Is Casanova ruined by a single word?

For general discussion of Pet Shop Boys topics.
Message
Author
User avatar
CroMagnon
Posts: 426
Joined: Wed 15 Mar 2006, 8:42 pm
Contact:

Is Casanova ruined by a single word?

#1 Post by CroMagnon »

I adore Fundamental; it's beautiful. But Casanovia in Hell is torturing me. I want to love it. I love the melody, the music, the arrangement. But I just can't get over the fact that the word "erection" is in there. An alarm rings in my head that says "no, no, that word should not be in a pop song, let alone a beautiful ballad like this!". (I almost wrote that it "sticks out like a sore thumb" there . . .)

Surely, Neil could have found another way to write it? Throughout the album he uses politiical contexts without actually spelling it out, and yet he can't do the same for male erectile dysfunction?

Am I alone here, an old (30-ish) prude who should just get over it?
Last edited by CroMagnon on Sun 30 Apr 2006, 2:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Love comes quickly, but is a catastrophe and a bourgeois construct etc.

User avatar
!
Posts: 2327
Joined: Mon 23 Jan 2006, 7:13 pm

#2 Post by ! »

Get over it! :) :roll: :wink:

Frequency
Posts: 664
Joined: Tue 12 Jul 2005, 1:32 am

#3 Post by Frequency »

Erm...well, no, not really. In fact I love the deflating string effect in the background when he sings 'he couldn't get an erection', its quite funny and perverse in typical PSB fashion. Lyrically, its one of the best songs on the album; quite an inspired idea for a song, really. One of my favourite songs off the album.

User avatar
minimal
Posts: 705
Joined: Fri 28 Apr 2006, 11:46 pm

#4 Post by minimal »

3/10

the worst track on fundamental.

m+

User avatar
¯ §ómèWhèr€ ¯
Posts: 116
Joined: Sat 26 Nov 2005, 11:54 am

#5 Post by ¯ §ómèWhèr€ ¯ »

minimal wrote:3/10

the worst track on fundamental.

m+
wow¡¡ :roll:

really?
for me the worst track on fundamental is Psychological 1/10 :lol: ,

CiH 8,5/10

one of the better songs of the album but not better than Integral :wink:

User avatar
Janet Street-Porter
Posts: 2530
Joined: Wed 14 Jan 2004, 12:32 am

#6 Post by Janet Street-Porter »

Now you know why they shelved The Stonk.

westendboy87

#7 Post by westendboy87 »

I'm the same way. The fact that he says the word "erection" really makes me cringe. I think it's still a great song though. It's also my screen name on AIM ;-)

User avatar
Flaffer
Posts: 3894
Joined: Wed 05 Nov 2003, 4:14 pm
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

#8 Post by Flaffer »

I've got a very rough demo recording of The Stonk, as one might have guessed it is a stompy number with crashing percussion. But by jiminy if you find buying a copy of Attitude/Casanova ... embarrasing imagine picking this record up.

"He turned away from his partner,
sensing a growing friction,
his eye suddenly caught,
a chap with the most stonking erection

It made him blush,
he felt a rush,
'cause he knew over there lay lurking
something that would put to shame even the 'erotic gherkin'

The rest of the track is instrumental although it does cry out for a catchy chantable chorus
Still waiting to hear the Adam Freeland, Manhattan Clique and Axwell mixes of Integral.

Eldritch
Posts: 4050
Joined: Wed 10 Dec 2003, 8:24 am

#9 Post by Eldritch »

westendboy87 wrote:It's also my screen name on AIM ;-)
"Erection",you mean?
Click click drone

User avatar
glennjridge
Posts: 8205
Joined: Sat 01 Nov 2003, 9:28 pm

#10 Post by glennjridge »

:lol: :lol: thats funny

but ,the erection(or lack thereof) is the key to the whole song lyrically.
sure he could have come up with another phrase to imply casanova couldnt get it up, but if anything thats egghead literary neil for you that he used such a clinical word like erection instead of hard-on so on.

and as the songs says at the end, his erection will live in history.which is the point neil was making.he couldnt get one.its better to just come out with it.besides as was mentioned the horn part actually makes it comical. I know I laughed.

User avatar
Ronald42
Posts: 2237
Joined: Sat 08 Feb 2003, 11:04 am
Contact:

#11 Post by Ronald42 »

It was dumb to use this now people yet again will label it "GAY". If they really hate the fact that they are labeled "Gay band" over and over they shouldn't do this. I on the other hand don't care at all. Casonovan in hell 5/10. Don't care for it much yet. Perhaps it will grow on me.
THE FUTURE THAT YOU ANTICIPATED HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Eldritch
Posts: 4050
Joined: Wed 10 Dec 2003, 8:24 am

#12 Post by Eldritch »

Ronald42 wrote:It was dumb to use this now people yet again will label it "GAY".
But why? Casanova was as straight as they...umm...come, and in the song it's obvious that he's trying unsuccesfully to have sex with some girl.
Click click drone

User avatar
minimal
Posts: 705
Joined: Fri 28 Apr 2006, 11:46 pm

#13 Post by minimal »

¯ §ómèWhèr€ ¯ wrote:wow¡¡ :roll:

really?
well, if i say something i usually mean it. it's as easy as that.

m+

User avatar
Avalon
Posts: 1927
Joined: Fri 07 Nov 2003, 8:39 am
Contact:

#14 Post by Avalon »

Ronald42 wrote:It was dumb to use this now people yet again will label it "GAY". If they really hate the fact that they are labeled "Gay band" over and over they shouldn't do this.
True. Erections are so gay and I'm proud to say the last time I had one was when I was being reprimanded by the school's headmaster back in fifth grade

User avatar
!
Posts: 2327
Joined: Mon 23 Jan 2006, 7:13 pm

#15 Post by ! »

Flaffer wrote:I've got a very rough demo recording of The Stonk, as one might have guessed it is a stompy number with crashing percussion. But by jiminy if you find buying a copy of Attitude/Casanova ... embarrasing imagine picking this record up.

"He turned away from his partner,
sensing a growing friction,
his eye suddenly caught,
a chap with the most stonking erection

It made him blush,
he felt a rush,
'cause he knew over there lay lurking
something that would put to shame even the 'erotic gherkin'

The rest of the track is instrumental although it does cry out for a catchy chantable chorus
Q1. - Was there really a track called The Stonk?

Q2. - Are those actually the lyrics?

:?

Post Reply