The Knife – Full Of Fire

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  My Interpretation:I'm basing my interpretation on both the short film released as the official video for this song and the lyrics. I just watched the film, and found it really interesting, if maybe a little predictable. Makes me think of early 'nineties identity politics theory, and queer theory. Having been immersed in this theory back then, the video feels like a throwback to that period of passionate "New Queer Cinema" but still seems fresh and edgy today, which shows how slowly power is wrested from those who wield it. Maybe that's the point? To draw attention to the scary rise of right-wing conservative reactionary politics, maybe even more overt in Sweden than N. America. There's some comment on representation, who gets to write the story? What is opinion, your view, your story, and what is his-story? The guys, the signori ("sirs" or "senior" homophonically, superiors) vs. the queers, the freaks, whose desire is outside the mainstream, challenging gender-bound power. Our fantasy lives, our identities, our stories, who we think we are intersect private and public spaces. The lady in red who can't pee on the street like a man, so squats down in a kind of occupy the gutter action, bringing attention to herself from passerby, by defying taboos against women's bodily needs expressed in public spaces (urination, breast-feeding, menstruation). The elderly woman cross-dressing as a man, and fantasizing about a beautiful woman in pearls. Just a stroll in the city, but politicized because of what is going on in her heart and head, her screaming in frustration, rage. The child who sees the injustice that her parents do not see, the sadness and rage of the working class, the maid's private rebellion of breaking the wine glasses, the delicate objects of the rich. Only the little girl sees the aftermath of her tempest in a teacup. The power switch where the policewoman yelling at the protester turns into a pick-up scene and they walk off smiling, the protester in kinky handcuffs. In a sentence: our desires are political. Maybe it's a good time to be reminded of that so we can connect with the fire within that motivates societal change.

  Flag chellspeckeron April 03, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:I'm also not convinced about "All the guys and the signori". I'm not sure (perhaps naively?) what this means? Signori is according to Google an Italian courtesy title for men? Perhaps like Sir?
  
  It got me thinking it might make more sense if it was "Guys and señoras"?
  
  Also interesting is that maybe the word could be Senoren, a place in Sweden, which according to Wikipedia has a naval base.

  Flag jonathangoon February 06, 2013   Link

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    I thought that 'Signori' referred to the Vatican and Church, but now that I tried to look it up on google I don't immediately find something to back this up.
    Anyway, my interpretation then was about patriarch society and church telling 'false stories' (not per se that all men and religious people are bad/fraudulous, but just that the big stories are somewhat shaping our reality and making is blind to what doesn't fit in it). Kinda feminist, but then again this song IS feminist if you ask me, with all the gender references is the song and the music video

    Flag wardwashon March 30, 2013  
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  General Comment:Sounds way more link 'nerve ITCH' than nerve 'PINCH' to me?

  Flag jonathangoon February 06, 2013   Link

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    I just heard 'bitch' before i read 'pinch' here xD

    Flag wardwashon March 30, 2013  
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  General Comment:Just to clarify, the liberals mentioned here is most likely not the American left, but rather the Swedish Folkpartiet, which rather could be classified as a conservative libertarian party.
  
  This is also foreshadowed in the video which shows Karin and Olof paying a person to clean their home while they're away - a nowadays common thing in Sweden since a law called RUT-deduction came into motion, which allows rich people to get a hefty tax deduction on maid/house cleaning services.

  Flag Jantelagenon January 31, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:okay, i fixed up a few bits, it sounds like we'll have to wait for a lyric booklet to figure out the rest, given how distorted they are...

  Flag arighoston January 28, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:"Let's talk about gender BABY, let's talk about you and me"
  
  It's a reference/parody of the chorus of Let's Talk About Sex by Salt-N-Pepa

  Flag backseatjeon January 28, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:yeah "liberals giving me a nerve pinch" is almost definitely in there. also, the last lines are "let's talk about gender baby/let's talk about you and me." i'll edit that last one now.

  Flag arighoston January 28, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:Part of the lyrics sound like "liberals giving me a nerve pinch," but maybe that's where it was edited to say, "Wake me while I'm..."
  idk

  Flag Cobehnon January 27, 2013   Link

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