I like to take this as a first-person story rather than a life experience from the author. I like how the title plays around with the terms of "pro-choice" and "pro-life". It's an amazing song, probably because it's so depressing.
"I’ve been pro-vanity since I was ten..."
My version seems to refer to the child in the first stanza as a "he". I think the song is about a girl who realizes her mother isn't very proud of her because she wasn't born male and the father wants an heir "to pass on the name".
"And I’m sick of your smile"
The gap between her and her mother grows wider as she realizes this emotional absence going on. She begins to hate how her mother indulges in high society while leaving her out, although she hates the said culture in the first place.
"There is no place I would rather be killed..."
This stanza reminds me of all the horror stories about "honor killings" where a woman is killed because she has dishonored her family in some way. The murderers are praised for their actions.
"And I'm sick when I breathe..."
She may have asthma, a flaw that makes her even less desirable to her parents. Her mother becomes pregnant again, causing her to lash out because the child is another girl who will grow into the pressure of having a male heir for a wealthy husband.
"I’ve been pro-vanity since I could know"
She has one-night stands, or at least lovers she can't hold onto. Her father finds out.
"And I’m sick of myself..."
She tells her lover she's sick of life and thanks him for wasting his time. Another reference to an "accidental death" that reminds me of stories about honor killings, and maybe the reference to accidents Amanda makes in other songs (Ampersand, Girl Anachronism, The Kill, Truce...etc)
Hm, all in all, the title refers to how the narrator is really trying to like herself, which in other terms is vanity.
I like to take this as a first-person story rather than a life experience from the author. I like how the title plays around with the terms of "pro-choice" and "pro-life". It's an amazing song, probably because it's so depressing.
"I’ve been pro-vanity since I was ten..." My version seems to refer to the child in the first stanza as a "he". I think the song is about a girl who realizes her mother isn't very proud of her because she wasn't born male and the father wants an heir "to pass on the name".
"And I’m sick of your smile" The gap between her and her mother grows wider as she realizes this emotional absence going on. She begins to hate how her mother indulges in high society while leaving her out, although she hates the said culture in the first place.
"There is no place I would rather be killed..." This stanza reminds me of all the horror stories about "honor killings" where a woman is killed because she has dishonored her family in some way. The murderers are praised for their actions.
"And I'm sick when I breathe..." She may have asthma, a flaw that makes her even less desirable to her parents. Her mother becomes pregnant again, causing her to lash out because the child is another girl who will grow into the pressure of having a male heir for a wealthy husband.
"I’ve been pro-vanity since I could know" She has one-night stands, or at least lovers she can't hold onto. Her father finds out.
"And I’m sick of myself..." She tells her lover she's sick of life and thanks him for wasting his time. Another reference to an "accidental death" that reminds me of stories about honor killings, and maybe the reference to accidents Amanda makes in other songs (Ampersand, Girl Anachronism, The Kill, Truce...etc)
Hm, all in all, the title refers to how the narrator is really trying to like herself, which in other terms is vanity.