The song, if taken literally, is a call to action for kids/young teens to speak out about molestation. It's basically a public service announcement wrapped up in a catchy pop song. Pretty fascinating stuff. Let em break it down for you:
-Tell you like it is with the kiss
-Baby when it drips from your lips
Already, there is emphasis placed on sexuality of the girl, from the narrator (the narrator being the singer of the song). There is also youth implied, calling the girl "baby".
-Tell you like it is, it's like this
-Don't be such a slave to your brother
The narrator implores the girl to stop being submissive to her own brother. The terminology of "slave" implies suffering or being used.
-Baby get shaky after school
-Ooh oh there you oh oh there you
As soon as we hear the word "school", we know the girl in the song is very young. The context changes, so we understand the vulnerability of the girl and we also realize the darker implied molestation occuring. Getting "shaky after school", if taken literally, means the girl is literally shaking after school is over. If we are assume that she goes home after school and sees her brother, then she is likely shaking with fear/anxiety/terror. At this point, it's implied that she's afraid to go home because she is a sexual slave to her brother.
-Baby go crazy, break the rules
-Ooh oh there you oh oh there you go
The narrator again implores the girl to "go crazy" and "break the rules". From the verse, we assume the narrator means the girl should stop being submissive to her brother and her brother's rules. From the sexuality of "when it drips from your lips", we can see that the narrator is asking the girl to speak out against the sexual abuse.
-Tell you like it is with the kiss
-I can see the swing of your hips
Here is more sexual imagery. Is the brother telling the girl "how it is with the kiss"? Is the narrator someone romantically involved with the girl in question, who is telling her "how it is"? We don't know. "I can see the swing of your hips" could meet that the narrator witnessed a sexual act and now knows about the molestation, or that the narrator sees sexuality in the young girl, perhaps too much sexuality for her age.
-Tell you like it is, it's like this
-Waiting for a trick from your brother
Emphasis on the abuse. A "trick" in english slang can mean sexual favors, sometimes in exchange for money. Is the brother pimping out his sister? Or is he the one wanting the "trick"?
-You can say what you want
-But you saw just the door
-You're outta here
I personally interpret this as the girl blocking out the abuse while it is happening and focusing on the door, which is her means of escape.
-You can say but you don't
-Such a shame, little girl
-Get outta here
The narrator emphasizes that the girl has the power to speak up and rescue herself, and there is a "tough love" approach of rejecting the girl for not speaking up for herself.
I'd love to hear any comments about my post. I think this is an amazingly subtle pop song. The video's innocence makes sense, considering the heavy true nature of the lyrics. Thanks!
The song, if taken literally, is a call to action for kids/young teens to speak out about molestation. It's basically a public service announcement wrapped up in a catchy pop song. Pretty fascinating stuff. Let em break it down for you:
-Tell you like it is with the kiss -Baby when it drips from your lips
Already, there is emphasis placed on sexuality of the girl, from the narrator (the narrator being the singer of the song). There is also youth implied, calling the girl "baby".
-Tell you like it is, it's like this -Don't be such a slave to your brother
The narrator implores the girl to stop being submissive to her own brother. The terminology of "slave" implies suffering or being used.
-Baby get shaky after school -Ooh oh there you oh oh there you
As soon as we hear the word "school", we know the girl in the song is very young. The context changes, so we understand the vulnerability of the girl and we also realize the darker implied molestation occuring. Getting "shaky after school", if taken literally, means the girl is literally shaking after school is over. If we are assume that she goes home after school and sees her brother, then she is likely shaking with fear/anxiety/terror. At this point, it's implied that she's afraid to go home because she is a sexual slave to her brother.
-Baby go crazy, break the rules -Ooh oh there you oh oh there you go
The narrator again implores the girl to "go crazy" and "break the rules". From the verse, we assume the narrator means the girl should stop being submissive to her brother and her brother's rules. From the sexuality of "when it drips from your lips", we can see that the narrator is asking the girl to speak out against the sexual abuse.
-Tell you like it is with the kiss -I can see the swing of your hips
Here is more sexual imagery. Is the brother telling the girl "how it is with the kiss"? Is the narrator someone romantically involved with the girl in question, who is telling her "how it is"? We don't know. "I can see the swing of your hips" could meet that the narrator witnessed a sexual act and now knows about the molestation, or that the narrator sees sexuality in the young girl, perhaps too much sexuality for her age.
-Tell you like it is, it's like this -Waiting for a trick from your brother
Emphasis on the abuse. A "trick" in english slang can mean sexual favors, sometimes in exchange for money. Is the brother pimping out his sister? Or is he the one wanting the "trick"?
-You can say what you want -But you saw just the door -You're outta here
I personally interpret this as the girl blocking out the abuse while it is happening and focusing on the door, which is her means of escape.
-You can say but you don't -Such a shame, little girl -Get outta here
The narrator emphasizes that the girl has the power to speak up and rescue herself, and there is a "tough love" approach of rejecting the girl for not speaking up for herself.
I'd love to hear any comments about my post. I think this is an amazingly subtle pop song. The video's innocence makes sense, considering the heavy true nature of the lyrics. Thanks!