It’s Hard to Tell

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a society where outward appearances and traditional signifiers of sexuality are becoming increasingly blurred. The narrator, Velcro, observes that distinguishing between gay and straight men is difficult, noting that some individuals don't fit easy stereotypes. This confusion is amplified by the changing social landscape, with places like Soho bars becoming more mixed, challenging previous assumptions about 'no-go' zones. The core of the observation is that societal norms around gender expression and sexual identity are evolving, making definitive categorization a challenge. The central tension arises from the narrator's struggle to reconcile perceived outward cues with potential underlying identities. He uses a series of observations – a man being "hotter than wasabi," dressed in "Gucci," and acting "smoochy" – to initially categorize him as heterosexual, only to have this challenged by the possibility of him being interested in men. This is further complicated by the introduction of Robbie, who adds more examples of ambiguous presentation, like a man with impressive physique wearing a "wedding ring." The lyrics highlight a persistent desire to 'know' or 'tell' someone's sexual orientation, even as the markers for doing so become less reliable. A key piece of craft is the relentless use of contrasting pairs and ambiguous descriptors. Phrases like "princes from the queens," "homos from the hets," and "benders from the butch" directly juxtapose different identities. The lyrics also employ loaded imagery: the "wasabi" and "Gucci" suggest a certain type of presentation, while "show tunes way too loud" and "ruby slippers" lean into stereotypes. The repeated line "It's hard to tell" acts as a refrain, underscoring the central theme of uncertainty and the breakdown of easy categorization. The final lines about "scanning their reflection" and "making sure they're pretty" suggest a shared focus on appearance, regardless of orientation, further blurring the lines. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their candid, if somewhat judgmental, portrayal of societal observation and the discomfort that arises when familiar categories fail. The narrator's frustration isn't necessarily malicious, but rather a reflection of a world where the old rules of identification no longer apply. The song captures a specific moment of cultural transition, where the visual cues people relied on to understand each other's sexual identities are becoming less dependable, leading to a state of perpetual, and perhaps slightly anxious, uncertainty.