Is The Song "Glamour Boys" by Living Colour Ironic?

[Splicer]

It goes into the whole thing about people who are superficial and extravagant in their lifestyle and ultimately declares, "I ain't no glamour boy. I'm fierce."

My question is whether the chorus is ironic. Someone declaring themselves "fierce" because they aren't the thing they despise.

[Trane]

IMHO, a cheap shot at Glam metal white bands filled with guys dressed like princesses.

(not even sure the "white" would have a factor, though).

[polmico]

I always thought it was a glamour boy’s rebuttal. The targeted glamour boy responds to the song’s criticism by gamely saying, “This song isn’t about me because I am fierce.”

It might be that there is some deeper irony, though. Looking at the lyrics, it’s equally possible the song’s narrator, a glamour boy himself, is fighting back against the idea that he is one of them.

[Splicer]

I always thought it was a glamour boy’s rebuttal. The targeted glamour boy responds to the song’s criticism by gamely saying, “This song isn’t about me because I am fierce.”

It might be that there is some deeper irony, though. Looking at the lyrics, it’s equally possible the song’s narrator, a glamour boy himself, is fighting back against the idea that he is one of them.

That's how I perceive it because otherwise it's cringe that anyone would call themselves fierce.

[SteveSly]

Interesting question that I have never really thought about before. I have always liked the song and looked at it as a commentary on the “glamour boy” lifestyle, but yes with the chorus being sung in the first person it could be interpreted the way you are saying. Not sure……..

[Dana5140]

Y'know, Vernon Reid is on twitter, so you could just ask him.

[Sputnik]

This is an interesting question, and I think it's hard to say for sure.

I've always felt the "I'm fierce" lyric was a little clumsy, and I had trouble really taking it seriously. The narrator is clearly expressing distaste with the privileged party boys and their empty lifestyle, and he wants no piece of it. His "fierce" can be seen literally as the opposite of their "soft" and "superficial," and being "fierce" not in the sense of being violent, but rather living life with gusto and honesty. A lot of people who express honesty in their lives, artistic or otherwise, are referred to as "fierce," even if they are actually quite soft-spoken.

On the flip side, I almost walk away from this song agreeing with the narrator about the glamour boys but feeling that he might have adopted his own persona in opposition to them that is, in its own way, as superficial and empty as the one he reviles. In this case, it definitely would be ironic, in that you have some meathead walking around criticizing other meatheads for being meatheads. The song itself doesn't give you enough to make a clear determination.

Entries that discuss the song's meaning point toward the former interpretation, but Vernon is a smart and perceptive guy. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he's really pointing his finger at the way people divide themselves into tribes, seeing only bad in the ways of others, and only good in their own behaviors, silly as they may be.

Bill

[Magic Mountain]

Reading the lyrics, I believe the singer is saying that glamour boys are vapid and lacking substance. I believe he is using the definition of fierce as showing heartfelt intensity/passion. This suggests that the singer values genuine qualities like authenticity, passion and intensity over superficial and transient attributes that he assigns to glamour boys.

[Digital_Man]

It goes into the whole thing about people who are superficial and extravagant in their lifestyle and ultimately declares, "I ain't no glamour boy. I'm fierce."

My question is whether the chorus is ironic. Someone declaring themselves "fierce" because they aren't the thing they despise.

One of my favorite LC songs. No, I don't think declaring yourself as fierce makes you a hypocrite in this sense because there are different ways to be fierce. You don't need expensive clothes or money to be fierce.

This discussion does remind me of another band from the same general era and that is Rage Against the Machine. What exactly were they raging against? Big corporations? They were signed to a major label. I would take them more seriously and would think of them as less hypocritical if they were on an indie label.

[Sputnik]

This discussion does remind me of another band from the same general era and that is Rage Against the Machine. What exactly were they raging against?

I always assumed it was printers.

[wideopenears]

I always assumed it was printers.

Office Space Flashback.


Near my house, on a route I often take when walking home from the train, there is a yard, with a fallen tree trunk stretched across it...and on top of that trunk sits.......


a Printer. An older one, kinda big, early 90's.

Every time I walk buy I wish I had a baseball bat.

[Trane]

Reading the lyrics, I believe the singer is saying that glamour boys are vapid and lacking substance. I believe he is using the definition of fierce as showing heartfelt intensity/passion. This suggests that the singer values genuine qualities like authenticity, passion and intensity over superficial and transient attributes that he assigns to glamour boys.

Yup, I never viewed "fierce" as a bad thing in most songs where you find the term, especially for the black community (boyz & the hood)

One of my favorite LC songs. No, I don't think declaring yourself as fierce makes you a hypocrite in this sense because there are different ways to be fierce. You don't need expensive clothes or money to be fierce.

This discussion does remind me of another band from the same general era and that is Rage Against the Machine. What exactly were they raging against? Big corporations? They were signed to a major label. I would take them more seriously and would think of them as less hypocritical if they were on an indie label.

yup, RATM sounds to me like the "Fierce band" par excellence.