Things in songs, movies,etc.. that shocked you others missed

Cafe Society
1

INspired by the thread of obvious things that you noticed after a million times

What are some things in songs, movies, books, TV Shows, that you thought were painfully obvious, but so many others seemed to miss.

For me, it is Meat Loaf’s I’ll Do Anything for Love. He says repeatedly things he will not do, followed by I’ll do anything for love , but I won’t do that.

The thing he just expressly and he would not do, but so many are confused as to what “That” is.

So what things shocked you that so many people could not grasp is some creative work?

2

Yeah, I never understood how anyone could be like “He won’t do what??” who has even casually listened to the lyrics.

Probably right up with people confused by that song are people who listen to “You’re So Vain” and say “But it IS about him!” – That’s the whole point! Any normal decent person would be like “Heh, I’d hate to be that guy whoever he is” but this jerk hears it and is like “Aww, yeah. She’s singing about me!”

3

Sarajevo is where Gavrillo Princeps assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the cause for World War I.

The 1985 Winter Olympics were held in Sarajevo. A US television network had a logo of telescopic sight cross hairs, with “Set your sights on Sarajevo.”

I thought that was in bad taste to say the least.

4

Well, I’ve just read the lyrics again having never actually cared what “that” was in the past.

I could take it as: Anal (jokingly), Rape (if he wasn’t with her and, well, I dunno) and what I guessed it was probably about all these years: Murder.

However, the lyrics to me don’t bring much clarity to the issue. Could be cheating on her, but that wouldn’t make sense lyrically either…

5

a little from song. not enough for copyright issues, I hope

I’d never lie to you and that’s a fact… I’d do anything for love, but I won’t do that.

But I’ll never forgive myself if we don’t go all the way
Tonight… I’d do anything for love, but I won’t do that

But I’ll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life… I’d do anything for love, but I won’t do that

and so forth

6

ZZ Top songs. I remember hearing Pearl Necklace and kinda thinking “damn, that’s a heckuva topic* to have on the radio” - it got a lot of play. But most folks didn’t pay attention.

*you can use Urban Dictionary if you don’t know what sex act a Pearl Necklace is…

7

Huh? It’s all spelled out in the last exchange.

After she lists a bunch of stuff she’d want him to do, to each of which he replies to with “I can do that”, she sings:

I know the territory, I’ve been around
It’ll all turn to dust and we’ll all fall down
Sooner or later you’ll be screwing around

And he replies (to end the song),

I won’t do that,
No, I won’t do that
Anything for love
But I won’t do that

How is that unclear? He won’t screw around on her.

Which means he won’t sleep with other women behind her back. Not even one.

8

from here:

9

I like that it’s supposed to be super clear but we’ve got two different responses as to what “That” is.

10

Don’t know why my link didn’t work but it’s easy enough to find.

At that link they note that Meatloaf has even explained on stage what “that” is, per the description I posted.

11

Apologies that on reflection, while I was giving additional clarification to the meaning of the lyrics, my comment doesn’t really address your point.

12

In The Avengers, while he’s being interrogated by Black Widow, Loki calls her a “mewling quim.” By using an obscure, dated term that most U.S. viewers wouldn’t recognize, Joss Whedon got away with having him call her a:

whining cunt

13

ZZ Top were pretty good at that, yup. See also Tube Snake Boogie and La Grange.

14

[Boldness added for emphasis.]

I don’t think La Grange belongs on that list. Nearly everybody in Texas knew what the town was famous for when the song came out. It was also the subject of successful Broadway musical and movie starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton.

15

well there’s the wham/George Michael song that’s basically telling his trampy gf that he doesn’t want a threesome …

16

Even at that in the end, it is still not that clear.

So I sat and “suffered” it again on youtube. Weird sort of phantom of the opera vibe going on there.

Firstly on reading the lyrics that I did, there was no clear indication of who was singing, indeed I wasn’t even sure that there was anyone apart from Meatloaf singing in it. So the last bit is sung by the object of his affection.

So in the end, the conclusion still holds. Why?

“but”

If it was “And”, yeah, sure. Maybe but “but”. The usage indicates that she’s requesting him to do something and he’s refusing, it is too far. Maybe in the last verses the “but” isn’t used. “But” previously in the song there is a limit which he’s stating he will not do.

Maybe in the end, leaving her when they get old might be something he’s definitely unwilling to do.

But whatever she requested him to do, and he refuses, is unspecified…

17

Most of The Top’s songs are about deviant sexual practices.

18

I don’t know that that helps. The subject of the song may be very well aware that it’s not a positive portrayal of him, but the song is objectively about him. I don’t think it’s a symptom of vanity to recognize that.

It’s all quite meta.

19

I don’t doubt you on the former, but the latter wasn’t yet relevant – the song was released in 1973, five years before the Broadway musical, and nine years before the film.

So, to listeners outside of Texas, they may well not have realized the exact topic of the song.

20

Well so far I have no idea what “that” was nor what the fuck La Grande means.