"Or I'll kill myself while you are watching" is the line in question. Has to be looked at in context of the whole song. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but you may be seeing it as a line about suicide. It really isn't.
You are correct in your assumption, I am seeing it as a line about suicide. How can one not? It's such a strong declaration / statement, that I cannot help but to take it, in such a manner.
I'll take any drug in the whole damn world if you'll only notice me
Mainline poisons by the score - please will you notice me
I'll break any law, hurt anybody - for God's sake notice me
Cut my wrists and slash my face for Christ's sake notice me
I'll drink anybody into the ground if you'll only notice me
I'll kick the teeth out of anyone here - come on and notice me
I'll wear the clothes and cut my hair - please will you notice me
I'll be a pop star and I'll stand on stage - for God's sake notice me
Ch:
Who told him that it mattered?
Who told him that anyone cared?
He's got an overgrown sense of his own importance
No one's really bothered around here
He was such a quiet boy, never any trouble before . . .
I'll get a big car and drive like a maniac - please notice me
I'll make a lot of money and tread on you if you'll only notice me
I'll tell you any lies you want to hear - for God's sake notice me
Or I'll kill myself while you are watching
The song is simply about an immature lad who has no idea how to fit in.
I don't know, Whirlwind, but "immature" seems a bit harsh. I would say, young and inexperienced, perhaps. Maybe the boy or young man (in the song) might've been a victim of rejection, neglect / abandonment, misguidance, frustration, hopelessness, desperation... all things of which would definitely cause anyone, be they male or female, to become highly insecure.
He wants to be noticed, which he believes will make him significant, part of the group, whatever. "He's got an overgrown sense of his own importance" is how the others feel about him. This lad threatens to do everything in a big way: get a big car and drive like a maniac, drink anybody into the ground, beat up people, make a lot of money...anything big to be noticed. And he ultimately goes to the most stupid way to be noticed -- suicide.
I don't know about that either, circumstances must've been extremely negative, dark, hopeless, desperate, for the boy / young man in the song to contemplate suicide... even if under the guise of getting attention / being noticed. Perhaps he's had all that he can take, stomach, handle. The boy / young man is screaming out. It's an emotional cry out for help, maybe even love, and acceptance...
well, it very much seems so to me, at any rate.
He sees suicide as "look at me." He's not depressed, he's not sad, he's just an idiotic immature lad who has no idea what it takes to be accepted. To him suicide is no different than having a lot of money, driving a big car. Just a way of being noticed.
Actually, I think on some seriously deep level, the boy / young man in the song might very well be heavily depressed. One would have to be, to cry out in such a way.
You may be looking too deeply into the kill myself line. It really is no different than the wearing clothes, cut my hair, break any law, be a pop star lines. Kid just wants to be noticed. Ignored so he thinks these are the ways to be noted.
No, I disagree with you here, Whirlwind. The boy / young man in the song is having a gut, emotional reaction to his predicament, and that's how he's manifesting it, via such heavy words / statements. The boy / young man seems to be in serious turmoil, crying out, reaching out... to anyone, anywhere.
Song and that line is not about suicide. Just about a mixed up kid who doesn't understand that a friendly smile, a kind gesture, a good wit (some here lack that), hitting a home run in a game, acing a geometry test, helping at a soup kitchen...those are the ways to be noticed. The dope in the song is clueless to that.
Hmmm, I wouldn't call the kid / young man in the song a "dope" or even clueless. I'd say he's lost and is seeking some sort of help,
relief... maybe even some form of love
(no, not sexual in kind).I had a friend in high school, Don, who was exactly like the kid in "Notice Me." We'd walk into 7/11 and Don would just punch a guy who was walking out the door right in the face. He would drive like a maniac, he would eat slugs (ate a toilet cake once...you know those things in the urinals to freshen up the urinal), challenge anybody to a drinking contest, bent over and ran head first into a gas pump to break the glass...We knew why Don would do that stuff...he just wanted to be noticed. He was messed up in that he couldn't believe people would be friends with him unless he did crazy things. (Arm chair psychiatry here: Don did have an older brother who was an athletic God around town. We all knew that's why Don did his crazy stunts. Insecurity.)
Well, you know what they say... bullies bully because they themselves are being bullied OR are around bullies.
But what do I know.
If you are distressed over "suicide" in "Notice Me," don't be. The song has zero to do with a youth killing himself. About insecurity.
Nothing has changed unfortunately, I still am distressed about the song, by
that line especially. I too, see the song as being about insecurity, but an insecurity that has reached its boiling point, for lack of a better term / phrase.
