Single Saturdays: April 1st, 2023
Single Saturdays is Five Cent Sound’s new weekly roundup, where our staff members share a song that they’ve fallen in love with and make their case for why others should give it a listen.
“I’m straight” - the modern lovers
Sadie Swayze
The underground rock scene would be nothing without Boston’s The Modern Lovers. Jonathan Richmond has a fruitful solo career, but before his solo fame, he fronted this 70s-80s art-punk band. The group’s Bostonian heritage is evident in many of their lyrics, as they reference places around Boston such as Boylston and the MFA that make any Bostonian native—or transplant—feel seen. Richmond’s strung-out, groovy sing-talking gives the group’s discography and this song, in particular, an endearingly flippant tone. It’s sort of a strange ballad that reminds me of a similar kind of melodic storytelling done in Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al” in the stream-of-consciousness, off-the-cuff/speaking from-the-heart sort of way.
The song is a voicemail about ‘Hippie Johnny’ (or ‘Hippie Ernie’ depending on which version you are listening to) that is left on the answering machine of a friend of the ‘narrator’ who he clearly wants to be more than friends with. He repeats nearly twenty times “I’m straight” in an attempt to convince her that Hippie Johnny isn’t worth her time and that she deserves someone who can “take this place and take it straight”.
Now, this is confusing to some. For example, my friend thought he was literally trying to convince this girl that he was straight in terms of his sexual orientation. When Richmond sings that he’s straight, this is in contrast to Hippie Jonny who is stoned. A word that could follow straight in this instance would be “edge”; Straight Edge is a subset of Punk that is populated by people who do not drink, do any drugs or engage in casual sex. It pokes fun at straight edge and the people who maintain that lifestyle in a morally superior sort of way. The idea is that they don’t need these pleasures to have a good time; Hippie Johnny and all these other boyfriends aren’t good enough for her like the narrator seems to think he is.
At its core, this song is for those who have ever taken a leap of faith and confessed their feelings to their crush. Anyone who has ever said you should be with me and not with them.The awkwardness and repeated yelling encapsulate what it feels like to confess your feelings to someone. Richmond himself has described the song as that moment when you call up a girl because you think she’s being a fool (by dating this hippie loser), you get nervous and you fumble the bag (obviously Jonathan Richmond did not say “fumble the bag”). This is probably what it feels like for a Suffolk Law student to find out their crush is dating an Emerson student.
“DOGTOOTH” - Tyler, the creator
Kathia dawson
Tyler, the Creator’s latest single “DOGTOOTH” is the simp track you’re looking for.
This song was released alongside a cinematic music video directed by Tyler himself that likens to Wes Anderson’s vibrancy. The song shouts out to his friends, calling out some characters he’s come across—and most of all simps hard for women all in a groovy and authentic tone.
Tyler starts the song with: “She could ride my face, I don't want nothin' in return / Her body count and who she fuck ain't never my concern (I think it's weird)”. What makes this song—and Tyler—stand apart from other Hip-Hop and Rap artists is his perspective toward women.
Historically Rap music’s lyrics typically sexualize women or refer to them in a derogatory way. In an industry dominated by men, it is important to voice non-misogynistic viewpoints, especially by someone respected by so many men (and boys). Tyler’s latest single was a teaser for his new album, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale. This album has all his unreleased music with features from Little Wayne, Brent Faiyaz, Vince Staples and more from his previous album CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST.