The lyrics to this song is profoundly disturbing.

[Elizabeth in MN]

Sorry to be late to this little salon on DV, but I only got to hear the song and pay attention to the lyrics today.

 

Ohh double yes, head nod. I was in a very abusive relationship before I met my husband. I totally identify with the lyrics and it's a salve to hear them. It's OK to look back (or at the first time) to those things and see how healthy I am now. If people identify with them and see themselves in there-it's a wakeup call. It's not self indulgent, it's not an emotion addiction. I would suggest that people have a lot of waking up to do and that song is not the tip of the iceberg. I would posit that people run with their emotions on *dead* and as such are not horrified and want to work harder to make the world more peaceful when they watch the news. I would say that watching violence has numbed us to the point where people will walk down the street and watch a man die in front of them and not stop to help. I think we need a flipping HUGE emotional wake up. So if that song gives people the space enough to safely touch the subject? He's done his job as an artist.

 

Can I give an AMEN to this? YES, I totally agree with everything you said. Today I was listening to this on the way back from college where I have been intensely studying poetry. The study reminded me that I like Eminem's poetry and how much it has to say about inner-city reality and the post-modern society we live in now. I bought the album and am very happy to have done so. The over all theme of Recovery (the title of the album) and moving on from different forms of addiction is amazing.

 

As for this song, it's a duet - much like a DV relationship. It takes two to make this dynamic, and the part the abused has often gets ignored and that can make healing harder. People in general focus on the evil the person who does the hitting is, and pity the abused. This can be what makes the healing harder because what do we victims do with the fact we hit back in self-defense?

 

If you look at the video it is the woman who throws the first punch. Is she the victim or the perpetrator? Later on the man in the video punches the woman, so what about him? Was it self defense, or did the woman set the tone since she was the first to act violently? Who says the video is even in chronological order?

 

For me, I praise God that this song has been put out there for people to talk about and view and think over. If one person learns how a DV relationship starts, or hears this and thinks "Oh God, that's me and I need out" then Eminem and Rhianna have done an amazing service. Just one deep conversation and, to me, the drama around the song was all worth it.

 

Count me as another person who was healed by this song. Today I do a dance of joy.

[Slartibartfast]

I think there are a lot of songs that are very disturbing but appeal to people when the newer, equally disturbing songs do not.

 

Has anyone heard The Police talk about "Every Breath You Take?" It is supposed to be disturbing but apparently some find it romantic....play it at their wedding. That bugged them. :lol:

 

 

I did think the video in question was excellent. It was really well done.

 

The purpose of many rap artists is to tell a story. That is not always from the viewpoint of a good person.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Sis

[Mrs Mungo]

I think there are a lot of songs that are very disturbing but appeal to people when the newer, equally disturbing songs do not.

 

Has anyone heard The Police talk about "Every Breath You Take?" It is supposed to be disturbing but apparently some find it romantic....play it at their wedding. That bugged them. :lol:

 

 

I did think the video in question was excellent. It was really well done.

 

The purpose of many rap artists is to tell a story. That is not always from the viewpoint of a good person.

 

Some of the people who don't like this song are probably some of the same people who hated Catcher in the Rye and Lolita. Some people don't want to get into the bad guy's head. That's okay for them, I guess. I think it's a little naive and sets you up for not realizing that not every bad guy *looks* like a bad guy or thinks he's a bad guy.

[KidsHappen]

I think there are a lot of songs that are very disturbing but appeal to people when the newer, equally disturbing songs do not.

 

Has anyone heard The Police talk about "Every Breath You Take?" It is supposed to be disturbing but apparently some find it romantic....play it at their wedding. That bugged them. :lol:

 

 

I did think the video in question was excellent. It was really well done.

 

The purpose of many rap artists is to tell a story. That is not always from the viewpoint of a good person.

 

Yes, I call this the stalker song and it amazes me how many people listen to it and have no idea what it says. I think that I may pay more attention to the lyrics than many people do because I am always looking for the meaning of things.

[Tea Time]

Some people who like this song probably also like movies like Silence of the Lamb or books like Crime and Punishment. They enjoy getting into the bad guy's head. That is okay for them, I guess. But I think it is a little naive to think that a lot of repetitious exposure to evil thoughts and images do not have the potential to affect you or your children negatively. (Sorry, Mrs. Mungo. I couldn't resist.)

 

It boils down to the motivations of the listener. It could be cathartic or obsessive, insightful or destructive.

 

I'm reminded of parable of the two wolves that live inside of us. Which one grows? The one we feed.