Style

Song Meaning

Style is presented as the ultimate differentiator, a way to elevate any action, from the mundane to the perilous. The lyrics posit that a dull task performed with flair is superior to a dangerous one executed without it, and that tackling something dangerous with panache is the very definition of art. This elevates everyday actions and even dangerous endeavors to a higher plane, suggesting that the *how* is more significant than the *what*. The core tension lies in the scarcity of this quality. The narrator observes that "not many have style," even extending this to animals, noting cats possess it "with abundance" while dogs and men often lack it. This scarcity highlights its value and suggests it's an innate, almost elusive trait rather than a learned skill, setting those who possess it apart from the masses. The craft here is in the eclectic, almost jarring juxtapositions. The narrator lists bullfighting, boxing, loving, and opening sardines as potential art forms, all dependent on style. Later, historical and religious figures like Joan of Arc, Christ, and Socrates are named alongside men in jail, and even a simple image of "six herons standing quietly" or a person emerging naked from a bathroom. This broad, unexpected range of examples underscores the pervasive, democratic nature of style, suggesting it can manifest in grand gestures or quiet moments, in the celebrated or the condemned. Ultimately, the lyrics' power comes from this radical redefinition of excellence. By linking style to art and applying it to such a diverse spectrum of human (and non-human) experience, the piece suggests that true distinction isn't about grand achievements but about a fundamental, inherent way of *being*. It’s a call to recognize and value this elusive quality in the most unexpected places, making the ordinary feel extraordinary and the dangerous feel deliberate.