Song Meaning
The lyrics present a fragmented, almost chaotic definition of "sex," moving from abstract concepts like "rebirth" and "redemption" to more visceral, even disturbing, associations. The repeated "Sex is... Sex is... ahhhh!" acts as a refrain, highlighting a sense of overwhelming emotion or perhaps confusion surrounding the subject. It’s a word that conjures powerful, conflicting ideas, suggesting it’s both a source of profound connection and a site of moral ambiguity.
The central tension arises when the lyrics pivot from personal or abstract notions to societal and familial ones. The jarring juxtaposition of "Sex is your sister. Sex is your brother" followed by the stark declaration of "incest" reveals a deliberate attempt to shock and provoke thought about the boundaries and perversions associated with sexuality. This escalation suggests that the narrator sees sex not just as an act, but as a force that can be twisted or misused, leading to a "terrible state" of the world.
The most striking craft element is the relentless, almost incantatory repetition of "Sex is..." paired with an increasingly diverse and often contradictory list of attributes. This structure forces the listener to confront the multifaceted and often hypocritical ways society views and engages with sex. The lyrics then directly address the conflation of love and sex, with the narrator’s ambiguous "I agree (disagree)" leaving the listener to ponder whether this equation is a natural outcome or a societal failing.
Ultimately, these lyrics are effective because they refuse easy answers, mirroring the complex and often messy reality of human sexuality. By linking sex to everything from "politics" and "election" to "sacrifice" and "lying," the song suggests that sex is deeply interwoven with power, deception, and societal structures. The raw, exclamatory "ahhhh!" punctuates the entire exploration, leaving the listener with a sense of the profound, perhaps even overwhelming, impact of sex on the human experience.