Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automatic Dlamini as a vocalist, guitarist and saxophonist. The band's frontman, John Parish, became her long-term collaborator. In 1991, she formed an eponymous trio called PJ Harvey and subsequently began her career as PJ Harvey. The trio released two studio albums called Dry (1992) and Rid of Me (1993) before disbanding, after which Harvey continued as a solo artist. Since 1995, she has released a further nine studio albums with collaborations from various musicians including Parish, former bandmate Rob Ellis, Mick Harvey and Eric Drew Feldman, and has also worked extensively with record producer Flood.
Among the accolades Harvey has received are both the 2001 and 2011 Mercury Prize for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000) and Let England Shake (2011), respectively, making her the only artist to have been awarded the prize twice. She has also garnered eight Brit Award nominations, seven Grammy Award nominations and two further Mercury Prize nominations. Rolling Stone awarded her three accolades: 1992's Best New Artist and Best Singer Songwriter, and 1995's Artist of the Year. Rolling Stone also listed Rid of Me, To Bring You My Love and Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea on its list of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2011, she was awarded for Outstanding Contribution To Music at the NME Awards. In the 2013 Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to music.
Easy
PJ Harvey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You easy girls
You're flapping in
You're shouting
You're dead good
All the men say
Legs wide, hips swinging like a doorway
Easy
Easy
I'm ranting
I'm raving
I'm taking in just everything
You're giving me no leeway
I opened once and you called me devil's gateway
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
And I deserve it
I asked for it
Have to admit it
We dress like targets
Yeah I deserve it
Give me no leeway
I'll give you fine times
You can call me devil's gateway
Easy
Easy
Easy (and I deserve it)
Easy (and I deserve it)
The opening lines of PJ Harvey's "Easy" might lead the listener to assume that the lyrics are about promiscuous women, but upon closer examination, the meaning is much more complex. The phrase "oyster pearl" could be interpreted as a metaphor for female sexuality, with the easy girls being those who are comfortable with their sexual desires and willing to explore them. The men in the song observe these women, admiring their sexual confidence and describing their movements in suggestive terms.
However, the narrative then shifts to the perspective of the singer herself, who is seemingly being criticized for her own sexual desires. She is both ranting and raving, expressing frustration with the judgment and lack of understanding she is receiving. She describes herself as having "opened once" and been labeled a "devil's gateway," indicating that her willingness to engage in sexual activity has resulted in her being viewed as sinful or dangerous.
The repeated refrain of "easy" could be interpreted as a reclamation of the term, with the singer refusing to be shamed for her sexuality and instead embracing her desires. She even suggests that she "deserves" the judgment she is receiving, as she has chosen to express herself in a way that society may deem inappropriate.
Overall, "Easy" is a song that confronts societal ideas around sexuality and challenges the idea that women who are open about their desires should be shamed or judged.
Line by Line Meaning
Oyster pearl
Comparing women to oysters, which contain pearls - something valuable but hidden within a rough exterior.
You easy girls
Addressing women who are perceived to be promiscuous or sexually available.
You're flapping in
Describing women as being overly emotional and dramatic.
You're shouting
Suggesting that women are loud and attention-seeking.
You're dead good
Being sarcastic about women being skilled or accomplished in any way.
All the men say
Implying that male opinions or actions are dictating how women should behave.
Legs wide, hips swinging like a doorway
Reducing women to sexual objects, with a crude description of their movements.
I'm ranting
Expressing frustration, possibly with the way women are being treated and portrayed.
I'm raving
Conveying a sense of anger and outrage at the situation.
I'm taking in just everything
Paying close attention to what's happening, so as to be able to speak out against it.
You're giving me no leeway
Feeling oppressed and constrained by societal expectations or male attitudes towards women.
I opened once and you called me devil's gateway
Referring to a past experience in which the artist was insulted or vilified for expressing sexuality or desire.
And I deserve it
Internalizing the blame and criticism that has been directed at them, either due to self-doubt or the sense that it's unavoidable.
I asked for it
Believing that their behavior or choices are responsible for the way they are treated, rather than the fault of the people mistreating them.
Have to admit it
Acknowledging the negative aspects of their behavior or actions, even if it's not entirely their fault.
We dress like targets
Commenting on how women are judged and objectified based on their appearance.
Yeah I deserve it
Accepting that they are responsible for the way they are treated, whether it's fair or not.
Give me no leeway
Expressing a sense of frustration and powerlessness in the face of societal expectations and male attitudes.
I'll give you fine times
Sarcastically suggesting that they'll continue to behave in a way that is seen as immoral or scandalous.
You can call me devil's gateway
Accepting that they will continue to be judged and insulted for expressing their sexuality or desires.
Easy
Sarcastically telling women that they are weak and easily influenced or manipulated by men.
Easy (and I deserve it)
Repeating the same idea, with the added suggestion that women deserve to be mistreated and judged harshly.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
denise snoddy
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