Continuing my look at the albums of 2005…
This album was released in 2005 in Sweden but didn’t make it to the U.S. until three years later. I’m considering it a 2005 release for the sake of this installment of Decades.
Robyn started her career as a teenage pop artist in her native Sweden, releasing a trio of lightweight dance albums influenced heavily by her label. After a three year break, she left to start her own label and make the music she wanted to make.
The result was this self-titled album, a glorious electro-pop collection. I’ve always described it as a cross between Prince and Cyndi Lauper, plus house beats.
Listening to it now, for the first time in a long time, I’m struck by how ahead of its time this was. You can hear elements of this album on recent music by Carly Rae Jepsen, Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, and even Taylor Swift.
I was also surprised to see that I’d featured six songs from Robyn on the blog already, most of them way back in the late 2000s. So I figured it’s only right to give it a little more love this week.
Note: The chorus of this song finds Robyn calling her unlucky target a “Nazi,” but the word was played in reverse on all international releases of the album. Seems like an odd thing to censor.
(Yeah)
I heard about some guy that you beat pretty bad and got in the papers (Sure)
You own a cool bar and I hear you get far with every waitress (Yeah)
I saw you on the poster, your song is the bomb and you’re outrageous (Sure)
I see you’re living’ large with your crib and your cars and that’s just great, but
[Pre-Chorus]
Let me tell you how it’d be
You won’t get with this you see
‘Cause you can’t handle me
[Verse 2]
Mm-mm mm (Yeah)
You make your big move and I see you’re not used to being rejected (Sure)
You making that call to your guy and I’m sure you’re well connected (Yeah)
Judging from that line you just passed you are well known and respected (Sure)
Would me and my girls come participate in something you directed
Oh
[Pre-Chorus]
Let me tell you how it’d be
You won’t get with this you see
‘Cause you can’t handle me
[Chorus]
It’s a simple fact, that you can’t seem to handle me
No matter how you act with them, you can’t handle me
You gotta make me feel you got my back, but you’re a selfish
Narcissistic, psycho-freaking, boot-licking Nazi creep and
You can’t handle me
[Verse 3]
(Yeah)
I think you’re kinda cute when you try and act like you ain’t looking (Sure)
I think you’re kinda fly and your ride, sure, is off the hook and (Yeah)
Bet you could take my mind off of things for some time and take me shopping (Sure)
You writing those rhymes and acts you produce are really kickin’, but
[Pre-Chorus]
Let me tell you how it’d be
You won’t get with this you see
‘Cause you can’t handle me
[Chorus]
It’s a simple fact, that you can’t seem to handle me
No matter how you act with them, you can’t handle me
Just a simple fact, that you can’t seem to handle me
No matter how you act with them, you can’t handle me
You gotta make me feel you got my back, but you’re a selfish
Narcissistic, psycho-freaking, boot-licking Nazi pimp and
You can’t handle me
[Verse 4]
(Yeah)
I heard about some guy that you beat pretty bad and got in the papers (sure)
You own a cool bar and I hear you get far with every waitress (Yeah)
I saw you on the poster, your song is the bomb and you’re outrageous (Sure)
I see you’re living’ large with your crib and your cars and that’s just great, but
[Pre-Chorus]
Let me tell you how it’d be
You won’t get with this you see
‘Cause you can’t handle me
[Chorus]
It’s a simple fact, that you can’t seem to handle me
No matter how you act with them, you can’t handle me
Just a simple fact, that you can’t seem to handle me
No matter how you act with them, you can’t handle me
You gotta make me feel you got my back, but you’re a selfish
Narcissistic, psycho-freaking, boot-licking Nazi creep and
You can’t handle me
Meet Me In Montauk 
Perhaps “Nazi” is the “N” word in Europe.
Nazi stayed intact in Europe.. it was only in the U.S. that it was censored.