"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Rape me, rape me my friend
Rape me, rape me again
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one
Hate me
Do it and do it again
Waste me
Rape me, my friend
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one
My favorite inside source
I'll kiss your open sores
Appreciate your concern
You're gonna stink and burn
Rape me, rape me my friend
Rape me, rape me again
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me
Rape me, rape me again
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one
Hate me
Do it and do it again
Waste me
Rape me, my friend
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one
My favorite inside source
I'll kiss your open sores
Appreciate your concern
You're gonna stink and burn
Rape me, rape me my friend
Rape me, rape me again
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one, ah-ah
I'm not the only one
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me (rape me)
Rape me
Lyrics submitted by knate15, edited by funnyfaceking
Rape Me Lyrics as written by Kurt Cobain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i know what this song means, cuz i read a quote exactly from him. here's the quote so u understand the song- "Basically, I was trying to write a song that supported women and dealt with the issue of rape. Over the last few years, people have had such a hard time understanding what our message is, what we're trying to convey, that I just decided to be as bold as possible. How hard should I stamp this point? How big should I make the letters? It's not a pretty image. But a woman who is being raped, who is infuriated with the situation . . . it's like "Go ahead, rape me, just go for it, because you're gonna get it." I'm a firm believer in karma, and that motherfucker is going to get what he deserves, eventually. That man will be caught, he'll go to jail, and he'll be raped. So rape me, do it, get it over with. Because you're gonna get it worse."
While I'm inclined to agree that Cobain is serious in the interview you are citing it is important to note that Cobain is known to lie about the meanings of his songs. Cobain also claimed in an interview that Heart-Shaped Box is a song about children with cancer. Interestingly, Cobain has also admitted that some of his lyrics are intentionally non-nonsensical. The technique of randomization adds a sense of powerful (albeit non-existent) symbolism and psychedelia that made a literary "giant" out of author William Burroughs (who incidentally Cobain collaborates with on "The Priest They Called Him".
@wild_horses724 I think this explanation is accurate. KC was earnest to a fault about feminism. He spoke at length about this song and in relation to others on multiple occasions, as opposed to just brushing off the question with a stack remark someone might be happy enough with if they are stupid enough.
@wild_horses724 I agree with you. He was definitely an advocate for women, and gays.
@wild_horses724 this song definitely has the same sentiment as Date Rape by Sublime, only saying less.
"a woman who is being raped, who is infuriated with the situation . . . it's like "Go ahead, rape me, just go for it, because you're gonna get it." I'm a firm believer in karma, and that motherfucker is going to get what he deserves, eventually. That man will be caught, he'll go to jail, and he'll be raped. So rape me, do it, get it over with. Because you're gonna get it worse."<br /> <br /> What a bunch of bull****.
@wild_horses724 <br /> <br /> While I wouldn't argue with his statement, I do think there's more to it. I struggle to believe this song is mostly about rape in the literal sense. There's definitely some ambiguity.<br /> <br /> At the time of its release this was a controversial song, and to make matters worse, a lot of people didn't get it. Some people thought Kurt was condoning rape. He had to defend himself and use his platform properly. Surely, this would have pissed him off enough too where he would make a statement like this. I can't blame him. <br /> <br /> To me, however, this song has always been about "friends" who manipulate and exploit you to no end. The acquisition of success and money surely ruined Kurt's ability to trust people and both establish and keep meaningful relationships. <br /> <br /> This song, to me, always seemed like a half-capitulation, half-fuck you kind of song to the people who used him.
to me this song is written in a sort of sarcastic way.. very blunt. cobain said that it was actually an anti-rape song. he also said "It's like she's saying, 'Rape me, go ahead, rape me, beat me. You'll never kill me. I'll survive this and I'm gonna fucking rape you one of these days and you won't even know it".
A quote from an interview in 1993: "You're very concerned about sexism. I like that; that's good. So how do you make people aware of that problem?" "By writing songs as blunt as 'Rape Me.' Having to resort to doing something like that is almost embarrassing because people didn't understand when we wrote about a song like 'About a Girl' or 'Polly,' and having to explain that and having misunderstandings about it, I decided to write 'Rape Me' in a way that was so blunt and obvious that no one could deny it; no one could read into it any other way, although some people have."
I was watching a video on youtube, and he was talking about the song meaning for this song. He said that this song was an anti-rape message. He was tired of people asking him what his songs meant but it's pointless because he made no sense. He once said melody first, lyrics second.
@daBigCheez You can you send me a link of the video where he says this? Thanks.
The way I see it.. A Idea about someone who realized a freind is Using them, but figuring out they like being used, so he says do it some more, We all use people, and we are all being used.
Well, I dunno, this is just what I thought, but it's just that the strumming pattern of the central riff is basically Smells Like Teen Spirit. Since Kurt seemed to dislike the fact that that song was so popular and no one listened to a lot of their better stuff, I wonder if he's saying something about being artistically 'raped' by listeners demanding the next 'teen spirit'.
Just a thought.
Darren...
Problem is, this is on Bleach, which was the first album while Nevermind was the 2nd.
DarkishFriend, Rape Me was on In Utero...not Bleach.
Damn, come to think of it, that's a good theory.
Dearie me...this song wasn't even written when Bleach was released.
I enjoy this theory. heh, and the MTV wouldn't let them play it at the music awards, so they started lithium off with a chorus of 'RAPE MEEE!' just to fuck with them ';D
Yeah this was on In Utero, this is actually a pretty legit theory, Cobain said it was about anti-rape (Appreciate your concern, you're gonna stink and burn), and a metaphor to how the media was invading him and his privacy. But maybe there are more parts he just kept secret.
Yeah this was on In Utero, this is actually a pretty legit theory, Cobain said it was about anti-rape (Appreciate your concern, you're gonna stink and burn), and a metaphor to how the media was invading him and his privacy. But maybe there are more parts he just kept secret.
Kurt has said in more than one interview that this song should be taken at face value. If you read Kurt's journals he was actually a feminist. This song is about rape culture and the way rape is normalized in our society through that.
It's basically the conclusion to a trilogy that started with "About a Girl" and continued with "Polly".
this song is one of the best, but stupid people doesn't understand the meaning. They just anti this song just for the name rape me. You can tell how sham they are. I believe everyone will rape if there are no law against it. For me, they song is meaning life is raping us, wasting our talent, changing us to a bad person we were not. Kurt said he is not the only one in the lyrics. He means everyone is raping by life and the unequal society. This song is so angry about that.
@haohan1371 best reply i have sawn on here(*justk 'seen' hehehehhe)
@haohan1371 THE FACKIN UNEQUAL SOCIETYY UuUuUuHHHHHHHHHH
@haohan1371 Just piss on everybody....this mught be the option.. each peson in every way out of the TWO ways
This song is actually about how the press wont leave Kurt alone and he feels like his privacy has been raped
Totally agreed.
Meh, it could be put that way I guess. But that's not the only thing. This song is about actual rape as well. Kurt himself once said that it's anti-rape, and that the protagonist is saying "Go ahead, rape me, beat me as much as you like, but you'll never get rid of me, cos I'm gonna rape you one day and you won't even know it."
wrong, this song is about how all of the new grunge bands who came out and were stealing nirvanas sound!so he's fells like hes being raped of his creation
i agree....its most probably bout the way the press just took every aspect of his personal and made it news.he didnt have any privacy.fr a man who didnt like all the attention.it felt like being raped.and the anti rape song u r talkin bout is mostly polly not this one .listen to the lyrics of polly.
@beatlesrule Soundgarden was around before Nirvana.
was that a fucking alice in chains reference? XD
@higginite22 Kurt himself said in many interviews thar this song has nothing to do with the press, critics or paparazzi! It is about what the top comment stated, about giving power to women who have gone through this!
its about being depressed and how sometimes when people are depressed they dont care what people do to them, or how they feel like they're being used when they're depressed
Good theory.
Sounds like it's about being in a toxic relationship. Yep.