“Anything But Me” by MUNA, Wednesday, October 25, 2023
YOU’RE GONNA SAY I ASKED FOR THE MOON. While MUNA is certainly overshadowed by Phoebe Bridgers and her own trio, boygenius, touring with Bridgers helped MUNA gain recognition. The band opened for Kacey Musgraves on her star-crossed tour in 2021-2022 and opened for Lorde on the Australian leg of her Solar Power tour. The band recounts hearing the crowd sing along to “Silk Chiffon” on the star-crossed tour in a Rolling Stone article. But then the band performed their first set at Coachella and an opening spot on maybe the biggest tour of all time, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Musically, though, MUNA has yet to match their biggest hit, the lead single from MUNA. “Silk Chiffon” fits the role as the positive song on an otherwise dark record. However, MUNA is far more positive compared to its predecessors. Today’s song, “Anything But Me,” isn’t about crippling depression like a similar track on Saves the World, “Stayaway.” Both songs are about a break up, but “Anything But Me” feels like an amount of healthy processing has taken place. Whether the friendship stated in “Anything But Me” is genuine or not, the sentiment of wishing an ex the best feels sincere.
I’M GONNA CRY FOR THE LOVE WE COULDN’T KEEP. The music video for “Anything But Me” depicts the members of MUNA in various restraints in every scene. I personally find the video uncomfortable to watch, especially compared to the song’s bright ‘90s acoustic alternative rock tone. The imagery seems to be a clear representation of a suffocating relationship. When lead singer Katie Gavin sings the bridge: “I’d rather lose you than who I’m meant to be” the message of the song is cemented. No relationship is worth the cost of losing who you are. This painful clarity may take a lot of time, especially in queer relationships when friendship, sex, and love can be blurred. In MUNA Gavin has talked about being in a band with her ex both in interviews and in the closing track of Saves the World, “It’s Gonna Be Okay, Baby.” Gavin broke up with bandmate Naomi McPherson prior to signing with RCA Records. The tension in MUNA’s songwriting feels like it comes from a place of confusion of feelings, though perhaps not from the Gavin-McPherson relationship. We don’t know who this song is really about, but we do know that it’s about cutting out the toxicity in your life. After all, it’s not worth being strangled!
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