# Does Robyn even understand her song "Call Your Girlfriend"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898 "2011-12-12T12:53:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/41 "2011-12-13T09:43:37Z")
Ah I think it’s clear enough she does understand what she’s singing. The style mightn’t be what you’re used to but hey, it’s distinctive enough that she’s getting airplay and sales. I quite like the song. It reminds me of somewhere between Eurythmics and some of Madonna’s clubbier numbers. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/42 "2011-12-13T10:18:15Z")
Regardless of the merits of the song, that video is awful. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/43 "2011-12-13T11:14:14Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > The OP is right! > > It wasn’t until I viewed [this fine cover version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQoCEvVL57E&ob=av2n) that I felt the post-agricultural melange of northerwestern Europe had been adequately rendered in the work. Indeed, the discerning critic must henceforth consider syncopated drumming onto plastic food tubs the perfect medium for this particular message. Hm, perhaps. However, with the context of the film itself, I felt the black and white tone gave a nod to _Citizen Kane_, while the camera work reminded me of _My Dinner With Andre_\*. The center black-haired girl is clearly Death, harkening back to Bergman, and the empty butter tubs specify death by famine. \*Since this is a thread with no concept of looking things up, I should specify that it was not my own particular dinner with Andre - I think I might have had a beer at a party with a guy named Andre once - but rather a film. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/44 "2011-12-13T11:39:28Z")
I’ve been listening to Robyn since _Robyn is Here_, which dropped in 1997. She’s no newbie. I’m not much into pop stuff, but I like her stuff. For some reason I like Pink, too. As far as _Call Your Girlfriend_, she got the guy. Of course she’s happy. Her outfit is weird, but her outfits usually are. My guess is she rolled out of bed, showed up for the shoot, did one take - the “official video,” and went back to bed. Not bad for 5 minutes of work, and the crew didn’t work much longer. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/45 "2011-12-13T17:14:52Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Got a citation for the Abba thing? Steven Peikin told me - in 6th grade. Maybe he was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/46 "2011-12-13T20:02:17Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > It wasn’t until I viewed [this fine cover version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQoCEvVL57E&ob=av2n) that I felt the post-agricultural melange of northerwestern Europe had been adequately rendered in the work. Indeed, the discerning critic must henceforth consider syncopated drumming onto plastic food tubs the perfect medium for this particular message. I looked up the Robyn video on Youtube and didn’t really care for it. This cover though is really fantastic. I’m glad to see in the comments that they were recently signed somewhere and hope I remember to look for them in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/47 "2011-12-13T20:25:17Z")
All I know is I kept hearing the ads for SNL and thinking: “Robin - what about Batman?” ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/48 "2011-12-13T21:09:52Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > This was the first CS thread on the SDMB main page when I just now logged back in, and all I saw was “Does Robyn even understand…” My first thought was “Do I understand what?” 😕 > > Suffice it to say I’ve never heard of this Robyn. I may check her out, though. I like poppy Jazzercise stuff. No don’t. **bup** and the rather more informative **xenophon41** are right. Robyn’s version is all wrong, but [the margarine tub version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQoCEvVL57E&ob=av2n) is brilliant! Thanks **xenophon41**. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/49 "2011-12-13T21:12:27Z")
And what exactly is Erato? Google hints that it may be an artist. I don’t understand the margarine reference though. Is Erato also a type of margerine in Europe? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/50 "2011-12-13T21:15:55Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I think she understands the lyrics quite fine but has a certain “Scandinavian Meter and sensibility” to her singing style and rhyming in English that is really quite common in Germanic languages… sort of a musical “accent”. I am also reminded of Bjork in this aspect. > > Actually, I think the lyrics are quite piercing and fluent in the rather knowing and cliched language of the American “breakup”. > [@devilsknew](#): > > The incongruous nature of her dancing style and overall sense of fashion is just her shtick and “cobra stylee” as a singer and performance artist. Ironic, yet earnest in a late 90’s, very European Disco and Rave, distinctly Squarehead way. > [@devilsknew](#): > > Definitely a better sense of club kid style and savoir faire than those Jersey shore idgits. I watch them dance on that Jersey shore and wonder WTF? That’s some shitty dancing right there compared to her club style. Europeans dance better compared to those fist pumpin fools, hell, even i got more ryhthm than those Lasagnas. > [@devilsknew](#): > > For lack of a better term, and her strongly, American influenced, style, I would call it “Scandie Hip Hop”. She brings her Euro Nativity to the American Market. Really, some of the most assimilated modern European music compared to some other musical styles. She got the American audience in mind rather consciously/ > [@devilsknew](#): > > It’s shit white people like. Careful. One more consecutive post and you’re officially in Crazytown. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/51 "2011-12-13T21:18:01Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > And what exactly is Erato? Google hints that it may be an artist. I don’t understand the margarine reference though. Is Erato also a type of margerine in Europe? Jesus Christ, man. I Googled “Erato margarine” and found references (aside from this thread) to the band using margarine tubs as instruments. The internet’s not that difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/52 "2011-12-13T21:39:58Z")
Ok, so Call Your Girlfriend is Robyn doing a cover of a margarine tub playing band name Erato. I’ll be checking that one out soon. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/53 "2011-12-13T21:47:16Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > And what exactly is Erato? Google hints that it may be an artist. I don’t understand the margarine reference though. Is Erato also a type of margerine in Europe? [Watch the video!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQoCEvVL57E&ob=av2n) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/54 "2011-12-13T22:11:10Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Ok, so Call Your Girlfriend is Robyn doing a cover of a margarine tub playing band name Erato. > > I’ll be checking that one out soon. The whole “fighting ignorance” thing just isn’t your scene, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/55 "2011-12-13T22:17:43Z")
> [@bup](#): > > The whole “fighting ignorance” thing just isn’t your scene, is it? Hey. I watched the video. Whole thing even. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/56 "2011-12-13T22:45:19Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > No don’t. **bup** and the rather more informative **xenophon41** are right. Robyn’s version is all wrong, but [the margarine tub version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQoCEvVL57E&ob=av2n) is brilliant! Thanks **xenophon41**. Call it self inflicted Poe’s Law, but I really wasn’t serious about my criticism of Robyn (the singer, not **MsRobyn** the SDMB member whom I’d never criticize for her song or dance stylings). I think the video was just _meh_, but there’s nothing wrong with that type of video for the type of song this is. And it’s a fairly decent pop song. I do prefer the cover, though I think it shows the strength of the original composition. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/57 "2011-12-13T23:15:45Z")
Just to clear up one small point that seems to keep coming up in this thread, 99% of Swedish people speak English fluently. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/58 "2011-12-13T23:50:11Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > Just to clear up one small point that seems to keep coming up in this thread, 99% of Swedish people speak English fluently. Up to a certain age they do. Over fifty or so and it is pretty hit and miss. Robyn, of course, is somewhat younger than fifty though. I actually saw Robyn in a café near Fridhemsplan once. My girlfriend of the time was almost dying of excitement. I hadn’t a clue who she was. I mean it was 2002 or so. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/59 "2011-12-14T00:00:18Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Steven Peikin told me - in 6th grade. Maybe he was wrong. Steven also said his dad was in the Marines, but I saw his dad driving a delivery truck for Krogers. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898/60 "2011-12-14T00:22:56Z")
> [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](#): > > I like Robyn. I don’t know why, I just do. Me too. But I do know why: “Love Kills” rocks. **Bup** , are you similarly confused by Ben Folds Five’s “Song For The Dumped”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-robyn-even-understand-her-song-call-your-girlfriend/605898.md?page=4)