Talk:Cruiser (song)

Meaning of the lyrics

Right now, I wish Original Synthesis was allowed . . . because I could really interpret these lyrics. This song strikes me as being about a closeted married gay man out "cruising" for a quick homoerotic encounter. Significant lyrics include "Set aside the screaming fish ["Fish" and "fishwife" being a slang for the hapless wife of a closeted gay man - though Wikipedia doesn't currently recognize it] / Tell the world why you're so glad" [i.e., be "out and proud" if only for a few hours in a one-night stand]. "Roman shoes and pretty hats / Glitter bombs that beat the beat" sounds like a reference to a gay atmosphere, like a club. Also "Sucker punch is in your heart" and "You need a hit / You need a slug" could be references to "rough trade" sex.

Or, it could all mean something else altogether. I'm not an expert in this area, but the lyrics seem to have a gay-male vibe to them -- which, while paired with such rocking music, would be especially brilliant songwriting on Ric Ocasek's part. At the very least, I would argue, there's no significant presence of the female in these lyrics, which is very unusual in a Cars song. I don't think Ocasek is actually gay or bisexual, but he's definitely influenced by Lou Reed and David Bowie, who never shyed away from lyrics focused on such matters.

--Ben Culture (talk) 19:47, 26 September 2013 (UTC)