The 1980's was a fun time to be a DINK. That's "Double Income No Kids." The 80's were known as the Greed Decade. Corporate mergers, Yuppies, and Wall Street white collar crimes were part of it. Money was flooding the economy in the business friendly environment under Reaganomics. With the excess of spending cash, the bars were full, the dance clubs were rocking and the restaurant trade boomed. House and car sales grew at a healthy pace. The post disco, post punk era of the 80's ushered in a new wave of music that reflected the vibe of the young up and comers. It was big sound, with big drums, to match our big hair and bold and brash clothing.
Robert Palmer wrote hits like Addicted To love and Simply Irresistible and with his side project, The Power Station, charted with hits like Bang A Gong, the T. Rex cover, and Some Like It Hot. Duran Duran, the British new wave group, went on hiatus, and their guitarist, Andy Taylor, and bassist, John Taylor, joined former Chic drummer, Tony Thompson, and Palmer to form The Power Station. You can tell by the titles that Palmer wrote for the party crowd. His brand of pop rock, fueled by his powerful vocals, pumped up the dance floor and was a soundtrack to not a few romantic adventures. Some Like It Hot especially features the dance floor hook ups, but doesn't provide much in the way beyond that moment.
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| The Power Station 1985 |
Some Like It Hot
Songwriter: Robert Palmer
I know you qualify, are you gonna do it?
Don't be so circumscribed, are you gonna do it?
Just get yourself untied, are you gonna do it?
Feel the heat pushing you to decide
Feel the heat burning you up, ready or not
Some like it hot, and some sweat when the heat is on
Some feel the heat and decide that they can't go on
Some like it hot, but you can't tell how hot till you try
Some like it hot, so let's turn up the heat till we fry
The girl is at your side, are you gonna do it?
She wants to be your bride, are you gonna do it?
She wants to multiply, are you gonna do it?
I know you won't be satisfied until you do it
Feel the heat pushing you to decide
Feel the heat burning you up, ready or not
Some like it hot, and some sweat when the heat is on
Some feel the heat and decide that they can't go on
Some like it hot, but you can't tell how hot till you try
Some like it hot, so let's turn up the heat till we fry
Feel the heat pushing you to decide
Feel the heat burning you up, ready or not
Some like it hot, and some sweat when the heat is on
Some feel the heat and decide that they can't go on
Some like it hot, but you can't tell how hot till you try
Some like it hot, so let's turn up the heat till we fry
Some like it hot, some like it hot
Some like it hot, some like it hot
Some like it hot, some like it hot
Some like it hot, some like it hot
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The lyrics are pretty straightforward. It's a song about the heat of sexual attraction. Phrases about marriage or multiplying implies making a family, but I don't think THAT is what Palmer is saying. He only uses the image of marrying and multiplying as a way to talk about the act of sexual union.
The drive to reproduce is an inborn function of the body. The song is driving music for the dance floor dynamic of mixing and meeting with another for the potential of sexual release, a satisfaction of the drive to reproduce.
When God made humans, God commanded them to reproduce. It's in our nature.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. (Gen 1:28a)Since the drive to reproduce is a natural directive given to us by our creator, why all the fuss over what the church calls sexual immorality? Why would God want us to be concerned about who we were having sex with?
Let's look at what is around this command in Genesis chapter one. First, we are created in God's image, both men and women. That implies that we are more than animal. There's something divine in us that sets us apart from the beasts of the field, forest, the skies and the waters.
So God created mankind in his own image,The writer of Ephesians calls upon Christians to imitate God. Imitating God does not include sexual immorality, sex outside of marriage.
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Gen 1:27)
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Eph 5:1-7)What a killjoy, right? Perhaps for the immature, that might seem to be true, but not for those who've gained some wisdom. We learn after a while that sex of sex's sake is empty. Such an approach abuses the gift of our sexuality. Our sexual union is meant for an intimate connection which expresses our love for one another, not simply our animal attraction. To do as the song suggests is to cheapen yourself and devalue the object of your sexual advances.
In a way, Robert Palmer's lyrics sounds like the kind of thing that the serpent would say. You may remember the serpent from Genesis chapter two who seduced Eve into disobeying God. He made the forbidden fruit sound so good, so Eve listened to temptation and not God's warning.
The scriptures are full of warning about sexual immorality. The call to give it a try is the call of temptation and reduces us to animals who cannot control our instinctual drive to mate. The singer says you won't be satisfied until you do it. But what about the next time and the time after that? Sex for sex's sake leads ever deeper into addiction because what one is really doing is creating a dependency in themselves upon the thrill of sex. It's a trap that leads to alienation from God and others.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. (Eph 4:17-19)Instead what does the scripture say about men and women? God made Adam and placed him in paradise to tend the garden of Eden. God realized it wasn't good for man to be alone. (Gen 2:18) He made a companion for him from his own body. God made Eve from Adam's rib. (Gen 2:21-22) The rabbis say, "Not from the skull so as to make her above the man, nor from the foot so that she would be below the man, but from the side, close to his heart, where she might be one with the man."
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. (Gen 2:22-25)Volumes can be written by what is revealed in this brief passage. Suffice it to say that the only sexual behavior that is truly blessed by God is the covenant of marriage. It's sad that so many fail to acknowledge this gift to humanity. We turn our marriage vows into a ball and chain. We listen to the serpent telling us we are missing out on all the hot fun. We are unfaithful to the one we pledged our heart for life. We do not heed to warnings. We leave victims in our lust led path.
The apostle Paul wrote about the sad condition in which many live. They live as slaves to their appetites. Their god is their belly. (Php 3:19)
For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.Their mind is set on earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Php 3:18-21)
Dear Savior, teach us the wisdom of Your word. Give us hearts that long to do as you will. Lead us to seek life through You, not death through short term fixes to our insatiable appetites. Teach us the wisdom that our souls will not rest until they learn to rest in you. We ask for the spiritual fruit of self-control. Let Your love keep us ever satisfied and yet ever hungering for more of what you give. Amen
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