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A Slow Song Lyrics
Music has charms they say
But in some people's hands
It becomes a savage beast
Can't they control it
Why don't they hold it back
You see my friend and me
Don't have an easy day
And at night we dance not fight
And we need the energy
If not the sympathy
But i'm brutalized by bass
And terrorized by treble
I'm open to change my mood but
I always get caught in the middle
And i get tired of dj's
Why's it always what he plays
I'm gonna push right through
I'm gonna tell him too
Tell him to
Play us
Play us a slow song
It's late - i'm winding down
Am i the only one
To want a strong and silent sound
To pick me up and undress me
Lay me down and caress me
I feel you touch my hand
And whisper in my ear
Ask me how i'm feeling now
And i want to get near you
But i can't even hear you
But this is a fine romance
If we have to be so demanding
We need just one more dance to
Leave here with an understanding
And i get tired of dj's
Why's it always what he plays
I'm gonna push right through
I'm gonna tell him too
Tell him to
Play us
Play us a slow song
But in some people's hands
It becomes a savage beast
Can't they control it
Why don't they hold it back
Don't have an easy day
And at night we dance not fight
And we need the energy
If not the sympathy
And terrorized by treble
I'm open to change my mood but
I always get caught in the middle
Why's it always what he plays
I'm gonna push right through
I'm gonna tell him too
Tell him to
Play us
Play us a slow song
Am i the only one
To want a strong and silent sound
To pick me up and undress me
Lay me down and caress me
And whisper in my ear
Ask me how i'm feeling now
And i want to get near you
But i can't even hear you
If we have to be so demanding
We need just one more dance to
Leave here with an understanding
Why's it always what he plays
I'm gonna push right through
I'm gonna tell him too
Tell him to
Play us
Play us a slow song
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I think this is a masterpiece; Whether it's two men or a man and a women we've all been there.
Picture the modern nightclub scenario; You go to a club (The Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton Park, South London springs to mind) with your lover/friends, you pay a kings ransom to get in. The dance floor is over packed with moshing idiots because the greedy nightclub owner has over filled the place to capacity. And to top it all off you got some arrogant DJ that thinks he's God playing his relentless 'headbanging' dance tunes....................You then both leave under a cloud because some pilled up idiot couldn't keep his hands of you or your girl, somebody spilt their plastic glass of beer over you and to top it off; your clothes got messed up because people have been barging into you all evening.
Joe is brilliantly lamenting the days when romance and love could actually flourish at the disco, the days when DJ's would play your favorite tune and would always play a couple of slow songs at the end of the evening 'Smooch Time' setting the scene for a passionate night ahead..........Ah those were the days!!
It's most likely a gay romance song.
I'm not being disrespectful at all with that.
I just want to put it out there, SOMEWHERE, that this two people in the song are likely both men. Considering real but rarely spoken of truths about the privately held, discrete nature of Mr Jackson.
I --LOVE-- this song, and love its frustration with DJs, and its image of being carried to bed. There's nothing like this lyric anywhere else in popular culture. And there it is, at the end of Jackson's best-selling album, one of the best selling albums of its time. A Good Thing.
I agree that this is a masterpiece. I also agree on the night club scenery but there is more to it. You see, JJ is a genius who does not like his songs to be pinned down on a meaning. At the concert I attended this weekend, he emphasised Junky Diva is not about Amy "F...ing" Winehouse. But listen to the song, and it is hardly open to a different interpretation. I think JJ is sometimes lying to protect his music from being pinned down on one single meaning.
Now my theory:
In his blog you can read that JJ aspires for the words to fit the music like a glove. I am questioning whether something as trivial as the loud noises of some NY gay club can ever match the astounding music of this ballad. The answer is simple: because this ballad is on a deeper level about mourning, death and loss of love. The music tells us as it builds to outbursts of sorrow, a longing for something that simply cannot be attained. Supporting evidence:
First: find the words of the play "The Morning Bride" by William Congreve. The very first lines are: "Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast". Now "Breast" is oft misquoted as "Beast".
Second: besides the striking similar wording, you will find that the rythm of the frases fit Slow Song like a glove, right up to "O force of constant Woe! 'Tis not in Harmony to calm my Griefs" (in my mind inevitably followed by: "to pick me up and carress me")
Slow Song addresses the same themes as the opening of the play. Loss, mourning and the consolation music can offer, but not always does as there is just too much grief.
Note how the lyrics of Slow Song go from "we" (the obvious night club scenery) to "I". Why can't "I" even hear you? Is it the loudness of the music, or is it because "you" are gone, yet still "I want to be near you".
@balrimple I'd never thought of "Musick has Charm to sooth a savage Breast" consciously. But now that you mention it, yes. You've tapped into something hiding in plain sight. (I'll return to that image in a moment.)
@balrimple I'd never thought of "Musick has Charm to sooth a savage Breast" consciously. But now that you mention it, yes. You've tapped into something hiding in plain sight. (I'll return to that image in a moment.)
I've no more direct evidence than you do, but I'm struck by your idea JJ's lyrics continue in the rhythm and form of Congreve's (play, yes, but, here, his) lyric poetry.
I've no more direct evidence than you do, but I'm struck by your idea JJ's lyrics continue in the rhythm and form of Congreve's (play, yes, but, here, his) lyric poetry.
A lyric or poem about loss of some kind is so prevalent among those to which I'm attracted that it also didn't occur to me to nail down that theme...
A lyric or poem about loss of some kind is so prevalent among those to which I'm attracted that it also didn't occur to me to nail down that theme in Slow Song. It's one of the many aspects of the song lyric that work in contrast with each other: The blooming of romance and the end (loss) of a classic romantic night out; the end (loss) of courting with a Slow Song beginning closer physical/emotional contact and possible/likely physical relations.
My intent on bringing up the gay romance in my first comment is precisely to bring up a key lyric meaning that is also hiding in plain sight. Joe doesn't draw attention to his sexuality in his music ever, even when he eludes to it in a twist on the cliche of a strong and silent man, as a "strong and silent sound" (chills!) in the central metaphor of Slow Song, "a strong and silent sound / To pick me up and undress me", or comments on gay stereotypes, as in Real Men and other songs.So, I'm absolutely in agreement with you asserting that he does not want his lyrics to be pinned down as to meaning. Heck, I'm reasonably confident that his personal sexuality and gender identity itself is more fluid (not to be pinned down) than either / or, black or white.
But some songs, people would do well to at least become aware of the probably gay influence, gay experience, that inspires and inform the important talented songwriters who embraced and embrace the value of writing songs for everyone rather than follow the completely unremarkable and not remarked upon songs written so often by boys for girls, by men for women, using male and female pronouns, compared to the disproportionately few songs with same-sex pronouns. Like i said, it hides in plain sight, deserving of being outlined and seen as part of the tapestry of songwriting.
I think this started as a song about music itself.... Joe has a tough time of it during the day. More about that in the next paragraph. Music is his friend. He always wants it around. So at night they dance. He loves it. They have energy, but the songs he loves are not always sympathetic to the plight of the writer. Who wants something that's not upbeat? Classic or Timeless music is hard to write. Popular tunes are not so difficult. Rhyme implies bounce, in a way....
Write one that's popular. Listen to what's playing (I have a Demo for you), or what they are asking you to play, or what they are asking you to produce or write.... Interview? its about your hits. The highs and lows of it all can be exhausting.
So who cares who is in charge (tired of DJ's) and yes the old days were better when a Hop could end with a slow dance. But no more. So "play us a slow song" is about writing one that is good enough to bring back the good old days. Or at least really help you remember them.
And it does a hell of a job.