Lori Meyers

I really don't think the attitude of this song is a positive, supportive stance towards women in the porn industry. I think the idea is, porn is great and all, but it's a very different story when it's someone you care about.

And I think the point is that there is no black and white. He likes porn, but he doesn't want someone he loves involved with it. Does that make him a hypocrit? No, it makes him a caring, human male.

It's important to realize that he's is trying to save her from what he thinks of as a demeaning life, but since she doesn't see her life in that light, she feels like he's trying to rob her of her independence. No one's right. No one's wrong. Just to different perspectives of the same situation.

I also love the way the song ends with that slow, dramatic fade out. It gives me the impression that there has been no culmination and that no conclusion can ever be reached.

That's just my take.

I have been listening to this song since I was 17. Now 12 years later I'm a psychiatrist that does psychotherapy and my opinions haven't changed much, just better ability to support my arguments.

I think this song is just the story between the narrator and his childhood neighbor/friend Lori. It's a song about their differing views, psychologies, feelings, about what went on in their childhood and in her current career. I don't think it's necessarily a commentary on what the listeners should think about the porn industry, so I won't comment on that.

At 9 years old they played forbidden games: Children often explore sexuality and relationships. (Except for the latency period, which can last from starting at ages 3-7 until puberty at ages 8-15.) Since one or both of them are 9 years old, one or both could be past the latency period, and their sexuality is re-emerging. It's very common for children who are exploring sexuality to be doing things that are forbidden, and things which later cause them a lot of guilt, because they think were wrong to do it. I don't think he feels guilty about it (he probably repressed/suppressed it) until he realizes accidentally that she's a porn star, after he recognizes her in one of the films he was watching. The "familiar mark" is something like a birth mark or other unique mark on her body that he had remembered from those earlier times. He doesn't recognize her face initially because he doesn't expect her to have gotten into that career, but when he sees the "mark" he knows beyond doubt that it's her. When he finds out she is a porn star, he feels very guilty, because he remembers what they did as children and he thinks that may have tainted her and caused her to go into the sexual industry. And maybe it did, or maybe it didn't. The guilt leads him to buy more of her porn material because he's trying to understand/see her more, so he can see if the guilt is warranted. The more he sees of what she's had to do in this career, and the more he interprets it as "incriminating", meaning what she is doing is bad/wrong/unfortunate. When he says "I felt that I could save (her)" I see it as being cut off, he didn't finish his sentence, there's either a conversation between them that we don't hear, or he drops off wistfully because it's so emotional. But he feels that if he can save her from these "incriminating acts" of continuing in the porn industry, then he can absolve his guilt about what he did to her that may have caused it.

Her verse is either the response to him, or to what she expects other people's opinions are. She does not agree that her job is incriminating or warranting of anyone's guilt. She is happy where she is; she has power, money, control, and she doesn't feel degradation. I agree with xingallover that when she was degradated on the floor, she means that working at factory jobs for low pay was even more demeaning than her being a porn star. She doesn't comment on whether it was the sexual acts with him that prompted her into that career field; again, we probably won't know.

Shut up.

i don't think it's about how good he has it exactly. i think it's more about how people bitch about women being objectified in porn and stuff. i believe he is saying that if these chickies didn't want to be making porn, or strip (in most cases, i know there are exceptions to everything) then they wouldn't be doing it. He's saying he tried to save this chick from her "degrading" job and she told him fuck off basically. She is happy where she is and making the money that she is making. If it satisfies her why shouldn't that be good enough for everyone else. or i could be way off.....

man you guys must be so dumb if you dont understand the song by the 1st time you hear it. This song has no "special" meaning or anything, it just says a story. A kick ass song by them if I might add. i also like the fact that its almsot as if 2 people are having a conversation. My screen name says it all baby. NOFX rocks and I like Fat Mike. {hehe that rymes}

its about having a childhood friend, and recognizing her on the television screen many years later as a porn star. i agree with lori myers88 in that there is no special meaning, its just a story.

for me this one of nofxs best songs.i think on this song mike is looking back on his past and seeing how good he has it and how some people dont have it as good as gim and he feels kind of sorry for them.

yeah this is definetly one of their best songs..

Wow, crick23 is right. I've been listening to this song a long time and it all makes sense. He used to know this girl back when he was young. Her and his parents are old friends. He was watching porn and he saw her. He tried to help her get a job the wasn't degrating, but she liked her job. And she explained it was more degrating to work at the factory then as a porn star. And now she makes real money. Excellent song, and good work crick23!

their best work