![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
between_time_and_42I was just listening to my vinyl copy of Angst In My Pants by Sparks, because today is its 41st anniversary, and I found myself thinking a lot more deeply about the song "Sextown USA" than I ever had before. To me, it seemed to be making fun of rampant sexualization in society/the media. I then read the lyrics, and realized my interpretation doesn't really hold up, but I'd still like to talk about it and even tie it in with another Sparks song, "Giddy Giddy" (which I'd love to analyze in full someday).
First, here are the lyrics to "Sextown USA:":
Drop the goody-goody look and put on your shoes, because I'm gonna recommend a little something for you. Oh yeah! Grab your little Lulu or your Sally or Sue, and take her out to that Metropolis with no taboos. Oh yeah!
What you say? Who are you? Never mind, just sing the tune:
"Sextown USA! We can go anywhere and it becomes Sextown USA! We can go here or there, it all becomes the perfect place! And what a pace!"
Man, I've heard of Peyton Place and Pigalle too, but this is better than the others. It's American, too! Oh yeah! No one has the time to eat a meal or to think, because they're way too busy doing Kama Sutra-y things. Oh yeah!
Look around, see the sights, go to bed- what a life!
Sextown USA! We can go anywhere and it becomes Sextown USA! We can go here or there, it all becomes the perfect place! And what a pace!
There's a whole lot of fish in the sea!
If you try to come here and you try to abstain, they'll send you to the prison for the criminally insane. Oh yeah! Maybe I'll just stay here for the rest of my life, because it's better than commuting here with you every night. Oh yeah!
Sextown USA... etc.
So, my reading of the lyrics is that this is essentially written in the style of a travel brochure, or a TV commercial. I'm simultaneously getting "travel destination" vibes, and also "amusement park" vibes. In case the name wasn't obvious enough, the comparisons to the risque soap opera Peyton Place and France's red-light district Pigalle make it clear that Sextown USA is a place where people go when they're looking for sexual pleasure and thrills. In that way, it feels very similar to Sparks' song "All You Ever Think About Is Sex," with the characters' sexual activity being exaggerated for humor- no one can eat or even think when they're visiting Sextown USA, because they're so busy getting busy. Overall, Sextown USA sounds like a great place for some good, not-so-clean fun, and in a way, it's almost as sex-positive as the aforementioned "All You Ever Think About Is Sex." Free love is encouraged and no one is slut-shamed- "There's a whole lot of fish in the sea," enough for everyone to enjoy themselves! However... What's with that last verse? Visiting Sextown USA comes with a catch- you HAVE to partake, otherwise you're labeled insane and punished. This place which seemed to be so forward-thinking is actually very strict about its rules. I feel like a lot of resonant themes can be read into this- for one thing, the way sexuality is depicted in this song is so cartoonish and almost seems absurd, as if coming from the perspective of someone who doesn't understand the appeal and is making fun of how often people talk about it. For another thing, this shows how certain societal values that appear to be freeing are actually prisons in their own way. It's one thing to have a healthy attitude towards sex and not be ashamed of it, but it's another thing to then shame others who DON'T want to have sex. This is very similar to my thoughts on femininity that I recently shared, and how I feel that the way popular culture currently promotes "girl power" is reductive and limiting.
The same theme of how societal standards affect people is explored in Sparks' later song, "Giddy Giddy." Once again, here are the lyrics:
Giddy giddy giddy, our entire city. Each and every person, the epitome of giddiness. We're giddy giddy giddy, our entire city. Everyone displaying an immense amount of giddiness.
And I'm a traveling man in a foreign land. Often I suppress my inherent giddiness, until I'm finally home, throw away the comb, kick up all my heels, and resume my giddiness.
We're giddy giddy giddy, strutting 'round the city.
"How are you today?"
"I'm feeling pretty, pretty giddy. How are you?"
"I'm pretty giddy. Last week was a pity. Had a touch of flu and felt a little less than giddy giddy. Now I'm back to giddy- couldn't feel more giddy if my life depended on it."
"Glad to know you're back to giddy!"
Giddy giddy wife, flower of my life. Kids are all asleep- she is thinking giddiness, and so, and so am I. Sparkle in her eye. Both of us display a little extra giddiness.
Giddy giddy kids often blow their lids. Normally they're giddy, but at times they're acting up.
"Had enough! Go to bed, 'til you're giddy! Real giddy!"
From another city where nobody's giddy comes a scientific group to analyze our giddiness.
"Their water ain't too giddy. Their diet ain't too giddy. We're prettier than they are, but they're infinitely giddier!
"Giddy giddy giddy, their entire city. Each and every person the epitome of giddiness. They're giddy giddy giddy, their entire city. Everyone displaying an immense amount of giddiness.
"We conclude their town's never, never down. Endorphins really flow. Why it is, don't really know. We need a bigger grant, thus we're hesitant. Honestly no clue why they're so damn giddy giddy."
Giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy...
There are quite a few things to note here. First, I can't help but relate some of the lines here to neurodivergence. The main character in this song is a naturally giddy person who sometimes must suppress their nature when out and about. When they're back home in a safe environment, though, their giddiness comes out. This reminds me a lot of "masking" and how many neurodivergent people are taught to hide their traits at a young age and conform to the bullshit neurotypical standards that some awful person made up long ago. The last few verses with the scientific group investigating the giddy people also makes me think of neurotypical people trying to understand neurodivergent people, and giving up hopes of connecting because of their close-mindedness.
At the same time, however, I also feel like "Giddy Giddy" is poking fun at our culture's obsession with mental health and how we're expected to be "on" all the time in public situations, in the same way that "Sextown USA" pokes fun at sexuality. The conversation in this song, where two people assure each other that they're giddy, reminds me of how we always say "I'm good!" to each other even when we're not, because god forbid we NOT be good. I also can't help but feel worried for the children who are told to go to bed until they're giddy- isn't that parent denying them a healthy outlet for negative emotions?
I wish I had more to say here, but this will suffice for now. I will say, I think it's interesting that Sparks used the concept of a town with different standards and rules than the "norm" to highlight these aspects of our own society. By taking sexualization and forced happiness to the extreme, creating two respective places where these things are the ONLY thing that matters, they're showing how silly it is to put so much value on these things in our own society.
First, here are the lyrics to "Sextown USA:":
Drop the goody-goody look and put on your shoes, because I'm gonna recommend a little something for you. Oh yeah! Grab your little Lulu or your Sally or Sue, and take her out to that Metropolis with no taboos. Oh yeah!
What you say? Who are you? Never mind, just sing the tune:
"Sextown USA! We can go anywhere and it becomes Sextown USA! We can go here or there, it all becomes the perfect place! And what a pace!"
Man, I've heard of Peyton Place and Pigalle too, but this is better than the others. It's American, too! Oh yeah! No one has the time to eat a meal or to think, because they're way too busy doing Kama Sutra-y things. Oh yeah!
Look around, see the sights, go to bed- what a life!
Sextown USA! We can go anywhere and it becomes Sextown USA! We can go here or there, it all becomes the perfect place! And what a pace!
There's a whole lot of fish in the sea!
If you try to come here and you try to abstain, they'll send you to the prison for the criminally insane. Oh yeah! Maybe I'll just stay here for the rest of my life, because it's better than commuting here with you every night. Oh yeah!
Sextown USA... etc.
So, my reading of the lyrics is that this is essentially written in the style of a travel brochure, or a TV commercial. I'm simultaneously getting "travel destination" vibes, and also "amusement park" vibes. In case the name wasn't obvious enough, the comparisons to the risque soap opera Peyton Place and France's red-light district Pigalle make it clear that Sextown USA is a place where people go when they're looking for sexual pleasure and thrills. In that way, it feels very similar to Sparks' song "All You Ever Think About Is Sex," with the characters' sexual activity being exaggerated for humor- no one can eat or even think when they're visiting Sextown USA, because they're so busy getting busy. Overall, Sextown USA sounds like a great place for some good, not-so-clean fun, and in a way, it's almost as sex-positive as the aforementioned "All You Ever Think About Is Sex." Free love is encouraged and no one is slut-shamed- "There's a whole lot of fish in the sea," enough for everyone to enjoy themselves! However... What's with that last verse? Visiting Sextown USA comes with a catch- you HAVE to partake, otherwise you're labeled insane and punished. This place which seemed to be so forward-thinking is actually very strict about its rules. I feel like a lot of resonant themes can be read into this- for one thing, the way sexuality is depicted in this song is so cartoonish and almost seems absurd, as if coming from the perspective of someone who doesn't understand the appeal and is making fun of how often people talk about it. For another thing, this shows how certain societal values that appear to be freeing are actually prisons in their own way. It's one thing to have a healthy attitude towards sex and not be ashamed of it, but it's another thing to then shame others who DON'T want to have sex. This is very similar to my thoughts on femininity that I recently shared, and how I feel that the way popular culture currently promotes "girl power" is reductive and limiting.
The same theme of how societal standards affect people is explored in Sparks' later song, "Giddy Giddy." Once again, here are the lyrics:
Giddy giddy giddy, our entire city. Each and every person, the epitome of giddiness. We're giddy giddy giddy, our entire city. Everyone displaying an immense amount of giddiness.
And I'm a traveling man in a foreign land. Often I suppress my inherent giddiness, until I'm finally home, throw away the comb, kick up all my heels, and resume my giddiness.
We're giddy giddy giddy, strutting 'round the city.
"How are you today?"
"I'm feeling pretty, pretty giddy. How are you?"
"I'm pretty giddy. Last week was a pity. Had a touch of flu and felt a little less than giddy giddy. Now I'm back to giddy- couldn't feel more giddy if my life depended on it."
"Glad to know you're back to giddy!"
Giddy giddy wife, flower of my life. Kids are all asleep- she is thinking giddiness, and so, and so am I. Sparkle in her eye. Both of us display a little extra giddiness.
Giddy giddy kids often blow their lids. Normally they're giddy, but at times they're acting up.
"Had enough! Go to bed, 'til you're giddy! Real giddy!"
From another city where nobody's giddy comes a scientific group to analyze our giddiness.
"Their water ain't too giddy. Their diet ain't too giddy. We're prettier than they are, but they're infinitely giddier!
"Giddy giddy giddy, their entire city. Each and every person the epitome of giddiness. They're giddy giddy giddy, their entire city. Everyone displaying an immense amount of giddiness.
"We conclude their town's never, never down. Endorphins really flow. Why it is, don't really know. We need a bigger grant, thus we're hesitant. Honestly no clue why they're so damn giddy giddy."
Giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy giddy...
There are quite a few things to note here. First, I can't help but relate some of the lines here to neurodivergence. The main character in this song is a naturally giddy person who sometimes must suppress their nature when out and about. When they're back home in a safe environment, though, their giddiness comes out. This reminds me a lot of "masking" and how many neurodivergent people are taught to hide their traits at a young age and conform to the bullshit neurotypical standards that some awful person made up long ago. The last few verses with the scientific group investigating the giddy people also makes me think of neurotypical people trying to understand neurodivergent people, and giving up hopes of connecting because of their close-mindedness.
At the same time, however, I also feel like "Giddy Giddy" is poking fun at our culture's obsession with mental health and how we're expected to be "on" all the time in public situations, in the same way that "Sextown USA" pokes fun at sexuality. The conversation in this song, where two people assure each other that they're giddy, reminds me of how we always say "I'm good!" to each other even when we're not, because god forbid we NOT be good. I also can't help but feel worried for the children who are told to go to bed until they're giddy- isn't that parent denying them a healthy outlet for negative emotions?
I wish I had more to say here, but this will suffice for now. I will say, I think it's interesting that Sparks used the concept of a town with different standards and rules than the "norm" to highlight these aspects of our own society. By taking sexualization and forced happiness to the extreme, creating two respective places where these things are the ONLY thing that matters, they're showing how silly it is to put so much value on these things in our own society.
