Is Peaches that offensive? A friend tells me that most of his women friends find Peaches offensive, where as I, on the other hand, find Peaches incredibly sexy and though yes, full of sex and raw and lacking in any subtlety, her music has that old Salt n Pepa “Push It” bump-n-grind thing going on that has been lacking in much popular music for a long time. Or maybe I’ve just been looking in the wrong places, which I wouldn’t doubt. Or maybe it exists but just not on a par with what used to exist and certainly, Peaches wouldn’t have become such a phenomenon and so debated were she ordinary and did not stand above the crowd.
What puzzles me, and what I am trying to sort out, is what is so offensive about Peaches' lyrics? Are we really so unfamiliar with the things she sings about? Can we really look in the mirror and say, Shucks, ma'am I’m so shocked?
In the film Lost in Translation, the lyrics from Peaches' “Fuck the Pain Away” are used as the backdrop for a seedy, strip club scene that features a pole dancing woman wearing nothing, or it would appear nothing except perhaps shoes, which is sort of perfect.
At the same time there seems to be a certain ironic thing going on here that perhaps is behind the less obvious choice of Peaches’ words and maybe Sofia Coppola knew that and got that or maybe she found the song offensive and so put it in the scene knowing that it would offend most people as the scene itself would make many uncomfortable. Not that we don’t do these things, just that we don’t talk about them (especially in mixed company) so frankly. It’s “tactless” as someone said to me recently.
Perhaps there is something ironic about Peaches though. Perhaps we have her all wrong and when she sings, while yes, some of it is literal of course, some of it is intended to poke fun at something that she feels strongly about. The way she practically wails "Fuck the Pain Away" should tell us something, just as should her “Huh?” and her “What?,” sung or spoken in a kind of haze as if the singer were stupid or totally out of it, which she certainly isn’t from what we can tell because she comes roaring out of the gate at the end with her endless lines of “fuck the pain away” as noted. It’s almost as if we’ve been duped into thinking here is this little, kinda dopey, albeit perhaps a bit sleazy girl with no brain and who can be a toy for boys, when in fact, if anything it sounds like she has the situation under control.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
brilliant Sadi! and thank the stars for another soul so handy wi the cuntage. i think Peaches is incredible, an i find a lot of the "so crude an vulgar" banter flung in her direction to be incredibly hypocritical and patronising. Prince can sing but shaggin all he wants (which, granted, isn't so much anymore. no more Darlin Nikki), but a woman does it an it's somehow the very guts a decency bein torn out the arse a society. thank the lord for Peaches, is what i say. And that beard on the cover a Fatherfucker is just brilliant. Fuck The Pain Away is a glorious throbbin female-erection of a song. it sounds like filth, in the best possible way.
2 - Zach
It takes ovaries? Whatever it is, Peaches has them. Can't wait for the new album.
3 - Bennett
Wow, what a piece! Thanks for bending my brain in the best of possible ways.
Bennett
4 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
you all have restored my faith in humankind... glad to know i'm not the only one out here/there who feels this way - i agree with all you say, Duke, which is where this piece comes from... i've just had it up to here with my female friends who are so fey and so easily offended by things that frankly, they should be into or proud of even... hell, i'm not going to apologize for sometimes being a cunt or having one.... and yes, fuck the pain away...
one of the best ways i know how. obviously, i'm not alone. thanks Bennet and Zach... you rock.
5 - Temple Stark
The picture on the album cover is that of a 12 year old? At least it looks like it.
6 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
temple: good question but sorry, i don't know the answer....
7 - Mark Saleski
it's Peaches.
i've seen other 'full body' shots with that outfit.
8 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
thanks, Mark -- i figured as much, but without being certain, i couldn't say....
thanks again,
sade
9 - Yoda
When I saw Lost in translation I thought that the song in that scene was so dam sexy. Listening to my sister music I discovered "Peaches" and, of course, the song. I'm still thinking that is the sexiest song I've heard in a very long time.
As a girl I don't think that is offensive, is brutally honest. Is like sometimes I feel like that but I can't say it, 'cos why is wrong to feel sexy or bitchy or something like that?
Congratulations, I love your article and I'm definitly going to recomend it!!!
10 - Steve
Hey, Sadi,
I watched "Lost In Translation" at the show a few years back, I must confess I was a bit underwhelmed by it as a movie especially after all the hype about it, however, I do recall something about the music in it, but had forgotten what it was and I think that scene you mentioned may be what stood out for me when I watched it. I believe it's gonna be on public television for the first time here in Canada on Sunday or Monday night, so I'll try to tune in and refresh my memory.
11 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Hey Yoda,
I'm glad you liked the article... sure, recommend if you like, that would be great. I think some people get hung up and that's fine... everyone is different, so what can you do?
That you are not and to hear from you is refreshing... i'm glad you wrote. It IS an honest song but i think Peaches is ONLY capable of honestly or something....she has an honesty chip implanted, lol ~ Lost in Translation is a great great film...
Hey, thanks for reading. How'd you find this? Just browsing about?
12 - Scott Butki
I need to try me some peaches. Where's a good place to start with her? Any sites offer samples of, um, peaches?
13 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Steve you can go to peaches on amazon and take a listen that way, you can take a listen... they probably blocked the more explicit lyrics but still... you get the idea or go to allmusic ~ hope this helps,
sade
14 - Scott Butki
Are you getting Steve and I confused?
Thanks for the links.
15 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
shoot, sorry Scott, you asked and i was in a tiz-waz (that's rather a hurry) and so wrote Steve ~ my apologies... i know the difference.... do trust.. my apologies...: ) please accept...
sorry again ...
sade
16 - Steve
Yeah, I double checked and "Lost In Translation" will be on here on Monday night, so I'll have to see if seeing it on TV changes my opinion of it.
Re. Peaches, she sounds a little bit like Nehneh Cherry to me (whose singing I enjoyed but her rapping, less so)...I'm not really into rap, I prefer it when a song is sung.
Re. language, to use the term 'titties' instead of others like 'breast' or 'nipples' just makes her sound like a little kid. On the other hand, her sexual experiences are obviously those of an adult. It sounds like an adult who has suffered some sort of arrested development. In some ways, adult, but in others, immature. It's one thing to be sexually honest, but does Peaches have to sound like a kid when rapping about sex?? Just sounds really strange to me. Anyone know how old she is??
17 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
That's a valid point about 'titties' a word i've never really been too keen on, i admit... breasts will do; titties is rather juvenile... interesting... i don't know how old she is..
good question...
have to run for a while...
writing calls,
sorry about earlier confusion..
s...
18 - Scott Butki
It's ok, said, i mean steve, i mean sadi.
No hard feelings.
19 - Steve
LOL, Scott, you're like me, misspelling Sadi's name like that (though I think I've caught it before publishing up to now...by the grace of God lol). What did you think of Peaches, Scott??
20 - Steve
"Tiswas"...wasn't that a UK TV show back in the 80's too, Sadi?? Some kind of comedy show maybe??
21 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
LOL - Scott, you got the first good laugh out of me all day -- cute indeed... now i'll really fuck you up... you can spell it sadie, sady, sadi, sayde, etc etc, or you can call me Sarah... either is fine.... lol...
Did you listen to Peaches?
Steve, Comedy show? You seriuos? I dunno... never heard of it... really... odd....
22 - Scott Butki
I haven't listened to Peaches yet but will do shortly.
Glad I amused you both.
And yes I've almost called you Said several times because, well, as a reporter I've written "said" many more times than Sadi.
Fortunately I see my fingers type "Said said." and go hmm that can't be right and change it to "Sadi said..."
23 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
still very funny Scott (Toccs?) We could do this all night and even do our comment as such but then, it would get absurd... totally know what you mean. i also write as a journalist a lot and certain keys on my keyboard have actually worn out that you can't see the letters on them. One of them is the Sl key. the other is the the N key and the other is the L key... Go figure.. I have no idea why those in particular but the company is sending me a new keybord b/c of all of this nightmare. Quelle drag, eh?
anyway, must dash. Prob. off for the night, back tomorrow...
Cheers, and thanks as ever... did you listen to Peaches yet? You really need the whole song and a few good listens to really get a sense, that's the thing... frustrating, esp if you're unsure if she's your thing. Can you download at all?
Maybe that's one way to resolve the problem.... Just a thought.
Rock on ; )
sade (major nickname - only close friends use this one) ... : )
24 - Scott Butki
I have been known to write under the name of iktubs ttocs
I'm listening to 30 second samples of Peach now.
Musically it's just so so but the lyrics are intriguing.
25 - Steve
Yeah, Sadi, it only lasted a year or two, around 1985.
Re. keyboard, I have a similar problem, my letter N is pretty much gone, as well as H, with O and S gradually disappearing...and it's less than two years old!!!
Speaking of nicknames, my niece and nephew used to call me... (and sometimes still do!!)... Shakin'!!!...after the Welsh singer Shakin' Stevens, who was big in the UK in the 80's. I noticed he had a comeback single of sorts last year which made the UK Top 20, a cover of the Pink song "Trouble", his first hit there in 13 years, with his 1981 UK#1 "This Ole House", originally a 1954 US#1 for Rosemary Clooney, as a double 'a' side.