While many people want to see a hidden drug meaning in the song, it's not there and a far stretch. It is about a calculating woman who uses sex as a weapon. And the song was not written by two men as a couple commenters said, it was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, both females, and originally recorded as a light jazz song by DeShannon on her 1975 album.
It is an homage to the femme fatale.
"She's precocious": As in outrageously brash and often used to describe a female sexually back in the day. Sexually precocious meant experienced and promiscuous.
"Tease you, unease, all the better just to please you.": To get want she wants.
"Make a pro blush": In the 70s and 80s calling a woman a Pro implied she was a sexual pro, meaning professional, as in the wold's oldest profession. Carnes is basically saying "She could make a hooker blush." Interesting fact, DeShannon's original lyric was "make a crow blush" which was a dated backwoods expression. It basically meant the same thing but without the sexual connotation. Carnes changed it in her recording.
"Pure as New York snow" has nothing to do with cocaine or meth. It is irony. New York snow, unlike in the country, is trampled on until it becomes sludge. Meaning, she is not pure at all.
@Endymion2013 BIG NEWS DESHANNON WROTE THE MUSIC NOT THE WORDS GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. DONNA WEISS WROTE THE LYRICS TO BETTE DAVIS EYES. JACKIE'S RECORDING IS OF THE CORRECT LYRIC "WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A PRO BLUSH" CROWS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SONG AS MANY IDIOTS HAVE MISTAKENLY BLATHERED.
@Endymion2013 BIG NEWS DESHANNON WROTE THE MUSIC NOT THE WORDS GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. DONNA WEISS WROTE THE LYRICS TO BETTE DAVIS EYES. JACKIE'S RECORDING IS OF THE CORRECT LYRIC "WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A PRO BLUSH" CROWS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SONG AS MANY IDIOTS HAVE MISTAKENLY BLATHERED.
@Endymion2013 The bit about New York snow also reminds me of the quip used by Mae West (though versions of it pre-existed her remark): "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."
@Endymion2013 The bit about New York snow also reminds me of the quip used by Mae West (though versions of it pre-existed her remark): "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."
While many people want to see a hidden drug meaning in the song, it's not there and a far stretch. It is about a calculating woman who uses sex as a weapon. And the song was not written by two men as a couple commenters said, it was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon, both females, and originally recorded as a light jazz song by DeShannon on her 1975 album.
It is an homage to the femme fatale.
"She's precocious": As in outrageously brash and often used to describe a female sexually back in the day. Sexually precocious meant experienced and promiscuous.
"Tease you, unease, all the better just to please you.": To get want she wants.
"Make a pro blush": In the 70s and 80s calling a woman a Pro implied she was a sexual pro, meaning professional, as in the wold's oldest profession. Carnes is basically saying "She could make a hooker blush." Interesting fact, DeShannon's original lyric was "make a crow blush" which was a dated backwoods expression. It basically meant the same thing but without the sexual connotation. Carnes changed it in her recording.
"Pure as New York snow" has nothing to do with cocaine or meth. It is irony. New York snow, unlike in the country, is trampled on until it becomes sludge. Meaning, she is not pure at all.
@Endymion2013
@Endymion2013
I was going to add a comment about the 'New York Snow' line but you nailed it.
I was going to add a comment about the 'New York Snow' line but you nailed it.
Definitely a reference to NY the city. The snow is grimy, grey and dirty and the line is pure sarcasm.
Definitely a reference to NY the city. The snow is grimy, grey and dirty and the line is pure sarcasm.
@Endymion2013 The correct line is "Make a Crow blush"...a common southern saying but it was misinterpreted for kim's cover of the song
@Endymion2013 The correct line is "Make a Crow blush"...a common southern saying but it was misinterpreted for kim's cover of the song
@Endymion2013 BIG NEWS DESHANNON WROTE THE MUSIC NOT THE WORDS GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. DONNA WEISS WROTE THE LYRICS TO BETTE DAVIS EYES. JACKIE'S RECORDING IS OF THE CORRECT LYRIC "WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A PRO BLUSH" CROWS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SONG AS MANY IDIOTS HAVE MISTAKENLY BLATHERED.
@Endymion2013 BIG NEWS DESHANNON WROTE THE MUSIC NOT THE WORDS GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. DONNA WEISS WROTE THE LYRICS TO BETTE DAVIS EYES. JACKIE'S RECORDING IS OF THE CORRECT LYRIC "WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A PRO BLUSH" CROWS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SONG AS MANY IDIOTS HAVE MISTAKENLY BLATHERED.
@Endymion2013 The bit about New York snow also reminds me of the quip used by Mae West (though versions of it pre-existed her remark): "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."
@Endymion2013 The bit about New York snow also reminds me of the quip used by Mae West (though versions of it pre-existed her remark): "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."