Angry Johnny

I'm sure that she wants to kill "Johnny." But ask "Why?" Usually females don't go off the deep end like this unless someone has hurt them beyond belief. I think that rape was involved because it truly is a tragic and criminal act for women. First, she says "this is jezebel in hell" and if I remember correctly jezebel is the queen (or something) in the underworld, meaning that she is evil and in her own hell. And I think the lyric "where has your pleasure gone" goes to show that the forced intercoarse was short lived. I think that "Johnny" would have gotten what he deserved if I am right.

Actually, Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab of Israel. She betrayed him and their religion (Judaism) by introducing the worship of Baal. She was thrown out of a window to her death and dogs ate most of her body. Becuase of her actions, she has since been considered wicked and evil.
Aside from that, I think that NSearchOfTruth has the right idea, about the reason behind the song being rape. She calls him Angry Johnny; rape is a crime of anger. Also, as NSearchOfTruth said, where has your pleasure gone, points out that the tables were turned. Sometimes, in cases of abuse (of any kind), the victim will turn into the abuser, especially if the original offender is somehow weakened or vulnerable. Her anger thus becomes a mirror of his previous actions.

I agree with dealupa. Whenever I hear this song, I imagine a girl sort of stalking down her abuser and hurting him.

Having seen the video, I would suggest that this song is about the desire to quiet the "angry" aspects of a lover's personality. Jezebel advocated hedonism, and I interpret the song as saying hang-ups are preventing the mortal Johnny from enjoying himself. The "dark angel" who is singing the song (Live...from Hell!) wants to unblock him. The song uses death as a metaphor for release--sexual ("blow you") or otherwise--to allow Johnny the freedoms she has. Yet there is an implied selfishness to it; she wants him to forget the things that are tying up his emotions so she can possess him. It seems a little like the predicament of John the Savage from Brave New World...to be with his siren, he must forego human nature and surrender to being somewhat mechanical.

anger, rage... well, men can sometimes be stupid and insensitive.. obviously, her pain is too much to bear, it's some kind of outlet.

Listen deltafox, a woman who has been raped can feel like a jezabel (aka whore) and be in her own little hell without "liking it deep down inside." I would presume the majority of raped women feel that way at some point. And insinuating that a raped woman liked or wanted it is like a kick to the throat. That is the very meaning of rape: UNWANTED forced sex.

This song is about her brothers book. Its about a Johnny in her book and the book has a lot of double meanings also. It may have been published in 2000. But the book had been around prior to that. In fact it was born the week her dad died. But to get a deeper value to this song and the album in whole I suggest reading The House Leaves.

Q:Inspired by Poe's childhood and the death of her father. She lived on her own after her parents divorced when she was 16, and her father died a few years later. truth to the song and the book

Not that she's particularly happy with Johnny here, but the "killing" she's talking about is something ultimately for his own good, at least in her mind. This has high accuracy to the meaning and the book.

Yes, you're right about how Johnny is the name of somone in House of Leaves. However, this CD was released in 1995, House of Leaves: 2000. I remember reading a quote from Poe that said she often (and her brother too) uses the name "Johnny" because it's a name for the "every man." It's generic, and that's why she and Mark use it. "Johnny" could be anyone.

This is the best pissed-off chick song in the world!

I really like this song...this was the first Poe song I listened to, and I went out and bought the CDs lol. I always thought it was a definately a song about a victim of rape or abuse. Also...in another song of Poe's didn't she use the lines, "Johnny dear, don't be afraid, I will keep your secret safe." ?