rating Lovejoy songs based on how aspec they are
(disclamer: a lot (most) of these are a stretch. but nothing is more powerful than an aroace who wants representation.)
Are You Alright?
Taunt: off to a bad start- the only remotely-aspec-if-you-squint line is 'did anybody ever say no to you?' which implies that the singer is rejecting the subject of the song. why? aromanticism or asexuality, maybe. along with the general theme of running away in this song, although that's also a reach. 1.5/10.
One Day: again, not much. the song is about the singer's romantic partner not being good for him, which is a pretty common topic for a song. the idea of wanting to be in a relationship despite it not being good can apply to aspec people, but overall this song doesn't give much. 1/10
Sex Sells: now we're getting somewhere! I see this song as a story that 'call me what you like' and 'it's all futile! it's all pointless!' are also about: an asexual alloromantic and allosexual aromantic trying to make a relationship work. in this song, it's obvious that the singer and the subject want different things from the relationship- the more relevant of this song is that the subject prioritizes sex, which the narrator does not want. pretty aspec! 7/10
Cause for Concern: honestly, this song's got nothing. a banger, but not aspec. 0/10
Pebble Brain
Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?: definitely less to go on, but I hear this song as the singer helping his friend to break up with her boyfriend by implying they have the beginning of a relationship. maybe a sort of prequel to the 'sex sells' story. 4/10
Model Buses: the lines 'you're just scared/you're just scared of the future' is often something paraphrased by aphobes, invalidating their orientation by saying things like 'you're afraid of growing up' and 'you're afraid of commitment'. pretty aspec, but it is only a couple of lines that probably weren't intended to be read this way. 3/10
Concrete: not much of anything. 0/10
Perfume: that's what I'm fucking talking about. 'seems like all her friends/abruptly fell in love/and she was in the dust/darling, life was streaming past/so she learned to lie/she learned how to pretend/a drama in the futile/a means to an end'. it's aro! it's aro. to quote the writer of the song, 'you aromantics need to read my lyrics! listen to it's all futile! it's all pointless! and figure out what it's about. and perfume.' super aro, however it's only half a verse. 8/10!
You'll Understand When You're Older: same deal as 'model buses'. a lot of aspec people, particularly teens, are invalidated by being told that they are late bloomers. 3/10
The Fall: love this song, there's nothing aspec though. 0/10
It's All Futile! It's All Pointless!: aro. it's SO aro. see the quote above about perfume and iafiap. also, an entire verse explicitly about not being in love! subject is almost definitely alloaro. and general themes of doing what society tells you, despite you being unhappy with it. 11/10, aro anthem.
Wake Up & It's Over
Portrait of a Blank Slate: not super aspec. however, 'how do you all make it look so easy?/open your hearts up so quickly, it scares me' sounds arospec to me! 4/10
Call Me What You Like: this is the last song of the story that starts with 'sex sells'. some especially aspec lines include 'you could kiss the skin from my lips if it makes you feel good/not sure if you want it, not sure if you need me, too'. the first line implies that the narrator is indifferent towards sex and/or romance, and engages in it only if his partner wants to. in the second line, he wonders if his partner values him in the relationship. 'I'm not made for you/but what else is new?/oh lord, she tells me that it's nothing/I really hope it's nothing' to me references the narrator and the subject experimenting to figure themselves out- 'what else' could be new is romantic feelings. the narrator hopes there aren't any. 6/10
Consequences: One of my favorites, but there's not much here. Maybe 'I wish I tried more/wish I tried more/wish I tried' in reference to a romantic relationship, which some aro people can relate to by thinking that if they had 'tried harder' to be in love, the relationship would have worked. Kind of a stretch, though. 1.5/10
Warsaw: at first glance, there's not much but if we look closer... the subject is unhappy in her current relationship, (a common theme in Lovejoy's songs) and is sleeping with strangers, which is the same situation as 'call me what you like' and by extent iafiap, in which the subject is likely alloaro. 'the place that she got her first kiss is now a vaccination clinic' also supports that the subject of this song is the same as the one in iafiap, cmwyl, and sex sells- same meaning as 'what was your thought when you realized you'd never feel naïve love again?'. (I know I said cmwyl was the last in the story- I feel like this isn't solid enough to definitely be a part of it). my argument's a bit weak. 5/10
Scum: 'no matter how much you think you love him/you'll still flinch when his blood pool touches you.' can't figure out how to explain this one, but you get it. 'maybe he'll be jesus/maybe he'll be jesus this time.' 'jesus' in these lines might mean The One- maybe this person will be the one, maybe this relationship will be the one. I'd group this song in with model buses and you'll understand when you're older, just a couple one-off lines. 3/10
It's Golden Hour Somewhere: 'they'll tell you this is normal/they'll tell you this is love/I'm not sure if the stuff I want is even worth the price it comes'. again, can't describe it, just seems aspec. 2/10
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Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?
Wilbur was fiddling with his phone next to Yn as she sat in the backseat of his car. "Wil?" Yn inquired as she cast a quick peek at the much taller man. "Yeah Yn?" as he spoke and turned to face the girl, Yn bit the inside of her cheek.
“I erm..." Yn was unsure of how to tell her closest friend that she had feelings for him and no longer liked her boyfriend. When Yn's e/c eyes met the man's brown ones, they seemed to soften. Yn abruptly pulled away after leaning in to kiss Wilbur and apologised. Before a hand could wrap around Yn's wrist, she turned and opened the car door. "Oh, Yn, don't cry" Wilbur said as tears blurred Yn's vision. Yn sobbed and raised her arm to dry her eyes.
"So you like me, huh?" Wilbur asked as he encircled the smaller with his arms. "What about your boyfriend," he asked, as Yn blushed and nodded against Wilbur's chest.
---
Wilbur's voice sounded from behind Yn as she sat across from her boyfriend toying with her teal party dress (pic at bottom) and biting her lip, "hey sorry I was setting up the guys." She turned and smiled up at him, "looking good shorty," Wilbur added before nodding at Andrew who glared at Wilbur.
Wilbur took a seat and drank some water before giving Yn a sweet smile. Yn and Wilbur spoke for what felt like hours before he and his band were called up. Andrew glared at Yn as she side-eyed him and shrugged, "I invited you to watch Wilbur and his band not a date," Yn said clicking her tongue.
"Hey guys, we have something interesting planned for tonight. Can I get a spotlight on table 3?" Wilbur said as he repaired the microphone and grinned at the audience. As the light touched her table, Yn flushed. "This song is dedicated to the handsome gentlemen seated with the pretty girl," Wilbur added, a sneer creeping across his lips as Andrew scowled down at the table and muttered something.
The band began playing.
" You got the same eyes as your father
And you carry the same kind of temper too
But what a shame for the people of the community "
Sang Wilbur. Glancing at her boyfriend or soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, Yn giggled.
“ Favorite things, fight and a lager
Name a better way to spin out a jar or two
He's a model citizen through and through, you know
But I quite like your girlfriend
How the fuck did she end up with you
You know we talk about all the dumb shit you do
In the back room of the bar
In the back seat of my car
I'm the ending, she's the start “
Yn looked to Andrew as she felt eyes penetrating the side of her face before standing up and approaching the stage while smiling brightly.
“ Well, now, now, you need to calm down
What good's this energy (no good!)
When you devote it do me?
Why not be a little bit more friendly?
Now, now, you need to calm down
Does she still think of me?
Say my name in her sleep?
I thought you knew her better than me”
Wilbur glanced down at Yn and then at an irate Andrew as Yn started to dance.
“You don't give me that face
You know that the chase is through
And, well, she's still running away from you
You got the same eyes as your father
And you carry the same kind of temper too
And then she told me that she fucking hates you
Now, now, you need to calm down
What good's this energy (no good!)
When you devote it to me?
Why not be a little more friendly?
Now, now, you need to calm down
Does she still think of me?
Say my name in her sleep?
I thought you knew her better than me
(Woo!)
(Yeah!)
I thought you knew her better than me
(Woo!)
Well, now, now, you need to calm down
What good's this energy
When you devote it to me?
Why not be a little more friendly?
Now, now, you need to calm down
What good's this energy (so good!)
When you devote it to me?
Why not be a little more friendly?
Now, now, you need to calm down
Does she still think of me?
Say my name in her sleep?
I thought you knew her better than me....”
Yn clapped as loudly as she could before sprinting up the stage's stairs. Wilbur lifted Yn over his shoulder and twirled her before lowering her and drawing her in for a kiss. Both ignoring Andrew stomping off into the distance
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