Codes and Lyrics

Pink has been hot atop the charts with her latest single “Raise Your Glass,” though lyrically it’s not without a little controversy. Though typically very good at enunciating her syllables, the thematic subject of the song (partying and partying hard), combined with phonetic similarities has contributed to debate in sing-a-long circles as to exactly what Pink is trying to say. To fully understand both points of view, let’s look inside the lyrics for a bit. The song startsRight, right, turn off the lights,We’re gonna lose our minds tonight,What’s the deal-io?I love when it’s all too much,5 a.m. turn the radio upWhere’s the rock and roll?Then the controversy sets in. Pink continues, “Party crasher, p___y crasher.” In one circle, listeners contend Pink clearly states “penny snatcher” while another group of listeners hold the proper line is “panty snatcher.” For those unfamiliar with the two terms in question, a penny snatcher is someone who is cheap or miserly, whereas panty snatcher is someone who takes part in a tradition known as “panty raids” or robs an underwear drawer at social events. Which lyric is right? Which one should it be? Consider the song’s refrainSo raise your glass if you are wrong,In all the right ways,All my underdogs,We will never be never be anything but loudAnd nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaksWon’t you come on and come on and raise your glass,Just come on and come on and raise your glass.Contextually speaking, panty snatcher actually makes significantly more sense. Nowhere in the song does it reference a lack of generosity, if anything, it seems to support a carefree lifestyle, “losing minds,” seemingly putting financial concerns on the backburner. A panty snatcher, on the other hand, could easily fit is as “wrong in all the right ways,” from a sexual standpoint, not to mention a “nitty, gritty, dirty, little freak.” Not to mention, panty raiding is more likely occurrence at a crashed party. Read more…