Lyric discussion by modalverb 

Cover art for Acts of Man lyrics by Frightened Rabbit

Going by this song every man out there is a date rapist, and it takes a tremendous effort not to be one. Not to be a rapist is a heroic act, apparently. Yeah, no.

I sincerely hope most guys don't think this way, because if they do, I'm sure as hell "giving up" on them. You don't get a medal for not raping, that's the minimum of decent human behaviour.

Some other things:

  • the "amateur pornographer" line possibly refers to someone recording sex without their partner's permission
  • Everything from "Let's all crowd 'round the cowering body" to "Hides a coward's heart in a lion's chest" is about how social censure for people who've done something wrong (in this case, rape) is just hypocrisy and cowardice and every man would be raping left, right and center if only he weren't "a coward".
  • "And build a house around you" - this part is interesting, because it sounds like the protagonist both wants to protect and cage the woman in question.

I am guessing you are female, and honestly, I don't know anyone who thinks this way. I think the song is a lot more positive than that, I think the first stanza refers to the more dickheadish men of this world, the exception to the rule. I think the second verse shows how a majority are part of the average (duh) and are not like the person in the first verse."Let's promise every girl we marry we'll always love them when we probably won't" refers to the idea that we say things we don't mean, but that doesn't make them...

I completely agree with jpecimage

This is the most mental comment I have EVER read. I genuinely have no idea how you can come to that conclusion.

What I get from this song is pretty much that we (men) are always going to do stupid, idiotic things, but as the song goes on, it shows how we are selfish but wanting to improve ourselves and become "the perfect man"