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Mr Petersen Lyrics

My work came back from class
With notes attached
Of a place and time
Or how my body kept him up at night

He let me smoke weed in his truck
If I could convince him I loved him enough
Enough, enough, enough, �nough

He made me a tape of Joy Division
He told there was a part of him missing
When I was sixteen
He jumped off a building

Mr Petersen
I know you were ready to go
I hope there�s room for you up above
Or down below.
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Submitted by
tolly On May 01, 2010
3 Meanings

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Cover art for Mr Petersen lyrics by Perfume Genius

In an interview I just read he said about the song "It is about a teacher I had in freshman year. I hadn't thought about what went down for a while, I hadn't thought about a fucking actual thing in a while. But I got flooded, that song came out. "

got a link?

Cover art for Mr Petersen lyrics by Perfume Genius

At first I thought that this song was a slightly repetitive Magnetic Fields knockoff, but it slowly worked its way into my subconscious and now I can't stop listening to it.

Fairly obviously about an inappropriate relationship between a teen and his teacher. What's interesting is that, despite the fact that this relationship was borderline abusive ("If I could convince him I loved him enough. Enough, enough, enough.", where the repeated "enough"s sound like teh narrator protesting against continuing a sexual act) the narrator has an obvious affection for the man.

I think the 3rd last line might be "I know you were ready to go", however.

Cover art for Mr Petersen lyrics by Perfume Genius

I love this song. I love how art is figured in it. The Joy Division tape becomes emblematic of a closeness, an empathy, which tears through time.

Reciprocation fails in this song, that is the tragedy.

My Opinion
 
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