Metamorphosis

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First released in 1996, this song was included on the Pet Shop Boys album Bilingual. This song is about coming out of the closet. It tells the story of a man who realizes he is gay and learns to accept it. It describes how he comes to understand that his personal satisfaction and happiness depends upon him accepting himself as he is. It has often been rumored that this song describes Neil's coming out, but he has always denied this.

Please allow me to try and explain
I'm living proof that man can change
I knew what I wanted
I knew how to get it
It didn't make me happy so I started again
What I wanted to be was a family man
But nature had some alternative plans
So I did without the lot put emotion on hold
And hoped my instincts would do what they were told

I wanna know, yeah
I wanna know

But every now and then often at night
A particular feeling would surface in spite
Of what I'd told myself and tried to deny
I kept on asking the question: why?

Why? Why? Why?
I wanna know

You grow up and experience this
A total metamorphosis
It's all about change
It's a metamorphosis

With time and age I had to change
'Cause my behaviour was getting strange
People on the street caught my eye
And I began to think I might be their kind of guy
The long-term suppression of an adolescent urge
Was in retreat and I was on the verge
Of falling in love or having fun
Time was running out something had to be done

I wanna know, yeah
I wanna know

Where was I?
Laying down the law
Dancing with the others
Out on the floor music and smoke
What did it mean? Somebody spoke
And I went into a dream
I had what I wanted
Madly in love
Nothing else mattered
This was enough
Questions were answered which used to perplex
In particular those about the big s.e.x.

I wanna know, yeah
I wanna know
I wanna know, yeah
Tell me what's the reason
Tell me what's the reason

You grow up and experience this
A total metamorphosis
It's all about love
It's a metamorphosis

Dreaming is easy, life is tough I got the picture
The most important thing is not to end up bitter
'Cause when you start to feel increasingly forlorner
- Woomph! - love comes right around the corner
It may not last but here am I
Once a caterpillar now a butterfly
It can seem strange
But when you reminisce
It's all about change
It's a metamorphosis

It's all about love
It's a metamorphosis

Written by Tennant/Lowe

Works Cited

A large part of this song analysis was attained from the Pet Shop Boys fansite Geowayne: Commentary, Interpretation, and Analysis of Every Song by Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved from Geowayne, http://www.geowayne.com/newDesign/bilingual/metamorphosis.htm

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