Sunday, April 28, 2024

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Peek-A-Boo


An oddball in the Banshees catalog, “Peek-A-Boo” is a very danceable track built around a reverse sample from John Cale’s song, “Gun” and a manipulated vocal from Siouxsie Sioux achieved through her using a different microphone for each line of the song. Due to the lyrics, “Golly jeepers/Where’d you get those weepers?/Peepshow, creepshow/Where did you get those eyes?“, the band was forced to give writing credits to Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. During an MTV interview, Siouxsie said that the song is about “the way women are portrayed in our fascist media.”

Creeping up the backstairs
Slinking into dark stalls
Shapeless and slumped in bath chairs
Furtive eyes peep out of holes
She has many guises
She'll do what you want her to
Playing dead and sweet submission
Cracks the whip, deadpan on cue

Reeking like a pigsty
Peeling back and gagging free
Flaccid ego in your hand
Chokes on dry tears, can you understand?
She's jeering at the shadows
Sneering behind a smile
Lunge and thrust to pout and pucker
Into the face of the beguiled

Strobe lights pump and flicker
Dry lips crack out for more
“Come bite on this rag doll, baby!
That's right, now hit the floor”
They're sneaking out the back door
She gets up from all fours
Rhinestone fools and silver dollars
Curdle into bitter tears

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo
Golly jeepers, where'd you get those weepers?
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo
Peep show, creep show, where did you get those eyes?

From: https://genius.com/Siouxsie-and-the-banshees-peek-a-boo-lyrics