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Help with Femtex

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Started by whatsmypassword? in General Therapy? Topics

hello everyone, i was wondering whether any of you could help me, basically im doing a degree in music and for an essay im writing about femtex, if anyone could chuck in any thoughts on this song and its meaning etc etc i would be grateful, thanks a lot (hop and grape soon yay!)

Posted on Mon, 5 May 2003 at 21:24

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#1

hoochalobster (Sarah) Super Moderator wrote:

Interesting question. I did a study on Therapy?’s lyrics for my A Level English language, but sadly I don’t have it anymore.

I have heard Femtex being described as a ‘feminist anthem’ before now by some journo or other but to my own mind it’s more about how men are confused by women, particularly ‘the modern woman’ and the way relationships have changed over time.

She’s not trying to catch your eye/She’s just trying to get a life/He feels weak when she is strong/Feeling threatened when he’s wrong Misreading signals, arrogant male!

Femination generation Old school ideas, now outdated. The first verse refers to childhood and perhaps where the outdated ideals stem from. The ignorance shown there (couldn’t understand or have) suggests that from an early age men aren’t taught how to treat and respect (and understand!) women.

Do you want a fuck?/Do you want a friend?/Do you want sex?/Do you want revenge? Again showing it’s hard to know where you stand - we are indeed a mystery ;).

Men feeling powerless, and the suggestion of ‘punishment and reward’ implies that it is the woman in control. The line I’m just with you, that will never mean that I’m just for you also emphasises this.

Anyway, those are a few of my thoughts but music and lyrics are very subjective so I’m sure other people have very different ideas. You could always email Andy and ask what he was on about :D

Good luck with your essay.

Posted on Mon, 5 May 2003 at 23:01

#2

Superunknown wrote:

Hey!

For me it seems like Andy is describing a relationship that isn’t really defined. He (not necessarily Andy himself, could also be just some guy) is with this girl that’s really out of sight and he doesn’t know if she wants to be with him or if she just wants to fuck or whatever. Anyway, he doesn’t have a lot of self confidence and he feels like he is not good enough for her.
“You were someone out of my hands” (she’s one of the beautiful girls he thought about when masturbating?)
“[Someone that] I couldn’t understand or have.”

The girl herself seems to treat him like shit or she just tries to point out to him that she doesn’t really want to be his girlfriend exclusively: “I’m just with you that will never mean that I’m just for you”

So, Andy’s asking the girl what the hell she wants anyway: “Do you want a fuck? Do you want a friend?”

Now, this may be a little far fetched, but maybe the girl has an ex-boyfriend and hasn’t yet overcome the separation. So she wants to take revenge on the guy who dropped her by showing him that she doesn’t need him anymore (“He feels weak when she is strong.”), because she has found a new boyfriend: “do you want sex? do you want revenge? You never make love with a smile on your face, punished with love and rewarded with hate”

Now that last paragraph is really just my interpretation, I believe. The quoted lines are most likely to be about to the singer himself.

However, feeling ugly in the company of beautiful women or feeling uncomfortable in a relationship with a girl that you think is above you is a very popular topic in Therapy? lyrics. (For instance in “Screamager”: “Your beauty makes me feel alone” or in “Bowels of Love”: “You took me, naive and ugly.”)

Also, Andy sings a lot about the thin line between love, hate and sexual desire. Besides “Femtex”, “Evil Elvis” comes to mind as an example: “I can never have you, so I will always hate you.”

Sorry, if what I made out of these songs is complete bullshit. It’s just what I always thought would be the meaning.

Posted on Tue, 6 May 2003 at 00:43

#3

TotallyRandomNick wrote:

Superunknown wrote:

However, feeling ugly in the company of beautiful women or feeling uncomfortable in a relationship with a girl that you think is above you is a very popular topic in Therapy? lyrics. (For instance in “Screamager”: “Your beauty makes me feel alone” or in “Bowels of Love”: “You took me, naive and ugly.”)

also see trigger inside: “Here comes the girl with the perfect teeth…”

Posted on Tue, 6 May 2003 at 17:19

#4

Alan wrote:

I remember Andy saying that as research for Femtex, he asked all his female friends about their thoughts on men/women, relationships etc… and compressed them all into lyrics for the song.

Generally, he said it’s about women being stronger than men, and holding the power over them.

Posted on Tue, 6 May 2003 at 18:11

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