The Modern Lovers – I'm Straight

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Send "I'm Straight" Ringtone to Cell

I called this number three
times already today
But I, I got scared, I put it back in place
I put my phone back in place
I still don't know if I
should have called up
Look, just tell me why don't you
If I'm out of place
'Cause here's your chance to make me feel awkward
And wish that I
had never even called up this place

I saw you though today
walk by with hippie Johnny
I had to call up and say how I want to take his place
So this phone call today concerns
hippie Johnny
He's always stoned, he's never straight
I saw you today, you know, walk by with hippie Johnny
Look, I had to call up and say, I want to take his place
See he's stoned, hippie Johnny
Now get this, I'm straight
And I wanna take his place

Now look, I like him too, I like
hippie Johnny
But I'm straight
And I want to take his place
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm proud to say
Well I'm straight
And I wanna take his place

Now I've watched you walk around here
I've watched you meet
these new boyfriends, I know
And you tell how they're deep
Look but, if these guys, if they're really so great
tell me, why can't they at least take this place and take it straight?
Why always stoned, like hippie Johnny is?
I'm straight and I want to take his place
Oh I'm certainly not stoned, like hippie Johnny is
I'm straight and I want to take his place
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm
I'm straight and I want to take his place
All right you Modern Lovers what do you say?
(I'm straight!)
Tell the world now
(I'm straight!)
That's it
(I'm straight!)
Yeah I'm straight and I want to take his place



Send "I'm Straight" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by jessieagogo

Track duration: 04:18


I'm Straight song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • -1
    General Comment:I really interpreted this as being a song about homosexual prostitution. A "straight" guy calls up a hooker he's seen recently, and had a very awkward and defensive conversation.
    Flag J.J.on November 17, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:please please go out with weirdo me, because I'm not on drugs. isn't that a good enough reason for you? that guy's neat, I guess, but like, he does drugs, so date me.
    Flag eleventyon July 07, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Ok, maybe I'm out on the deep end with this one but...
    Does anyone feel like this song could possibly be a sort of multiple personality type thing? Like, Hippy Johnny is actually the person singing, at least, another side of him. Therefore, the person who's "Straight" is the other side of him, and this side wants to "take the place" of "Hippy Johnny."
    I dunno, just a theory.
    Flag tonyb983on March 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:one of the best albums ever made

    this song, ironically, is great to listened to while stoned/yayed out.
    Flag emanfenaon December 20, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:One comment! really, this is the greatest song, I actually keep it in my velvet underground playlist, b/c it reminds me so much of them. I could listen to this a million times
    Flag lingeronon November 25, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:yea, upthera44, I agree.
    Apparently Hippie Johnny refers to on-and-off Modern Lovers guitarist John Felice.
    This message still stands true today. My mates are all clever but hide behind the fake auspices of shitly-mixed drugs at parties.
    "I'm proud to say I'M STRAIGHT!" - must have been a controversial thing just after the '60s.
    Also, a lot of (citation needed) people in the UK think that this song refers to JR's sexual orientation. Ahh, the Atlantic...
    Flag Tortured_Artiston July 07, 2008   Link

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