Rapeman was an American post-hardcore music group from Chicago, Illinois, U… Read Full Bio ↴Rapeman was an American post-hardcore music group from Chicago, Illinois, United States founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989. It consisted of Steve Albini (formerly of Big Black) on guitar and vocals, David Wm. Sims (formerly of Scratch Acid) on bass, and Rey Washam (formerly of Scratch Acid and Big Boys) on drums.

In an interview, Albini reported that 'Rapeman' is "... the title character in a Japanese comic book that I had come across through a friend of mine. The comic book is just a total mind-bender. There's a whole genre of comics in Japan, rape stories where women are raped in really graphic detail for whatever reason, and it's an amazing thing that this is just an accepted part of their sort of normal popular culture." Albini and Washam became "sort of obsessed" with the comic, and named their new group after the titular antihero.

Rapeman's performances would often be the target of protestors, who felt that the band was mocking or even encouraging rape and violence against women. Albini has described such criticisms as idiotic, arguing that punk ideology is generally very sympathetic to feminism.

The playing style at times was reminiscent of more traditional noise punk (as on "Up Beat"), at other times cranky art-rock (as on "Monobrow"), their sound gave centre stage to the signature guitar style of Albini.

The band broke up for personal reasons, but not, as has been rumoured, over a dispute relating to their name. Albini launched his career as a recording engineer and played bass with Flour before going on to form Shellac. Sims reunited with ex-Scratch Acid vocalist David Yow to form The Jesus Lizard.

Monobrow
Rapeman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She said "Sweet of you to notice"
He said "I kinda like it myself"

She said "Sweet of you to notice"
He said "I kinda like it myself"

I saw Chris Johnson with a boner
I saw Todd Trainer singing in German

Scared the shit out of me
And I don't scare easily

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rapeman's song Monobrow could be interpreted in various ways, and each listener may have their own unique interpretation. However, based on the context and the words used, one can interpret the lyrics as being about someone who notices and likes their own physical flaws. The lines "She said 'Sweet of you to notice'" and "He said 'I kinda like it myself'" could be interpreted as someone being complimented on their monobrow and them responding positively, indicating some level of self-acceptance and self-love. This interpretation is further supported by the following lines where the singer talks about seeing someone with a boner and another person singing in German, and being scared by it. These lines could be interpreted as the singer being uncomfortable with normal bodily functions or differences.

Additionally, the title of the song, "Monobrow," could hint at a broader theme of accepting one's individuality and unique qualities, rather than conforming to societal standards. The song could be seen as a commentary on the pressure to fit in and the fear of standing out or being different.

Overall, the lyrics of Rapeman's "Monobrow" can be interpreted in various ways, but most importantly, it highlights the importance of self-acceptance and individuality.

Line by Line Meaning

She said "Sweet of you to notice"
She appreciates that he pays attention to her appearance

He said "I kinda like it myself"
He also finds her monobrow attractive

I saw Chris Johnson with a boner
The singer witnessed Chris Johnson having an erection

I saw Todd Trainer singing in German
The artist observed Todd Trainer singing in the German language

Scared the shit out of me
The experiences described above frightened the artist terribly

And I don't scare easily
Despite this, the singer usually does not frighten easily

Contributed by Jeremiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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