Give into me

[DancingMjsdream]

Has MJ ever said what the song is about?

I've discovered it this year (New fan) and i assumed that the song was about a man that was unhappy with his relationship because his partner didn't treat him right and now he wants to take control over it. Then i found this interpretation and now i'm confused.Can't imagine MJ would sing about raping someone?? :busted:


However, I daresay that -maybe- we underestimate the darkness that encircles the lyrics of this song. Both ''Give In To Me'' and ''Who Is It'' are -if not the darkest- some of the most dark relationship songs Michael has ever written. They are definitely not simple love songs. There’s longing, but for sex, not romance.
Though many of us - the female fans - may rush to swoon over lines like “Give it when I want it/Quench my desire/because I’m on fire'' a more thorough look into the rest of the lyrics may - and can - reveal a much more brutal nature. This is a man who wants to hurt and abuse the woman who has hurt and abused him.

Just Simply Do The
Things I Say

Give It When I Want It

You Always Knew Just How To Make Me Cry
And Never Did I Ask You Questions Why
It Seems You Get Your Kicks From Hurting Me
Don’t Try To Understand Me
Because Your Words Just Aren’t Enough

Give It When I Want It
I Don’t Wanna Hear It

Tell It To The Preacher

Raven Woods in her review of the 'Dangerous'' book by Susan Fast comments in her exceptional ''AllForLoveBlog'' blog:

''This is no tender seduction, but a desire to rape. He wants the satisfaction and feeling of sweet revenge that comes from having physical power over her; to subdue her to his will. Sex is being used as a weapon. ...However disturbing it may seem by today’s standards, the idea that a woman could be submitted to a man’s will by sexual submission seemed to hold a romantic sway over public imagination. In popular culture, through songs, plays, books, and films, society seemed to condone rape as an acceptable means of breaking the will and spirit of a “difficult” woman. ... This similar desire to hurt and brutalize-to punish-through physical submission is also at the heart of “Give In To Me.” ...Of course, what we don’t know is whether the protagonist is actually committing the action in the song, or only fantasizing about it.''

 

[LindavG]

That seems like a rather extreme interpretation of the song. I never associated it with rape at all and I have no idea where that comes from.

I believe that Michael is indeed talking about desire and the physical expression of love, but not in a predatory way. Like he says, "love is a feeling". He's asking the woman to just surrender herself to him (and to their love) instead of overanalysing their relationship and trying to understand everything about him.

 

[Deleted member 9375]

The song is about a relationship where one person (the woman) is holding back from giving herself fully to her partner; mentally, emotionally and physically. She has issues, possibly from past relationships and when her partner/lover/MJ desires full commitment she deflects the situation by causing an argument as a way out.

"Just simply do the things I say" can be seen many ways, dosen't nesscesarly mean it's her lover saying it to her in a demanding way, he could be throwing her own words back at her in a rhetorical way, because within the context it's actually none-aggressive, non-threatening way, he's almost yearning.

"Give it when I want it" could be him interpreting her behaviour as dissing him (giving it to him) when she's not in the mood or it could actually be her using him physically when she feels like it but still is unwilling to fully give herself to him; ie completey abandon herself to him in the throws of lovemaking. "I don't want to hear it." He doesn't want to hear the excuses anymore. It's more about confronting the issue than demanding anything. "You always knew just how to make me cry" She's possibly cruel to him and he's confused as to whether her holding back from intimacy is a part of that deliberate cruelty; "And never did I ask you questions why. It seems you get your kicks from hurting me" he's probably feeling emasculated and wants her to fully give herself to him as he has to her.

I think it's completely misunderstanding the song if one reads the lyrics and takes their literal meaning without listening to the way it's sung. Context of expression is everything sometimes. The person singing the song sounds tender, hurt and at the end of his rope. He's certainly not raping the woman. He wants her to be fully invested, or did up until this point.

I haven't read Susan Fast's book on Dangerous, and judging by her interpreation of Give In To Me, I won't be reading it anytime soon. The song is dark yes, multilayered in the sense that it's dealing with a common relationship issue, not a person being raped. You only have to LISTEN to the song to gather that much.

 

[innuendo141]

For anyone to suggest this song is about rape is absolutely mental

 

[DancingMjsdream]

The song is about a relationship where one person (the woman) is holding back from giving herself fully to her partner; mentally, emotionally and physically. She has issues, possibly from past relationships and when her partner/lover/MJ desires full commitment she deflects the situation by causing an argument as a way out.

"Just simply do the things I say" can be seen many ways, dosen't nesscesarly mean it's her lover saying it to her in a demanding way, he could be throwing her own words back at her in a rhetorical way, because within the context it's actually none-aggressive, non-threatening way, he's almost yearning.

"Give it when I want it" could be him interpreting her behaviour as dissing him (giving it to him) when she's not in the mood or it could actually be her using him physically when she feels like it but still is unwilling to fully give herself to him; ie completey abandon herself to him in the throws of lovemaking. "I don't want to hear it." He doesn't want to hear the excuses anymore. It's more about confronting the issue than demanding anything. "You always knew just how to make me cry" She's possibly cruel to him and he's confused as to whether her holding back from intimacy is a part of that deliberate cruelty; "And never did I ask you questions why. It seems you get your kicks from hurting me" he's probably feeling emasculated and wants her to fully give herself to him as he has to her.

I think it's completely misunderstanding the song if one reads the lyrics and takes their literal meaning without listening to the way it's sung. Context of expression is everything sometimes. The person singing the song sounds tender, hurt and at the end of his rope. He's certainly not raping the woman. He wants her to be fully invested, or did up until this point.

I haven't read Susan Fast's book on Dangerous, and judging by her interpreation of Give In To Me, I won't be reading it anytime soon. The song is dark yes, multilayered in the sense that it's dealing with a common relationship issue, not a person being raped. You only have to LISTEN to the song to gather that much.

That was also my impression, he sounded very sad and desperate,and there was nothing in the lyrics that suggested it was about rape imo.

 

[innuendo141]

I haven't read Susan Fast's book on Dangerous, and judging by her interpreation of Give In To Me, I won't be reading it anytime soon. The song is dark yes, multilayered in the sense that it's dealing with a common relationship issue, not a person being raped. You only have to LISTEN to the song to gather that much.

It's an awful book, that's literally like a leaving cert essay. Absolute drivel.

 

[ChrisC]

It's an awful book, that's literally like a leaving cert essay. Absolute drivel.

That's overly harsh, and I completely disagree. However, I don't recall Susan Fast making any rape connections and on a quick scan through the text where she turns to Give In to Me I also see nothing of the sort?

 

[MIST]

I understand it´s not in Susan Fasts book it´s a person who has written a review of it

Raven Woods in her review of the 'Dangerous'' book by Susan Fast comments in her exceptional ''AllForLoveBlog'' blog

It´s only one persons thoughts about it .

 

[innuendo141]

That's overly harsh, and I completely disagree. However, I don't recall Susan Fast making any rape connections and on a quick scan through the text where she turns to Give In to Me I also see nothing of the sort?

Fair enough. She offered no insight other than her own interpretation to songs, which didnt interest me in the slightest.

 

[Deleted member 9375]

My apologies in regards to the Susan Fast book, I misunderstood. Perhaps the persons full review would have made it clearer than a paragraph in which she's not actually reviewing the book, rather giving her own interpretation.

 

[ChrisC]

Fair enough. She offered no insight other than her own interpretation to songs, which didnt interest me in the slightest.

Does she only offer her personal interpretations of songs? I'm not sure she does.

It's one thing to say it doesn't interest you and another to label it drivel.

She, in the very least, gives a - mostly - serious appraisal of Michael Jackson's art in that book. And shows a willingness to investigate the deeper layers that exist often very subtly in his music and works. You might not agree with the conclusions she draws - clearly you don't - but art is open to interpretation and it should affect different people in different ways. At least she's not dismissing it out of hand like the majority have done over the years.

 

[innuendo141]

Does she only offer her personal interpretations of songs? I'm not sure she does.

It's one thing to say it doesn't interest you and another to label it drivel.

She, in the very least, gives a - mostly - serious appraisal of Michael Jackson's art in that book. And shows a willingness to investigate the deeper layers that exist often very subtly in his music and works. You might not agree with the conclusions she draws - clearly you don't - but art is open to interpretation and it should affect different people in different ways. At least she's not dismissing it out of hand like the majority have done over the years.

Thats exactly what art is and how it should be assessed but for someone to be able to get away with releasing an essay as a book was what amused me. The book was no more relevant than ANYTHING anyone here has ever posted with regards to their opinions. Thats my issue.

 

[ChrisC]

Thats exactly what art is and how it should be assessed but for someone to be able to get away with releasing an essay as a book was what amused me. The book was no more relevant than ANYTHING anyone here has ever posted with regards to their opinions. Thats my issue.

I don't see what's so wrong in that - do you feel that an opinion-led study of music cannot be published in book form? It was accepted as part of the very popular and highly acclaimed 33 1/3 series of books - I'd blame them if you have an issue.

 

[Nite Line]

I was thinking about buying Susan Fast's book on Dangerous. Now I definitely won't be. To suggest that Give In To Me is about rape is absolutely idiotic.

 

[innuendo141]

I don't see what's so wrong in that - do you feel that an opinion-led study of music cannot be published in book form? It was accepted as part of the very popular and highly acclaimed 33 1/3 series of books - I'd blame them if you have an issue.

I just didn't like the book, or her points. There's no issue, I don't see what the big deal is?

 

[skylines]

The song is about a relationship where one person (the woman) is holding back from giving herself fully to her partner; mentally, emotionally and physically. She has issues, possibly from past relationships and when her partner/lover/MJ desires full commitment she deflects the situation by causing an argument as a way out.

"Just simply do the things I say" can be seen many ways, dosen't nesscesarly mean it's her lover saying it to her in a demanding way, he could be throwing her own words back at her in a rhetorical way, because within the context it's actually none-aggressive, non-threatening way, he's almost yearning.

"Give it when I want it" could be him interpreting her behaviour as dissing him (giving it to him) when she's not in the mood or it could actually be her using him physically when she feels like it but still is unwilling to fully give herself to him; ie completey abandon herself to him in the throws of lovemaking. "I don't want to hear it." He doesn't want to hear the excuses anymore. It's more about confronting the issue than demanding anything. "You always knew just how to make me cry" She's possibly cruel to him and he's confused as to whether her holding back from intimacy is a part of that deliberate cruelty; "And never did I ask you questions why. It seems you get your kicks from hurting me" he's probably feeling emasculated and wants her to fully give herself to him as he has to her.

I think it's completely misunderstanding the song if one reads the lyrics and takes their literal meaning without listening to the way it's sung. Context of expression is everything sometimes. The person singing the song sounds tender, hurt and at the end of his rope. He's certainly not raping the woman. He wants her to be fully invested, or did up until this point.

I haven't read Susan Fast's book on Dangerous, and judging by her interpreation of Give In To Me, I won't be reading it anytime soon. The song is dark yes, multilayered in the sense that it's dealing with a common relationship issue, not a person being raped. You only have to LISTEN to the song to gather that much.

Totally agree on this one. I can also relate myself, I've been that woman before in earlier relationships..

 

[ChrisC]

I was thinking about buying Susan Fast's book on Dangerous. Now I definitely won't be. To suggest that Give In To Me is about rape is absolutely idiotic.

She didn't suggest that. Re-read the thread.

I just didn't like the book, or her points. There's no issue, I don't see what the big deal is?

You did say you had an issue with the book. Sorry if I picked you up wrong.