Obsession

A derivative of Bryan Ferry’s pharmaceutical of choice: obsession. Girls’ states it clearly in ‘Goddamned’: “Obsession is my favorite drug.” The innocent vocal delivery is only suspect in the nuanced aggression in the pronunciation of ‘goddamned.’ The obsession seems carefree at first, perhaps still simple puppylove. But deviousness lies behind the exterior promises of pleasures and games involved in relationships. The unconventional choice of percussion underlines the playfulness of the campfire acoustic guitar juxtaposed to the true menacing nature of the lyrics.
To be sure, the singer is not looking for love. The singer prefers the state of desire to fulfillment: playing hard to get is preferred: the chase is the thrill of it all. Does the totality of obsession have a place in love? Of Montreal’s “Gallery Piece” off Skeletal Lamping has an opinion of its own. Here, there is a complete totality in the descriptions sung by Kevin Barnes (or is it Georgie Fruit?). “I want to slap your face” is followed by “I want to paint your nails,” “I want to kiss your eyelids and corrupt your dreams.” Everything is explored to its extreme: love, hate, jealousy, pride, sex, violence: “I wanna be your what’s happening.” The bridge admits the deep reflection it took to bring out all of these emotions, rejecting the safety of the subconscious and cultivating all of the possibilities love contains. Attempting not to sound too Psych 101, we repress ‘abnormal’ emotions that may frighten us or make us feel alienated. But there comes a time when this needs release, be it a creative, sexual, or violent act, a transgression takes place, even a metamorphosis. The id needs to be engaged every now and then, and even challenged: confrontation, internal and external is what provides love its strength, rather than a simulacrum of what it should be.
Such an unconventional notion of love (or at least the suggestion that obsession has its place within love’s realm) was recognized as well by playwright Sarah Kane. Specifically, the play Crave equates love with drugs as Roxy Music’s leading track of Siren had done before. The play involves four nameless characters speaking sporadically and rarely to anyone in particular. B, at different points admits: “I smoke till I’m sick,” “I drink till I’m sick,” “I shake when I don’t have it.” The ambiguity of the last line suggests addiction to love as opposed to obsession. The climax of the play (if such a conventional term can be used) is A’s monologue, a period-less overwhelming love treatise. The I-want-to-do-this-to-you repetition is akin to Barnes (or considering our timeline, Barnes is akin to her) but for all of the violence we expect from Kane’s plays, there is an surprising amount of innocence and playfulness to A’s monologue.
Full circle, we can recognize the different stages love plays with obsession. Any new drug will at first give a ridiculous high, a mind expanding, eye opening, highly sensitized cliché of a high. And you want it more. It’s a change from the daily monotony, the one-night stands or the lost buzz from cigarettes. You want it more. You want to play hide and seek and make her jealous and buy her things. It’s still not enough. And it never will be. To love something is to completely ignore every conventionality set before you. Your addiction can lead to a great albeit short-lived love. Johnny Thunders’ addiction got the best of him, as did Romeo and Juliet’s. For better or worse? Jean Richepin: “The love of art makes us lose real love.” Does real love make us lose our love of life? I haven’t lived long enough to say. But I’m still moved by Kane, comforted by Girls, and I’ll kick up my feet to Of Montreal. Love is the drug, obsession is the overdose: the junkie understands the risk when he spikes his veins.