(fairly) new (but unlisted) "benefits"

[Laurence Horn]

On Aug 5, 2011, at 11:28 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> At 8/5/2011 11:02 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>> > But in context this looks like it means 'committed romantic/sexual
>> > partner who is also a close friend', i.e. emphasizing the fact that the
>> > advertiser is looking for someone who will be not only a lover but also
>> > a close friend. She's not just looking for a friend to sleep with on
>> > occasion.
>> >
>> That seems to be the case in the Morissette song as well, FWIW.
> 
> I was just about to ask about that, from my casual glance at the
> lyrics earlier in this message chain.
> 
> Joel


Eric Nielsen probably can speak to this better than me, since I don't really know the song or the singer (and given that her favorite film is "Forrest Gump"…), but the complete lyrics (http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/alanismorissette/headoverfeet.html) do seem to hint that her narrator* is seeking…well, something more than what we now think of as FWBs, despite the evidence of Morissette's own proclivities as mentioned in the bio Eric cites (that contest during the band's first tour, her self-reported "filthy mouth", her "penchant…for stealing other girls' boyfriends",...).

LH

*Is there a better term for the first-person protagonist of a song? It's not necessarily "the singer", "the songwriter", or the person whose point of view is represented (which may be a third/second person).  Talk about lexical gaps!
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