Come On...

[thetwilitekid]

Laura said:

The way I'm reading it is that he isn't calling the woman a bitch but the guy who she is with ("he") is calling her a bitch.

I’m out and shouting next time he starts calling,
“C’mon c’mon c’mon little bitch”

Paul calls her "little child" and chastises her to keep her pride.

Granted, he isn't above a little mysogyny at times so I could be wrong.

Paul could also be referring to the guy in the song as a bitch.

[Laura]

I hadn't thought about it that way, but it's definitely a possibility. It makes the line I quoted seem like he is calling the guy out to fight with him.
Taking on the role of Knight in Shining Armor, which I can't think of him doing in another song.

[angela]

I agree with Laura, to me it sounds like there is a male character who treats his woman like a dog, calling "C'mon little bitch" to her.

And Paul's pretty pissed off about that.

[angela]

Laura said:

I hadn't thought about it that way, but it's definitely a possibility. It makes the line I quoted seem like he is calling the guy out to fight with him.
Taking on the role of Knight in Shining Armor, which I can't think of him doing in another song.

Yeah, I get that feeling too. Like it's finally the last straw and he's going to give the guy a taste of his own medicine. I can see how a feminist might roll their eyes though at the idea that the man has to save the weak-willed woman.

[Laura]

In reading the lyrics again it seems that in the first few instances, he is referring to her man calling her a bitch. Then he turns the phrase (surprise, surprise) and suddenly he is calling this guy a bitch.

What a swell guy. Can he come rescue me from my job now?

[Marz]

Yeah, that's how it sounded to me too... Paul riding to the rescue...Sigh... swoon... thud!

[bigbak]

cellarfullofnoise said:

oh and could a song called c'mon little bitch be any less mysogynistic?

This is my new fav PW tune, and I get the impression it is distinctly anti-msogynistic

[pline]

cellarfullofnoise said:

Followed by: "I don't know where they went, but wherever it is, they sure left in a hurry."


oh and could a song called c'mon little bitch be any less mysogynistic?

I agree. This song could not be less misogynistic.

I have to admit that when I heard the "c'mon little bitch" pre-release talk it made me squirm a little (forgive me for assuming the worst). But now that I've heard it and know the context I love it and it has also become my latest favorite.

[scoOter]

the song is anti mysogynistic, but instead it is a chivalry song; which some people might find a little condescending.

big difference between mysogyny & chivalry.

[pline]

scoota-rama-lama-ding-dong said:

the song is anti mysogynistic, but instead it is a chivalry song; which some people might find a little condescending.

big difference between mysogyny & chivalry.

Good point. Both anti-mysogynistic AND chivalrous.

[kgp]

pline said:

I agree. This song could not be less misogynistic.

I have to admit that when I heard the "c'mon little bitch" pre-release talk it made me squirm a little (forgive me for assuming the worst). But now that I've heard it and know the context I love it and it has also become my latest favorite.

Oh me too. I guess that's why the label got cold feet. That doesn't shock me though. People censor the words without any thought to context.

I agree with whoever said the 'bitch' refers to the guy. Paul's calling the guy a bitch, who in turn treats his wife/girlfriend like one.

(I'd go on further, but I'm afraid of I'll write some kind of in-depth fenimist analysis of Paul's song.)

[cellarfullofnoise]

kgp said:

(I'd go on further, but I'm afraid of I'll write some kind of in-depth fenimist analysis of Paul's song.)

all right by me

[snickers]

in the very beginning the guitar sounds a little t. rex-y to me.

[A Regular]

cellarfullofnoise said:

all right by me

Uh, I don't think think he is calling the guy in the song a bitch, he is talking to his female friend but using bitch as a term of affection, sorta. Happy that she bitchslapped the guy. I think that's why I flashed to that meredith brooks song, where the term is used in an empowering way, and not as a put down.

I guess he would need to be pretty tight with her to use the term, but I think it was said with a smile on his face. It certainly runs against the grain of the song to think she would need to be "saved" by big, bad, PW. She's doing just fine by herself.

Also sort of wonder if the song was shelved at the time as it was too close in theme to the brooks song, can't recall if that came out before '96 but I think it did. You know radio couldn't have 2 bitch songs at once. Also sort of wonder if it ripped off any of the Stones song bitch... any musicologists able to pick up anything?

[kgp]

Uh, I don't see how the *bitch* refers to the girl, even in a nice-guy way. Most women really don't like being called bitch under any circumstances.

And I don't think Paul (in song, just for clarifiaction) is above 'saving' his sadly beautifuls.

[angela]

If any male acquaintance, 'affectionately' or not, called me a bitch, he'd have to stop at the emergency room on his way home so he could have my pointy-toed, high-heeled boot removed from his ass.

My interpretation of this song is that PW is encouraging the woman to fight back but she can't or won't so he takes matters into his own hands, calling the guy out. Like you, kgp, I'm trying not to write too much about this song because I could probably go on for several paragraphs about the dynamics of the situation as I interpret it and that would probably take a lot of the fun out of the song for me so...

[PeterCetera]

great song. im late to the discussion here.. when / where is this song from? love it.

[Shell]

This is from Paul's interview in Playboy:

PB: Women have always loved you. One rock critic actually wrote about saving a crusty cigar butt of yours, while another stole a tissue off your chair.

PW: Good God in heaven.

PB: Can you explain the appeal?

PW: No. I can't explain the appeal other than I'm an odd mixture of bad boy masculinity and I have a real soft spot for women. I had three sisters, so I grew up knowing what girls liked and what they didn't, just by them coming home after their dates. I guess I've learned to respect women, maybe more than some guys. I don't know other than that. I haven't a clue.




I think the bitch in the song flips around depending on the verse. I think it's safe to say that whoever he meant (male or female), PW's not a sexist asshole. It just works really well in the song and gives it more attitude, IMO.

[A Regular]

angela said:

If any male acquaintance, 'affectionately' or not, called me a bitch, he'd have to stop at the emergency room on his way home so he could have my pointy-toed, high-heeled boot removed from his ass.

Yeah, I thought I'd have the minority opinion on this one. However, I'll be damned if I ever ask him to clarify THAT lyric if given the opportunity.

Guys calling another guy a bitch is so gangsta, almost like calling him a ho.

[zook]

My 2 cents...

I think the "c'mon little bitch" references are PW quoting the guy judging from the lines right before that "next time he beckons" and "next time he starts calling." However, the last time he says it I think he is referring directly to the guy.

I don't see it as a chivalry, him-saving-her thing. I think he is encouraging her to put the guy in his place telling her to "bite his hand next time he beckons" and "slap that taste right out of his mouth." It's only by the last verses when he says if you don't do it I will with the "I'm out and shouting."


Just a brilliant song - muscially and lyrically - and just like Paul to write an incredibly catchy tune with moral upstanding lyrics that should be a radio hit but never will because the causal listener will think of it as a woman-bashing song. Just so Paul.