lyrics to "to make you feel my love" - DV?

[NicknameTaken]

Listening to Rebecca singing "To Make You Feel My Love" on the X-Factor, I'm really uncomfortable with the lyrics "I'd go black and blue".

Seriously, why do you need to be black and blue to demonstrate to love to somebody? Okay, maybe if they were being menaced by a speeding bicycle, and you flung your body in front of it to protect them, but other than that, how might it happen?

Anyone else find it uncomfortably close to the rationale of an abused woman - "He only does it because he's insecure. I'll make him secure and he will stop!"

I accept I may be overthinking it.

It's good to see people under control.

I don't think there's anything incidental about Under My Thumb. It's an ode to male entitlement and contempt for women.

Yes. And it's good he has her under control.

That Stones song does express quite horrible, misogynistic sentiments, but is the song actually condoning those sentiments, or telling a story about how some men treat women?

I had always assumed the songs mentioned here were Art - storytelling, not expressions of the singer's (or author's) own sentiments. Eminem is fantastic at portraying extremes of human fucked-up-ness, it doesn't mean he goes around raping, murdering, stalking and suiciding!

I do worry about smack-da-bitch rap, though. Those lyrics tend to come across as genuine celebrations of sexism, violence & crime.

It makes me laugh when couples choose "Every breath you take" as Their Song ... clearly so important to them, they've never listened past the first two lines

Lyrics ring bells for people from their own experiences though. Every Breath You Take wouldn't have meant anything to me when I was young - but they would ring a bell for me after having had an ex who stalked me.

No perspective, no stepping back that I can see. No irony that I can see either. I think it's straightforward misogyny/inadequate male unable to have a relationship based on equal partnership with a woman sentiments -- Jagger seems to be boastfully addressing a third party, not the unfortunate object of his 'affections', about the Henry Higgins/Eliza Doolittle transformation he has effected and how satisfactory things are now for him in his little kingdom after somehow taking the wind out of the sails of this woman who apparently once 'pushed me around', 'had me down'...

I don't see any ironic distance in "Under My Thumb" (although it is a great tune, it makes me really uneasy to hear it). It's a boast, to which other blokes are presumably supposed to go "Yeaaaah! these uppity bitches need teaching a lesson".

Feel similar about "Bitches Ain't Shit" which is Dr Dre but covered by Ben Folds (with hilarious video ). It's just grim. Pure slagging off women all the way through - I like the video because it takes the piss out of that kind of bravado.

I hate that JLS song, it was in the charts when I walked out on abusive XP and I felt sick with guilt whenever I heard it :( I could deal with his anger by the end but his tears always got to me, I'm far too soft!

I've always thought this Evanescence song was about an abusive ex of some kind. Love the way she sings "You poor sweet innocent thing" with such venom :)

It's true, we're all a little insane
But its so clear now that I am unchained
Fear is only in our minds, taking over all the time
Fear is only in our minds, but it's taking over all the time

You poor sweet innocent thing
Dry your eyes and testify
You know you live to break me, don't deny
Sweet sacrifice

One day I'm gonna forget your name
And one sweet day, you're gonna drown in my lost pain
Fear is only in our minds, taking over all the time
fear is only in our minds, but its taking over all the time

You poor sweet innocent thing
Dry your eyes and testify
And oh, you love to hate me, don't you, honey?
I'm your sacrifice

Do you wonder why you hate?
Are you still too weak to survive your mistakes?

You poor sweet innocent thing
Dry your eyes and testify
You know you live to break me, don't deny
Sweet sacrifice

At Least That's What You Said --- Wilco

'When I sat down on the bed next to you
You started to cry
I said, maybe if I leave, you'll want me
To come back home
Or maybe all you mean, is leave me alone
At least that's what you said

You're irresistible when you get mad
Isn't it sad, I'm immune
I thought it was cute
For you to kiss
My purple black eye
Even though I caught it from you
I still think we're serious
At least that's what you said'

the guitar is sublime.

Macy Gray -Still.
The song is beautiful but the lyrics are sad.

"Still"

In my last years with him there were bruises
On my face
In my dawn and new day
I finally got away
But my head's all messed up and he knows
Just what to say
No more dawn and new days
I'm goin back to stay
Why say bye bye
When it only makes me cry
I still
Light up like a candle burnin when he call me up
I still
Melt down like a candle burnin everytime we touch
Oh say what you will
He does me wrong and I should be gone
I still
Be lovin you baby and it's much too much

We are goin down
Cuz you're always getting high
And your crumb and lovin
No longer get me by
Wow! It get better everytime that we get high
Then your crumbs of lovin
They somehow get me by
Why say bye bye
When it only makes me cry
I still
Light up like a candle burnin when he call me up
I still
Melt down like a candle burnin everytime we touch
Oh say what you will
He does me wrong and I should be gone
I still
Be lovin you baby and it's much too much

Can't I go my severed way?
Some rain for my sunny day
Not even one reason to say
Why?
I should've left you
Why?
I can't forgetcha baby
Why?
Ever since I mathca it's
Why?

How is Come On Eileen in any way sinister? I've just spent ages studying the lyrics and can't find anything.

I've always thought Band of Gold by Freda Payne is about marrying a man who turns out to be gay...

that's a great song maninthe - yes either gay or not interested in sex or otherwise not going to sleep with his wife.

Sorry, only just seen this thread - very interesting - but what is the problem with Christina Aguilera's "I'm Okay"? She's talking about the experience of growing up with DV and how destructive it was, not glorifying it.

maninthemooncup, I always think Band of Gold is about someone who can't get it up

I've always been about the lyrics of Take That's Patience. Basically it's the old "I'd really like to stick my cock in you, but don't ask for any commitment because I'm in emotional turmoil over an ex you see - now get yer knickers off Darlin' I'm not so traumatised that I can't have a meaningless shag"

Love the song though.

I dislike the Saturdays anyway, but these lyrics are horrific, especially when the band are so clearly aimed at young girls. Horrible.

The Saturdays - Missing You

Where's the pain when you walk out the door
It doesn't hurt like it used to before
Where's the love that we couldn't ignore
It doesn't kick like a pill anymore
Where's the thrill at the end of our fights
Where's the heat when we turn off the lights

I just miss all the miss that we made
When we still have the passion to hate

I miss missing you, sometimes
I miss hurting you 'til you cry
I miss watching you as you try
Try not to end up in tears
Begging to get back together
I just want you to be
To be stuck in a second forever
So don't freak out and believe.

Sometimes I'm just missing
Missing You
I miss missing you

There?s a dark cloud pulling me in
That?s the girl I was breathing in sin
There?s a blind force letting it win
And it?s longing to tear us apart
I get high when you?re making me weak
Let me down ?til I crawl on my knees

Miss missing, miss missing, miss missing
I wanna crush in your arms at the other side of the world
Miss missing, miss missing, miss missing
I wanna die for you ?cause love is only true if it hurts

I love the cardigans but I could not believe what I was hearing when I first heard this song. There is something very compelling about it tho - I don't skip past it, I always listen to it when I am listening to the album - like a very dark fascination:

man, i've had a few
but they wouldn't quite blow me like you
you gave me your name and signed
with a halo around my eye

and it hit me like never before
that love is a powerful force
yes, it struck me that love is a sport
so i pushed you a little bit more

love, you're news to me
you're a little bit more than i thought you'd be
a mole in my well-fed lawn
you're a nightmare beating the dawn

oh, it hit me like never before
that love is a powerful force
yes, it struck me that love is sport
so i pushed you a little bit more

Blue, blue, black and blue
red blood sticks like glue
true love is cruel love
red blood's a power-fuel
sweet love, tasty blood
my heart overfloods

oh you hit me!
yeah, you hit me really hard
man, you hit me!
yeah you hit me right in the heart

lord, i've had my deal
but i never quite knew how it feels
when love makes you wake up sore
with fists that are ready for more

and it hit me that love is a game
like in war no one can be blamed
yes, it struck me that love is a sport
so i pushed you a little bit more

oh, blue, blue, black and blue
red blood sticks like glue
true love is cruel love
red blood's a power fuel
sweet love tasted blood
my heart overfloods

man, you hit me!
yeah you hit me really hard
baby, you hit me!
yeah you punched me right in the heart
and then you kissed me...

and then you hit me...

oh, you haunt me with your violent heartbeat at night
oh, you strike me with your silence baby, tonight
why you haunt me with your violence baby, come hit me!
you haunt me with your violent heartbeat...

I think it sums up quite a lot of DV situations quite horribly.