Stubbornly Optimistic
Does anyone else aggressively interpret songs in as wholesome a light as possible, or is it just me?
I used to be incredibly allergic to any song that even had the appearance of impropriety. If a lyric could by any stretch be interpreted as innuendo, I'd feel dirty for listening to it.1
I’ve largely left this behind. Mind you, I still detest explicit lyrics—graphic sex or excessive language is just not what I want from a song—but I’ve become much more interested in the spirit of the law in this regard. I ask myself “What is the intent behind the words? Why does it make me feel this way?” And rather than looking for unwholesome interpretations, I do the opposite.
Perhaps my favorite example of doing this is Robyn's "Hang With Me",2 wherein she sings "I know what's on your mind; there'll be time for that too". Now, a good many people hear that and probably think of the bedroom, and that's probably what she meant. However, my response is more along the lines of: "Ah, but of course. I would love to go feed the ducklings with you, darling.”
In any case, to each their own. Music is one of the most intensely personal and emotional things a person can experience, and I’m stubbornly optimistic. This is my way of reconciling the two.
Note that I don’t think this is a bad thing, necessarily. People should have standards. It’s just that I was too attached to the standard itself without understanding the principle and nuance behind it.↩
It’s a banger, by the way. You should go listen to it.↩