Music Review: Missing Persons "Words"
Missing Persons
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Words
Album: Spring Session M
Year: 1982
Dale Bozzio feels alienated and ignored in the pouty "Words."
Questioning guitars open the single, setting a jaded tone. Bozzio is chatting with her sister. Her sister is nodding her head, but not really paying attention. She notices her sister is staring off into space. Irked, she wonders if her sister even wants to know what's going on her life.
In the first verse, she says she's talking in a normal voice. However, she's curious if anyone really listening to her. Sometimes, her friends will giver her a puzzled look. It's as though they can't understand her.
In the chorus, she challenges the purpose of words. For her, they've become irrelevant. Everyone is so self-centered nowadays.
In the second verse, she says that inanimate objects would make better company. It's like she's not there at all. She would scream and no one would notice. Without anyone to talk to, she's lonely. She says that people have to communicate with each other more. Finally, someone perks up and gives her a dirty look. She responds that it was out of context. If the person had been listening from the start, the misunderstanding wouldn't have happened. She thinks it's depressing that people won't even engage in small talk anymore.
The chorus is sung again.
Bozzio once again asks if anyone is bothering to listen.
In the bridge, she asks someone to move. The person told her before she couldn't do it. Bozzio tells the inattentive person she will meet her again. But it will be unexpectedly. She's going to do something drastic. Perhaps she will turn herself into a grosteque person. She adds that she could befriend time. But it's not likely. It will only slip away.
In the third verse, she's found that without conversation people don't learn anything. They can't see from any point of view except their own. Bozzio decides to dye her hair an electric blue in order to get people talking. She faults the media for giving people many images within a short span of time. People are glued to the televison that they won't speak to whoever is in the room. She asks, in vain, if anyone agrees with her. If they don't, the television is going right off.
The chorus is sung twice.
The intro is sung again.
The section continues with the a part of the chorus included to end the single.
The single emphasizes communication is necessary and shouldn't be thought of as a obligation. People need conversation. It makes them feel wanted. It's not only for self-promotion or compliments.
Bozzio plays around with phrases and actions (like over my dead body and dying her hair blue, respectively). Both would make people aware of her. The point being, she feels like she has to do something extreme in order to feel like a part of the world.
Bozzio's quirky, Betty Boop vocals, which are supposed to be are over-the-top, need to be toned down. About halfway through the single, the squeakiness has become tiresome. However, it's only a minor misstep.
"Words" makes its point in a clear and bright manner.
Album: Spring Session M
Year: 1982
Dale Bozzio feels alienated and ignored in the pouty "Words."
Questioning guitars open the single, setting a jaded tone. Bozzio is chatting with her sister. Her sister is nodding her head, but not really paying attention. She notices her sister is staring off into space. Irked, she wonders if her sister even wants to know what's going on her life.
"Do you hear me/Do you care/Do you hear me/Do you care."
In the first verse, she says she's talking in a normal voice. However, she's curious if anyone really listening to her. Sometimes, her friends will giver her a puzzled look. It's as though they can't understand her.
"My lips are moving and the sound's coming out/The words are audible but I have my doubts/That you realize what has been said/You look at me as if you're in a daze/It's like the feeling at the end of the page/When you realize you don't know what you just read."
In the chorus, she challenges the purpose of words. For her, they've become irrelevant. Everyone is so self-centered nowadays.
"What are words for when no one listens anymore/What are words for when no one listens/What are words for when no one listens it's no use talkin' at all."
In the second verse, she says that inanimate objects would make better company. It's like she's not there at all. She would scream and no one would notice. Without anyone to talk to, she's lonely. She says that people have to communicate with each other more. Finally, someone perks up and gives her a dirty look. She responds that it was out of context. If the person had been listening from the start, the misunderstanding wouldn't have happened. She thinks it's depressing that people won't even engage in small talk anymore.
"I might as well go up and talk to a wall/'Cause all the words are having no effect at all/It's a funny thing am I all alone/Something has to happen to change the direction/What little filters through is giving you the wrong impression/It's a sorry state I say to myself."
The chorus is sung again.
Bozzio once again asks if anyone is bothering to listen.
"Do you hear me...do you care."
In the bridge, she asks someone to move. The person told her before she couldn't do it. Bozzio tells the inattentive person she will meet her again. But it will be unexpectedly. She's going to do something drastic. Perhaps she will turn herself into a grosteque person. She adds that she could befriend time. But it's not likely. It will only slip away.
"Let me get by/Over your dead body/Hope to see you soon/
When will I know/Doors three feet wide with no locks open/Walking always backwards in the faces of strangers/Time could be my friend/But it's less than nowhere now/Less than nowhere now/Less than nowhere now, now, ow ow ow."
In the third verse, she's found that without conversation people don't learn anything. They can't see from any point of view except their own. Bozzio decides to dye her hair an electric blue in order to get people talking. She faults the media for giving people many images within a short span of time. People are glued to the televison that they won't speak to whoever is in the room. She asks, in vain, if anyone agrees with her. If they don't, the television is going right off.
"Pursue it further and another thing you'll find/Not only are they deaf and dumb they could be going blind and no one notices/I think I'll dye my hair blue/Media overload bombarding you with action/It's getting near impossible to cause distraction/
Someone answer me before I pull out the plug."
The chorus is sung twice.
The intro is sung again.
"Do you hear me...do you care."
The section continues with the a part of the chorus included to end the single.
"Tell me what are words for/Do you hear me/So what are words for/Do you care/So what are words for
Do you hear me/So what are words for/Do you care/So what are words for/Do you hear me/So what are words for/So what are words for/Do you care/So what are words for."
The single emphasizes communication is necessary and shouldn't be thought of as a obligation. People need conversation. It makes them feel wanted. It's not only for self-promotion or compliments.
Bozzio plays around with phrases and actions (like over my dead body and dying her hair blue, respectively). Both would make people aware of her. The point being, she feels like she has to do something extreme in order to feel like a part of the world.
Bozzio's quirky, Betty Boop vocals, which are supposed to be are over-the-top, need to be toned down. About halfway through the single, the squeakiness has become tiresome. However, it's only a minor misstep.
"Words" makes its point in a clear and bright manner.