Reciprocity

My recent post on Shoes' Stolen Wishes raised an interpretive question. Susan in coments notes that she, like me, has always believed that "Please Please Me" is about oral sex, and that she thinks it works better as a song by a girl band (since that's generally where reciprocity in such matters has to be coaxed).

She's brilliant.

And "Feel the Way That I Do" is as close as I've heard a male band come to addressing the issue.

But here's another one. I've asked NTodd to host the streaming song, because this record is all but impossible to lay hands on these days. But I fully encourage acquiring it if at all possible.

Strange Arrangement, the Steven McDonald group.

Steven McDonald, better known as Steve McDonald, is the younger of the two brothers making up the band Redd Kross. This EP, "This Is Not a Rebellion, This Is a Mass Awakening," came out in 2002, at which point it was compared to a whole slew of power pop masters, including my beloved Shoes. (Go to the review page off the SMG site to see this gem: "'Strange Arrangement' reduces the sugary sound of popsmiths Shoes to its carmelized essence.")

Anyway, "Strange Arrangement" is another one of those songs arguing for sexual reciprocity, at least as I hear it. ("I'll do it for you, but you got to come and get me up too....") Enjoy!