I was very surprised to find a debate on sexuality according to this song. However, there are some hints that seem to be reasonable but still there is one passage that doesn't fit in my opinion :
"It's what I want, hurry and buy
All has been tried, follow reason and buy
Cannot shuffle in this heat, it's all wrong
Try to put that on your sleeve it's all wrong, it's all wrong"
My interpretation for this part is the following : Since the first two lines are about "buy" I would say that he alludes to the current society. Corporations use any possibility to persuade us to buy their products. They do it in the newspapers, on boxes, in the cinema, on TV, in the internet, ... - everywhere !
Michael is one who's not feeling good in this society ("Cannot shuffle in this heat") and who doesn't want PRETTY PERSUASIONS. He thinks that big companies try to confuse people ("pure confusion") making them believe that they need all the useless products although they don't (also see the song "Begin the Begin" - it is similar). The phrase "wear that on your sleeve" is used in a lot of his songs and seems to be an advise to oppose excessive consumption (and maybe even the whole society as one) openly. One can wear a sign of a party or organization on one's sleeve. This is like "wearing" the own political statements. In other words : show your opposition to the rest of the world because "silence means approval" (from the song "Begin the Begin").
I hope that this idea can make the discussion more interesting.
@DerUnbequeme
No, the Internet did not exist in 1984 when this came out. But nice try.
@DerUnbequeme
No, the Internet did not exist in 1984 when this came out. But nice try.
This song is about one thing. Stipe's struggle and confusion over his own bisexuality. Which in 1984 wouldn't have really been accepted like it is today.
This song is about one thing. Stipe's struggle and confusion over his own bisexuality. Which in 1984 wouldn't have really been accepted like it is today.
Hi folks,
I was very surprised to find a debate on sexuality according to this song. However, there are some hints that seem to be reasonable but still there is one passage that doesn't fit in my opinion :
"It's what I want, hurry and buy All has been tried, follow reason and buy Cannot shuffle in this heat, it's all wrong Try to put that on your sleeve it's all wrong, it's all wrong"
My interpretation for this part is the following : Since the first two lines are about "buy" I would say that he alludes to the current society. Corporations use any possibility to persuade us to buy their products. They do it in the newspapers, on boxes, in the cinema, on TV, in the internet, ... - everywhere ! Michael is one who's not feeling good in this society ("Cannot shuffle in this heat") and who doesn't want PRETTY PERSUASIONS. He thinks that big companies try to confuse people ("pure confusion") making them believe that they need all the useless products although they don't (also see the song "Begin the Begin" - it is similar). The phrase "wear that on your sleeve" is used in a lot of his songs and seems to be an advise to oppose excessive consumption (and maybe even the whole society as one) openly. One can wear a sign of a party or organization on one's sleeve. This is like "wearing" the own political statements. In other words : show your opposition to the rest of the world because "silence means approval" (from the song "Begin the Begin").
I hope that this idea can make the discussion more interesting.
That's the way I've always seen it.
That's the way I've always seen it.
@DerUnbequeme how's the doctoral thesis going
@DerUnbequeme how's the doctoral thesis going
@DerUnbequeme No, the Internet did not exist in 1984 when this came out. But nice try.
@DerUnbequeme No, the Internet did not exist in 1984 when this came out. But nice try.
This song is about one thing. Stipe's struggle and confusion over his own bisexuality. Which in 1984 wouldn't have really been accepted like it is today.
This song is about one thing. Stipe's struggle and confusion over his own bisexuality. Which in 1984 wouldn't have really been accepted like it is today.