Wow

[mapmef@gdr.bath.ac.uk (M E Fletcher)]

I am totally stunned by the extreme misinterpretations of the
song Wow that I have seen recently! Here is my alternative interpretation.

Matt

andrew david simchik writes:

>	I'll probably get in trouble for interpretation again, but could
>someone help me with this?
>	The lyrics to "Wow!" contain a line which *sounds* like: "He's too
>busy hitting the Vaseline".  If this is really how the lyrics go, am I
>mistaken in assuming that Kate is establishing the "He" as a--to be
>technical--homosexual?  If so, I wish she could have found a more appealing
>turn of phrase.  It borders on the offensive, were I the easily offended
>type.

Theatre actors wear heavy make-up known as greasepaint. After the show it
is removed by rubbing it off with vaseline. Hence "he's too busy hitting
the  vaseline" means he is too busy back in the dressing room cleaning up
to receive any applause/accolades etc. No dressing room with a star
and make-up girls for him. There is no implied reference to homosexuality.

gerstel@quaker.admin.upenn.edu writes:

>The actor mentioned in "Wow" is meant to be a negative model in a couple of
>ways - "you know it's no thrill/he just holds his breath", etc.  I'd say that
>the stanza ending in "He's too busy..." is saying that he's letting sexual
>pleasure get in the way of his career and his life.  The phrase Kate uses is
>crude because it fits what he's doing to himself.

"Many an actor dies on stage, it's not for real he just holds his breath."
This line is crystal clear, it's nothing to do with sexual pleasure in the
slightest! The metaphorical meaning is about failure.

glocke@morgan.ucs.mun.ca (Gordon Locke) writes:
>	Yes, I understand the song to be referring to homosexuals, but
>in a positive way.  Don't forget, the actor's "Vaseline-hitting" is why
>"he'll never make the Sweeney (movie theatre?) / Or be that movie queen".  
>I've always taken this to refer to discrimination in the acting business.
>The song also sez: "We'd give you a part, my love, / But you'd have to
>play the fool."  My guess is that this is the sort of implied
>condescending attitude such an actor would get a lot of. 

Once again, it's losers/failing to make it etc. not about homosexuality.
The Sweeney was a very successful British TV cop show around the time
the song was round. The song is about the miserable existence failed
actors/actresses have, not realising their ambitions. They're never the
stars, only the bit parts. The fool is a common Shakespearean role.

Please feel free to comment/flame if you still believe that Wow is
a "queer positive" diatribe, but personally I think you've got hold of
the wrong end of the stick.

Matt