is referring to a black man as a monkey but in those days in the UK I heard it in the Toots and the Maytals song Monkey Man which was covered by The Specials in the very late 70's very early 80's (Tell you baby, huggin' up the big monkey man), so I guess it's OK. That black can say things that whites cannot thing.

But my main point I wanted to contribute was that Drop The Pilot probably is in reference to a famous British political cartoon from 1890 in the magazine Punch called "Dropping The Pilot". It's so famous it has it's own Wikipedia page. It's about how Otto von Bismarck was let go as German Chancellor and it shows him walking off the ship of German power as a harbor pilot would after docking.

I have heard this song for 30 plus years but now with the internet we can search what the hell does drop the pilot mean? I never thought of a lesbian angle to it but thats because I think in straight terms. It's funny that it makes sense, she must be butch. And after reading her bio on Wikipedia she is now married to another woman (2011) so she is definitely lesbian. I think it's a song about wanting someone in a relationship already. And the pilot is in reference to a harbor pilot not a pilot of a plane. Now that I know where this song is coming from, I probably spoiled it for myself, or maybe I can talk about it someday if I hear it while driving with someone?

Im not sure, but with Joan I would imagine this is political.

http://www.idiomdictionary.com/definition/drop-the-pilot.html

"Don't use your army To fight a losing battle"

Animal, mineral, physical, spiritual (The riches of Africa)

I should have added that it could be political about the exploitation of Africa's riches and that trying to fight against this is a loosing battle. Perhaps Joan thinks there is someone better to lead the continent or country she is singing about - "Im the one you need".

It could be a metaphor, or it could be as straight forward as it sounds.

Oh.. and "kissing cousins" - suggests you are in bed with someone you shouldnt be - metaphorically. So, perhaps she is saying that the leaders of the African country in the song are in cahoots with people that they shouldn't be - not in the best interests of the people.

Im not sure about this, it's just an interpretation and Im looking forward to what others have to say about this truly great song.

I think that the song is being over analyzed.

It might be about lesbianism however that cannot be confirmed in this small viewpoint window that we see of the song.

In my opinion i think the song relates to one person trying to convince the other person into starting a relationship with them, however the other person is already in a relationship. So she tries to explain the dead end relationship by comparing it to "kissing cousins, no smoke, no flame". Drop the pilot / monkey / mahout all revers to that same person where she tries to convince them that she would be the better choice. "im the one you need" to put it as simple as possible.

Basically, asking, pleading or trying to convince that she is the better choice.

Maybe Joan is suggesting to all women the potential for engaging in a rewarding relationship outside hetersexualism? The real irony here is the tone of her lyrics are very masculine and if it would suit a mans seduction of a woman (or a man) by just changing the occupations.

This is a great song. Very catchy and fun lyrics that are a little deeper.