No Subject

[microsoft!brianw@uunet.uu.net]

Path: microsoft!brianw
From: brianw@microsoft.UUCP (Brian Willoughby)
Newsgroups: rec.music.gaffa
Subject: Re: RUTH interpretations
Summary: I shouldn't have to tell *you* (?)
Date: 26 Aug 89 04:23:13 GMT
References: <3214@scolex.sco.COM>
Reply-To: brianw@microsoft.UUCP (Brian Willoughby)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 65


In article <3214@scolex.sco.COM> Love-Hounds@GAFFA.MIT.EDU writes:
>Really-From: tracyr@uunet.uu.net (jane smallberries)
>
>RUTH was playing in my office when a coworker walked in (the only 
>song he recognized, ofcourse), and he asked what the song was about.  
>he wondered why she wanted to swap places with god, and indeed that's 
>what i thought the interpretation was until i actually read the tiny 
>print on the cassette insert.  it seems she wants god to swap places 
>with her _and someone else_.  probably an ex-lover, who she's trying to
>convince that she's unharmed ( "do you want to know that it doesn't 
>hurt me").   but why she would want to swap places with him (?) is
>a puzzle--and that she'd somehow be _stronger_ if she did ("be
>running up that hill with no problems").  and the symbolism of
>going uphill--usually this is used to express progress.  and
>_running_ up a hill implies even more drive and determination yet.
>but why would she need to swap places with the object to be able to 
>_run_ up a hill?  is the object somehow stronger, more immune to weakness?
>sorry if this song's too trivial to analyze (in the face of the 9th
>wave).     %^)
>
>modern woman with a pleasant attitude,
>-tracy

Your signature indicates that you're a woman, so I'm surprised that you
didn't make the same conclusions I did (especially since I have to look
at things from the opposite viewpoint as you and KaTe).  But, then again,
there are so many interpretations to any work of art.

I see "Running Up That Hill" as a symbol of the struggle between the
roles of the opposite sexes, particularly from KaTe's view of trying to
succeed as a woman in what has often been called "a man's world".  I
think she is expressing how common it is for men and women to
misunderstand each other.  Exchanging places would be the solution; to
actually "know" what it is really like to be (fe)male.

More than that, though, I also see it as being somewhat negative from
KaTe/the female's point of view.  That's why there are the references to
being stronger if the roles were switched.  RUTH is indeed about success,
and how its easier (in general) for the masculine gender.  Its true that
KaTe didn't have to switch roles to acheive her success (she certainly
has the "drive and determination"), but I see this song as her portrayal
of the average woman's thoughts: not indicating that the weakness is
actually there, but that the social expectations and barriers are the
limiting factor.  Most writers only loosely base their works on their own
experiences.

I got exactly the opposite impression as you from the line "do you want
to know that it doesn't hurt me?".  I saw that line as sarcastic, as if
her partner would have been surprised to *really* now what kind of
sensations he was inducing/inflicting.  Of course you can take that
either way, depending upon whether KaTe has had good or bad experiences
with men and sex.

Perhaps you were just testing to see if any of the men on this net could
analyse this song from such an unfamiliar point of view :-)
P.S.  ^  That's definitely a joke on my part, please no flames...
P.P.S. Re: KaTe's sexual experience(s) - please no more claims from the
           net of having slept with her!

Brian Willoughby
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