“Pope is a Rockstar” by Sales
Sales is classified as an indie pop band, but this song (“Pope is a Rockstar”) is more reminiscent of hard rock in terms of excruciatingly-metaphorical lyrics. But the general consensus amongst analysts is that what it is speaking to is a concept like rape.
And no, the actual Pope is not a character therein. Rather, one clever interpreter has put forth that the male figure in this narrative was previously perceived as such by the female. In other words, she was under the impression that he was a pious individual, akin to a holy man. But once given the opportunity he proved himself to be more akin to a rockstar. And in this case that would be stereotyped as someone who has an undisciplined sexual appetite and/or who has proven less-than-desirable in terms of being a serious romantic partner in some other way.
All in all, the event at hand wouldn’t be rape. Rather it reads more like what would be, at least from the female’s perspective, the last sexual encounter between herself and the male. And the main lyrical point which implies rape seems to be that she really doesn’t want to do it, at all.
But the male simply will not go away unless she acquiesces. So this is actually a tale, from the female’s perspective, of unwilling breakup sex, so to speak.
“Pope is a Rockstar”
And yes, the title itself is a very powerful metaphor. Indeed anytime an artist decides to use the Pope as a symbol, especially when dealing with a topic as off-putting as sexual abuse, viewers would likely go about interpreting it different colorful ways.
But determining if Sales actually meant something beyond what has been summarily put forth above would likely require a deeper study of their artistry. And based on this piece alone, the Pope does in fact serve as a metaphor, as someone who may appear collected on the outside but internally is quite wild.
Sales and “Pope is a Rockstar”
Sales is a band from Orlando whose discography dates back to 2013. By the looks of things they haven’t been terribly successful but did luck out, if you will, in 2021. This was when their track “Pope Is a Rockstar” went viral via the career-altering TikTok platform.
And this came about over four years after the band self-released this track as part of their debut full-length, Sales LP. The album’s release date was 20 April 2016.
Sales bandmates Jordan Shih and Lauren Morgan wrote and produced “Pope Is a Rockstar”.
Concerning this track’s aforementioned virality, it seems that TikTokers have been misreading it. The phrase which is most commonly used on the platform, as found in the chorus, actually reads “Pope is a rockstar”. But the way TikTokers have rendered it is rather as “go little rockstar”.
And accordingly the way they use it has nothing to do with rape or unwilling sexual intercourse but instead is often attached to youth sports’ videos, those related to pets or what have you.
If she says “no” or “I don’t want it” it’s rape. period.
Exactly!
Depends if it’s in her head or said to him
No it’s not the girl is going to try to make it clear!
yes but no. if she doesn’t say yes or is coerced into saying yes, then it’s rape. if she says no in her head and doesn’t say anything out loud, it’s rape. there is no consent. if she says no in her head and yes out loud, we’ve dipped into the grey area.
same goes for any gender
Also goes for he not just she
Slay
This article literally made me mad, If she said she doesn’t want to do it it’s rape. People get mad sometimes that women look at men different but honestly it’s not anyone’s fault that people see men that way no one set that title but them, But These comments are so TRUE!! I’m surprised a women wrote this bs “Wouldn’t be rape, Rather unwilling sex” It’s same old same old. It’s rape.????
Posted -June 17th 2023
Love this song . Understanding it more after reading the lyrics
“…Wouldn’t be rape..” two seconds later..”rather, unwilling breakup sex”. I’m gonna laugh so hard if a male wrote this.
Nope… written by a woman. Amanda… its up there under the header
The song was written by Dwayne White
A woman wrote the article. But yeah it seems like a fairly objective take on the song. Either way the guy in the song is not a great guy. Or at least not who the girl in the song thought he was. It’s definitely sexual manipulation and emotional abuse at the least in the context of the song it seems.
A woman wrote the article.
But if she made the decision to have sex with him, even though she did not want to, it cannot be considered rape. She wasn’t forced to do it.
Dec 29th Comment. First your a sexist. Second if you agree to pitty sex you agreed doesn’t mean it’s rape. If you don’t understand the difference than your not doing rape victims justice. Don’t agree to sex. And at any point during it you can always say no. Push them off. If it keeps going push you down then its rape. Now remember what rape really is. Also if your under age, you can’t give permission to someone older. Tell authorities. If you have an adult asking you to have sex.
If you say yes even if you don’t want to isn’t rape but it is sexual manipulation which isn’t good either. What is someone threatens you say, if they would hurt you if you don’t comply, than I would consider that rape or at the very least sexual manipulation
you realize sex by coercion isn’t consensual? Coercing someone to do something, when they don’t want to do it, is illegal.
for example, A management team gaslighting and manipulating you to sign a contract. That is coercion, and it can apply to sex. If you beg, plead, gaslight, manipulate, etc. someone into having sex with you, that is coercion.
it isn’t consensual, and therefore can be tried for as rape.
Man I hate it when I am asked to have pitty with two T’s sex. That’s not fun.
The video seems to contradict this analysis.
It seems like a happy love affair. An innocent optimistic love, like a first love (the young boys following them everywhere). But in the end the man chases the boys away, slaps one and leaves her on a train. The last scene she’s walking alone dressed in black. The train took him off to war, a war that ended his child-like innocence. A war where he was killed.
This is exactly what I thought.
I’m a bit late, but the video isn’t actually an official music video or anything, I’m guessing they just chose it because the original video only shows the album cover. The video they linked is actually seemingly fan-made, and it says in the description that it used footage from a 1957 French short film.
I guess it’s about breaking off, so saying “taking off your clothes” is not necessarily related to sex – showing yourself naked can be interpreted as showing yourself without hiding behind whatever – and a last intense talk
Who is the actress in the song?
I feel like it is a break up. He seems argumentive. And didn’t seem to love her like she loved him. He’s a rockstar. Thus an opportunist. He may come across spiritually connected. But, is weak because of his ego or persona. She caves to him for the last time.
The writer literally said that it was unwilling sex, which means she did not have a decision, she was forced.