What Does She Mean?

I legitimately started this song out as a list of the many things that I like because I can mix and match their flavors, such as different spices or various kinds of liquor. I knew that the verses about things like candy and cheese would lead up to one at the end about the flavors of emotions. And I kind of had some notion that I would address the fact that each of these things has a drawback of some sort.

The thing is, I don’t crave alcohol, and I don’t seek it out for the self-medicating disinhibitory buzz; crucially, that particular aspect, I can just take or leave. What I want with all of these things is the pleasure of the flavor effect without the pain of the side effects, which is otherwise known as wanting “all of the good and none of the bad.”

And we all know how that goes.

With that sober realization taken to heart, I knew that the song would end up blues-y because of the balanced celebration-and-lament quality in the message, namely: these things are great, but you’re gonna pay. So I was expecting that consequence in how the song would sound.

But when I actually heard it for the first time, it was obvious that this woman was singing about men being double edged, with entendre that was just as double, so I added the backing vocals for fun. They deliberately include rather than exclude the listener in the humor. I tried the song out with a male singer as well, but it sounded more accusatory than cute, like a complaint about women by a player, and that is not what the song is about at all. The woman isn’t angry or accusatory… she’s just wry (and her personal life experience happens to be associated with flavors of men).

And wry is fine. Wry doesn’t mean angry.

So please keep firmly in mind that this song is not a complaint about women. As one of my other songs makes plain, these are fairy tales. They tell a truth, but that truth is not often going to be my factually lived truth, and especially not a definitive truth about specific real people. That would be a rarity; in contrast, this song is about a trope. It’s heart is light.

Lyrics

I love candies of all different batches,

marshmallow and chocolates and corn. (She means men.)

The sugar, though, I could well live long without.

For sweet I will take,

    but obesity I would leave.

Of course...

They say there is always a price to pay,

but I'll put it on credit,

just for today.

I love spices of all different savors,

paprika and nutmeg and dill. (She means men.)

The chilis, though, I could well live long without.

For heat I will take,

    but burning I would leave.

I love cheeses of all different squeezes,

Manchego and feta and blue. (She means men.)

The lactose, though, I could well live long without.

For cream I will take,

    but bloating I would leave.

Of course...

They say you must welcome the full bouquet,

but I'll fend off the thorns,

just for today.

I love spirits of all different measures,

Kahlúa and whiskies and beer. (She means men.)

The alcohol, though, I could well live long without.

For glow I will take,

    but cirrhosis I would leave.

I love emotions of all different tempers,

inspired and moody and brave. (She means men.)

The drama, though, I could well live long without.

For love I will take,

    but heartache I would leave.

Of course...

The best laid of plans will oft go astray,

but I'll live by the hour,

just for today.

Fascinating flavors fill my life,

drawing my heart to this and that. (She means men.)

And while I am fine

    with one at a time,

I do love to mix-and-match.

(Of course, she means men.)

Yeah, okay, I mean men.