Björk – Possibly Maybe

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  My Interpretation:I think lyrics like this have the wonderful ability to be interpreted as something completely different by just about anyone who happens to stumble across them.
  
  I don't think it's wrong to have a different interpretation, honestly that makes it more interesting. If things were so black and white, and this song was purely about sex, it would seem rather dull to me.
  
  However, this song is everything but dull. It's melancholy, and angry, and happy, and maybe a bit passive aggressive. I like that. It found away to carry meaning into my life, and that's the type of lyrics I like best.
  
  For me, in my own experiences, I happen to interpret her lyrics as her describing the difficulties of a relationship where nothing ever stays the same:
  
  Your flirt finds me out
  Teases the crack in me
  Smittens me with hope
  (For me, these lyrics seem to signify how the person is breaking down her walls, the barriers that keep her from truly falling for him. "Smittens me with hope" kind of pulls me in here, as she is describing how she can finally hope for this relationship as one that will last.)
  
  Possibly maybe probably love (Once again, being coy and perhaps discovering her own feelings as something that is "possibly maybe" growing into love)
  
  As much as I definitely enjoy solitude
  I wouldn't mind perhaps
  Spending little time with you
  Sometimes
  Sometimes
  (The principle character of this story is a woman that clearly has her walls up, she doesn't let people in easily, but as much as she enjoys being a loner, she is willing to let him inside her world)
  
  Uncertainty excites me
  Baby
  Who knows what's going to happen?
  Lottery or car crash
  Or you'll join a cult
  (Now it's sort of becoming a bit passive aggressive in terms of how the relationship is going. She can't clearly tell his feelings, and the uncertainty feels like she might either get to experience true, unadulterated love or the blowing crush of a break up.)
  
  Mon petit vulcan
  You're eruptions and disasters
  I keep calm
  Admiring the lava
  I keep calm
  (My little volcano, a term of endearment for her hot-tempered lover. He seems to be swaying from extreme passion to perhaps even abuse, yet her feelings remain calm and her love is still unshaken. This could also be interpreted as her dealing with someone who is too confused to settle down with her completely, yet she is willing to persevere and keep to her original convictions.)
  
  Electric shocks?
  I love them!
  With you dozen a day
  But after a while I wonder
  Where's that love you promised me?
  (This is where I begin to see the sexual aspects of the song in its entirety, perhaps without any restraint on the part of Bjork to showcase it. However, I can still interpret them as the heroine struggling to come to terms with her lover's almost bipolar tendencies in the relationship. Where he had promised all of this love, but all she gets is the feeling of uncertainty. Electric shocks seem like it would be surprising, haha.)
  
  How can you offer me love like that?
  My heart's burned
  How can you offer mer love like that?
  I'm exhaused
  Leave me alone
  (I think I've explained this well enough. She feels burned by his indecision to promise her love, yet never come through with his promise. She's exhausted by this cycle.)
  
  Since we broke up
  I'm using lipstick again
  I'll suck my tongue
  As a remembrance of you...
  (After the bad relationship, she still finds it in her heart to continue to treasure what he gave her, albeit, it was shaky most of the time. A good person never holds grudges.)

  Flag Rapefaceon January 07, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I agree that the lyrics are a sort of narration of a relationship.. And I also agree that the meaning of some of the lyrics is double - both sexual and non-sexual, ie. relationship in general.. For example, the "mon petit vulcan" is an obvious sexual reference, but it can also alude just to general angry "outbursts" of a person..
  
  The thing I love most about this song is the transition towards the end, the way it switches the whole mood of the song - in accordance to the lyrics (the break up)

  Flag thejureon May 11, 2011   Link

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  My Interpretation:It's not just about sex or a bad relationship, it narrates a whole relationship, since the beggining to the end.
  
  Your flirt finds me out
  Teases the crack in me
  Smittens me with hope
  
  [The beggining of the relationship: His flirt teases the lack of love in her, it gives her hope for a new love]
  
  Possibly maybe probably love
  
  
  As much as I definitely enjoy solitude
  I wouldn't mind perhaps
  Spending little time with you
  Sometimes
  Sometimes
  
  [She kind of like lonelyness but she is now interested in having a little time with him]
  
  
  Possibly maybe probably love
  
  Uncertainty excites me
  Baby
  Who knows what's going to happen?
  Lottery or car crash
  Or you'll join a cult
  
  [She decides to start the relationship, it could be something good or maybe not, who knows, it's exciting for her]
  
  Probably maybe possibly love
  
  Mon petit vulcan
  You're eruptions and disasters
  I keep calm
  Admiring the lava
  I keep calm
  
  [There's sex in the relationship now, she alludes to his orgasm]
  
  Possibly maybe probably love
  
  Electric shocks?
  I love them!
  With you dozen a day
  But after a while I wonder
  Where's that love you promised me?
  
  [Ok, now there's a lot of sex, but something is missing: love]
  
  Possibly maybe probably love
  
  How can you offer me love like that?
  My heart's burned
  How can you offer mer love like that?
  I'm exhaused
  Leave me alone
  
  [He offers her love, but it's too late, she's already tired of the relationship, she can take it anymore]
  
  Possibly maybe probably love
  
  Since we broke up
  I'm using lipstick again
  I'll suck my tongue
  As a remembrance of you...
  
  [The end: the relationship is ended but she still thinks about him sometimes]

  Flag cultheroon December 17, 2010   Link

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    nailed it.

    Flag drds89on December 11, 2012  
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  General Comment:Breaking up leaves uncertainty in a relationship.

  Flag ferrariguy90on August 11, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:This song is about her breakup and Stephane.
  Its amazing how they managed to shoot this video together, although they had broke up.
  Emotional.

  Flag redtigerlilyon June 26, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Yes, there are sexual overtones in this song, but to me it's more about a girl who is infatuated with a boy. He teases her and suggests that he too might be interested. The relationship progresses very slowly and there's a deep connection, but he doesn't love her as much as she does him. They break up and she's still very enamored of him, though acts like she doesn't anything to do with him. A defense mechanism.

  Flag IWasWrongon May 06, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:let me tell you~~
  cause that is exactly how i feel~
  
  there was guy showed up all of a sudden,and you was thinking to let him into your life.but
  still,you were choosing your life between him.cause you still wanna take control
  
  but slowly,you become desperatly in love with this guy,and you lose verything. you feel like heaven on earth every second you were with him.and it was like never before.
  he was just sooooo great.
  
  as things develop,he turned out to be liar fucking liar. you started to realize that you were smiitten by his words,his skillful touching,warm wet kiss on the ears.
  
  abusoltly a lust,love~and
  he is gone before you realize everything is gone.
  

  Flag suede111on January 21, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:I agree with DoveLuv, but the song is about Stéphane Sednaoui, one of Bjork's old boyfriends who is a director/photographer. He even directed the music video for this song as well

  Flag RIDAL(aur)INon July 30, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:i think it's definitely a case of, this guy promised her more. he will give her 'electric shocks', 'eruptions' (so metaphor for exciting, casual sex), but not the love he promised her. he will have a fling with her, but not a full on relationship, he will not love her, when she loves him, and so she must leave.

  Flag missmeon February 27, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:i love the first paragraph, because he teased her or had sex, she has hope for more. Its so sad, but its true, thats what happens sometimes when people have sex. One will expect more and the other will move on to the next victim

  Flag morikahjoon February 07, 2008   Link

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