Silverman's debut release "Speed of Life Part Two" was released in 2002 to critical acclaim. Caustic, cruel duet "Ctrl Alt Del" will remind you of Jane Gainsbourg and Serge Birkin, or Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue, with music courtesy of, perhaps, Massive Attack. "Can I have my heart back, please?" has you thinking of a tormented Cocteau Twins, with broken Anna's sad request buried beneath a wave of brutal electro-noise. Themes include sex, death and lingering pain, though the sex is (tellingly?) not gender-specific.
Passionate about the control and self determination afforded by the internet Silverman have enjoyed over 500,000 internet downloads and won Best Music Award at the worlds first Internet Film and Music Festival in Los Angeles.
Anna Dennis: vocals, acoustic guitar
Martin Williams: sampler, drums, guitar, vocals
Steve Moody: bass
Alan Deacon: keyboards
Whatever Turns You On
Silverman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whats a feckless girl supposed to do?
Your lovers come, your lovers go
Now you dont want friends, just people you know
Look into my eyes
My thousand yard stare
Its time I washed you
Catch a falling star
Put it in your mouth
Whatever turns you on
Turns you on
You set my soul on fire
Then you blow me out
Where did I go wrong?
Where did I go wrong?
You say you wont but you do
Hows a faithless boy supposed to choose?
Passion it ebbs and passion flows
You dont want me
You want someone to screw
I look into your mind
See you dont care
Its time I washed you
Out of my hair
Catch a falling star
Put it in your mouth
Whatever turns you on
Turns you on
You set my soul on fire
Then you blow me out
Where did I go wrong?
Where did I go wrong?
The lyrics to Silverman's song "Whatever Turns You On" deal with a tumultuous and complicated romantic relationship. The main theme of the lyrics is succumbing to temptation and acting against one's better judgment. The singer laments her inability to resist her lover's advances, even though she knows that their relationship is unhealthy and destined to end poorly. The first verse expresses this sentiment, with the line "I say I won't, but I do / What's a feckless girl supposed to do?" reflecting the singer's internal conflict.
The song's chorus contains the repeated phrase "Whatever turns you on," which can be interpreted in two ways. On one hand, it can be seen as a statement of resignation, with the singer acknowledging that her lover will continue to behave in a self-destructive way regardless of her protestations. On the other hand, it can be seen as a justification for the singer's behavior, with her suggesting that she is simply indulging in what makes her happy. The latter interpretation is reinforced by the line "Catch a falling star / Put it in your mouth," which suggests that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to find pleasure.
The second verse switches perspectives, with the singer now addressing her lover directly. She accuses him of being "faithless," suggesting that he too is unable to control his desires. She also reveals that she has come to understand that he is not truly in love with her, but simply using her for sexual gratification. The repetition of the line "Where did I go wrong?" reinforces the sense of confusion and heartbreak that the singer feels. Ultimately, the song ends on a bleak note, with both parties feeling lost and unable to move on from their destructive relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I say I wont, but I do
I frequently go against what I say I'll do.
Whats a feckless girl supposed to do?
As a girl who lacks direction, I am unsure of what to do.
Your lovers come, your lovers go
You have a string of lovers who come and go in your life.
Now you dont want friends, just people you know
You are no longer interested in making genuine connections, only relationships based on familiarity.
Look into my eyes
Focus your attention on me.
My thousand yard stare
My blank and emotionless gaze is a sign of detachment.
Its time I washed you
I need to let go of you and move on.
Out if my hair
I need to remove you from my life entirely.
Catch a falling star
Do something unexpected and spontaneous.
Put it in your mouth
Experience it to the fullest, without restraint or hesitation.
Whatever turns you on
Do what makes you happy, regardless of consequences or social norms.
You set my soul on fire
You ignite a passion within me.
Then you blow me out
But then you suddenly extinguish that passion and leave me feeling empty.
Where did I go wrong?
I am unsure of where I messed up or what I need to change to make things right.
You say you wont but you do
You frequently go against what you say you'll do.
Hows a faithless boy supposed to choose?
As a boy who lacks faith, it is difficult for me to make a decision or commit to anything.
Passion it ebbs and passion flows
Our intense emotions and desires come and go in waves.
You dont want me
You are not truly interested in me.
You want someone to screw
You are only interested in physical pleasure, not emotional connections.
I look into your mind
I try to understand your thoughts and motivations.
See you dont care
I realize that you are indifferent to my feelings or well-being.
Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
vic bauwens
Effortlessly toying around guilt, bias and embarrassment without ever slipping. She does jokes that no man could ever get away with and she would even joke about that. Brilliant
Whizz
I dont feel people appreciate how good she is. Her material is so multilayered.
MJ
Definitely
cory ddp
She's been around for over 20 years with bad jokes and she's a millionaire so she's overappreciated.
Andrei de Los Santos
She's really great
Justin Coleman
Layer 1. Personal story about family member and their discomfort in being talked about.
Layer2. Rape joke.
Layer 3. Relief of tension not caused simply by waiting for a punchline.
Layer 4. Taking a moment to appreciate humanity represented in the audiences genuine concern for her sisters well being followed by, wait for it...
Layer 5. Poop joke.
Layers. Did you watch it?
Ricardo Pires
Really ?...
Diego Alva
This is legit one of the best jokes I've ever heard in my life. I laughed so hard
frafilipo
Wasn't that punchline obvious?
Sega Gentleman#TBAS
@frafilipo is funny to me because it should have been.. this culture has be so paranoid that I was legit scared for Sarah during the first half of the joke despite knowing her savage style of comedy for years. That was a Dave Chappelle level twist