'I’m Too Sexy' is Way Darker Than You Think
"I'm Too Sexy," the weird '90s dance hit they play in mediocre comedies whenever a character is being seductive and/or doing a wardrobe montage, doesn't seem that deep: just a dude listing things he is sexier than. However, if you listen closely, it's clearly a cry for help from a man in acute emotional distress.
If it weren't for one line, it could be dismissed as a goofy novelty song, but that line is also the first one: "I'm too sexy for my love, love's going to leave me." It's a strange declaration -- excessive sexiness isn't known to be a point of conflict in many relationships -- but it soon becomes clear what's really going on.
As the song progresses, a narrative emerges of a profoundly neurotic person who can't enjoy anything, thanks to their narcissistic delusions: various exciting cities and countries, items of clothing, automobiles, parties, dancing, even their cat. They can't even accept animal companionship on account of their inflated ego, which we all know is just the mask that covers low self-esteem, even though they feel bad about it ("poor pussycat"). The only thing that feels meaningful to them is shaking their little tush on the catwalk, which makes sense. It feeds their narcissism.
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Then they return again to their conviction that their love is going to leave them, probably because they're such a jaded, depressed wet blanket, finally concluding that they're too sexy for this song. You know, their own emotionally wrenching confession. They're too sexy for it. It's a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgment that they can't change, so they're doubling down on their delusions of grandeur. Just something to keep in mind the next time you do a humorous striptease.
Manna is too sexy for her Twitter.
Top image: Charisma Records
