It's about loss of virginity. Possibly also in a taboo relationship. I don't think the relationship is abusive, I can see where this comes from though.
On one occasion she sings "my destiny, AND I am changing" so it's her destiny to change (grow up, lose virginity). The blood is from loss of virginity, rose tattoo is a love bite/hickie, reference to evidence is fear of being discovered.
"Reminded me of the night we kissed" = exciting like the first kiss, "why I should be leaving" = if she stays (which she did) they'll have sex, "tried to resist" succumbing to temptation. "Don't give away the goods too soon".
The relationship is either taboo or insecure and she doesn't know what it means to the other person, if he/she is in love too (what's it to you?), whether he views her as meat (a conquest) and she's given him sex too soon (the butcher's shop - sawdust would be strewn in a butcher's to cover/clean blood; giving away goods too soon). She has been compelled by desire (the "handsome fist") to act in a way she thinks is unwise.
Marlene's perspective is the perspective of the knowing other who has seen it all and for whom all of this which seems contingent and important, seems predictable and trivial. I assumed Marlene was a historic portrait which had seen much history, but since it refers to Marlene Dietrich the soldiers might refer to her popularity as a WW2 pinup. Hence the emotional turmoil as analogous to the emotional impact of combat.
The relationship is covert, carried on around a "danger zone" (risk of being caught), not talked about, she's frightened of evidence being exposed, the couple are alone. It could be covert for all kinds of reasons (class or ethnic or other differences, underage, disapproved of, adulterous), but one possibility is that it's a lesbian relationship - hence "held in handsome fist" and "fingerprints" could be a reference to fisting, and "changing" could be a reference to realising one's sexuality (changing from assumed heterosexuality to knowing oneself to be gay).
As a teenager, unsure of myself, this was one of those songs I identified with as soon as I heard it, yet I didn't really try to interpret it or know why.
Hearing it more recently I'm sure, it's about a woman trying to suppress yet understand feelings that she's experiencing for the first time, feelings that at the time of the songs release were still ridiculed or worse by most.
She has no-one to talk to, apart from the woman, Marlene, she feels drawn to.
As a teenager, unsure of myself, this was one of those songs I identified with as soon as I heard it, yet I didn't really try to interpret it or know why.
Hearing it more recently I'm sure, it's about a woman trying to suppress yet understand feelings that she's experiencing for the first time, feelings that at the time of the songs release were still ridiculed or worse by most.
She has no-one to talk to, apart from the woman, Marlene, she feels drawn to.
It's about loss of virginity. Possibly also in a taboo relationship. I don't think the relationship is abusive, I can see where this comes from though.
On one occasion she sings "my destiny, AND I am changing" so it's her destiny to change (grow up, lose virginity). The blood is from loss of virginity, rose tattoo is a love bite/hickie, reference to evidence is fear of being discovered.
"Reminded me of the night we kissed" = exciting like the first kiss, "why I should be leaving" = if she stays (which she did) they'll have sex, "tried to resist" succumbing to temptation. "Don't give away the goods too soon".
The relationship is either taboo or insecure and she doesn't know what it means to the other person, if he/she is in love too (what's it to you?), whether he views her as meat (a conquest) and she's given him sex too soon (the butcher's shop - sawdust would be strewn in a butcher's to cover/clean blood; giving away goods too soon). She has been compelled by desire (the "handsome fist") to act in a way she thinks is unwise.
Marlene's perspective is the perspective of the knowing other who has seen it all and for whom all of this which seems contingent and important, seems predictable and trivial. I assumed Marlene was a historic portrait which had seen much history, but since it refers to Marlene Dietrich the soldiers might refer to her popularity as a WW2 pinup. Hence the emotional turmoil as analogous to the emotional impact of combat.
The relationship is covert, carried on around a "danger zone" (risk of being caught), not talked about, she's frightened of evidence being exposed, the couple are alone. It could be covert for all kinds of reasons (class or ethnic or other differences, underage, disapproved of, adulterous), but one possibility is that it's a lesbian relationship - hence "held in handsome fist" and "fingerprints" could be a reference to fisting, and "changing" could be a reference to realising one's sexuality (changing from assumed heterosexuality to knowing oneself to be gay).
As a teenager, unsure of myself, this was one of those songs I identified with as soon as I heard it, yet I didn't really try to interpret it or know why. Hearing it more recently I'm sure, it's about a woman trying to suppress yet understand feelings that she's experiencing for the first time, feelings that at the time of the songs release were still ridiculed or worse by most. She has no-one to talk to, apart from the woman, Marlene, she feels drawn to.
As a teenager, unsure of myself, this was one of those songs I identified with as soon as I heard it, yet I didn't really try to interpret it or know why. Hearing it more recently I'm sure, it's about a woman trying to suppress yet understand feelings that she's experiencing for the first time, feelings that at the time of the songs release were still ridiculed or worse by most. She has no-one to talk to, apart from the woman, Marlene, she feels drawn to.
I completely agree and I couldn't have explained it better myself.
I completely agree and I couldn't have explained it better myself.