Great comments all! My thoughts are probably farther off base, but since we are sharing.
To start with the title, i would have to go with the official site on that one. Being it is official and all that. That being said, i don't think it really matters much which you go with. The meaning always seemed quite fluid to me, depending on context and point of view.
One concept that seems to not be seriously looked at is from the vantage point of three seperate, individual girls. Sort of archetypes, or cautionary, tales if you will. I rather think it is about three stages in one persons life. An anti hero of sorts. Maybe even, as the song progresses, someones Dulcinea. It is probably just my background but i have always seen this song much darker than previously posted.
In the schoolgirl phase it always seemed to me that not only did she love their money but that she was getting it, one way or another. And in the meantime honing her skills on the boys playing little miss innocent.
In the second part it's obvious that she is, like her family, of low class. Still they are proud and again she must get the money, one way or another. The way i always imagined her getting it was the oldest way, turning tricks. This would explain a good portion of the lines coming up.
"And down the shops, the tongues they snicker"
the talk of the town about her 'work'
"Innocence and lies don't make a perfect match"
the juxtaposition of her innocent schoolgirl persona and what she is doing
"Leave your door unlatched"
so the john's can get in
"I know a word can be untrue And yet still move you "
the lies she tells them to help them do their business
"And all the time they bring their friends 'round"
them bringing their mates in as customers
"Dress you up, show you up"
dressing a certain way to arouse the men paying her
The next bit is about her getting pregnant, a not unthinkable consequence of her chosen profession, and using her wiles to get some guy to marry her. The white being a mockery due to her past life and the whole knife sticking bit the still wagging tongues because her past will not be forgotten.
Great comments all! My thoughts are probably farther off base, but since we are sharing.
To start with the title, i would have to go with the official site on that one. Being it is official and all that. That being said, i don't think it really matters much which you go with. The meaning always seemed quite fluid to me, depending on context and point of view.
One concept that seems to not be seriously looked at is from the vantage point of three seperate, individual girls. Sort of archetypes, or cautionary, tales if you will. I rather think it is about three stages in one persons life. An anti hero of sorts. Maybe even, as the song progresses, someones Dulcinea. It is probably just my background but i have always seen this song much darker than previously posted.
In the schoolgirl phase it always seemed to me that not only did she love their money but that she was getting it, one way or another. And in the meantime honing her skills on the boys playing little miss innocent.
In the second part it's obvious that she is, like her family, of low class. Still they are proud and again she must get the money, one way or another. The way i always imagined her getting it was the oldest way, turning tricks. This would explain a good portion of the lines coming up.
"And down the shops, the tongues they snicker" the talk of the town about her 'work'
"Innocence and lies don't make a perfect match" the juxtaposition of her innocent schoolgirl persona and what she is doing
"Leave your door unlatched" so the john's can get in
"I know a word can be untrue And yet still move you " the lies she tells them to help them do their business
"And all the time they bring their friends 'round" them bringing their mates in as customers
"Dress you up, show you up" dressing a certain way to arouse the men paying her
The next bit is about her getting pregnant, a not unthinkable consequence of her chosen profession, and using her wiles to get some guy to marry her. The white being a mockery due to her past life and the whole knife sticking bit the still wagging tongues because her past will not be forgotten.