Interpretations of Box Full O’ Honey

When I started examining the lyrics of various Duran Duran songs, a number of songs were suggested to me.  Box Full O’Honey, off of the Red Carpet Massacre album, was one.  I wasn’t so excited to tackle this one for a few reasons.  First, it is a more recent song, which makes it harder to analyze, I think.  Second, it is a song off an album that still creates very strong feelings among many members of the fan community.  Will discussing it become a debate about RCM?  Third, it isn’t a song that I have a strong connection with.  In fact, the only connection I can think of is that I saw the song performed live during the band’s run on Broadway to introduce the album.  It didn’t move me much then.  I remember that the background video for it was simple.  That’s it.  That said, I do have my thoughts about the song and about the lyrics.  Before I dive into possible interpretations, I give you a clip of the song and the lyrics.

“Box Full O’ Honey”

Box full o’ honey
At the sharp end of the view
The edge of me and you
And all good sense had tread no further
And as the ghost will shiver trees
How I’m trembling on my knees
But I’m still drawn on by the murmur

Are you laughing at me now
In my circumstance
When still I wear I your crown
My life’s penitence
And for what
What’s so funny
A box full o honey

What I thought a pretty tune
Was howling at the moon
To keep me company this evening
It’s so lonely in the dirt
A scratching at the hurt
But I so generously did leave you

Are you laughing at me now
In my circumstance
When still I wear I your crown
Some cruel penitence
for what
What’s so funny
Box full o honey

Is she flirting with me now
Ohh
Is she dallying with me now
Ohh
ohhh
Are you flirting with me now
You’ll always be my queen of tumble down
Miss melancholy

Are you laughing at me now
In my circumstance
When still I wear I your crown
And my life’s a penitence
And for what
What’s so funny
Ain’t it funny
A box full o honey

Since this song was released in the fall of 2007, will there even be any interpretations of it out there?  There are not many interpretations but I did find a couple.

*Confusion and loneliness

*About a guy who is in a relationship where the woman has a hold on him

*Yasmin

Could the song be about confusion and/or loneliness?  If there is loneliness, I don’t think it is the I’m by myself kind of loneliness.  It could be that this she is someone who rejected the narrator with lines like “Are you laughing at me now” or in which the narrator does not get what he emotionally needs from the relationship.  Both situations could lead to straight up loneliness.  Yet, I think confusion is a much better description since on one hand she is laughing but then she might be flirting.  It might be the narrator has no real idea what the other person thinks or feels as they demonstrate behavior that contradicts. 

What about the second theory that this guy is held, emotionally, by a woman?  That seems to fit with lines like “When still I wear your crown”.  Perhaps, he stays despite himself as a line like “And all good sense has tread no further”.  The use of the word, “circumstance” also implies that it isn’t always smooth sailing and that there are problems surrounding the relationship.  Whatever the situation is, he does not seem like he is ready to leave any time soon with lines like, “You’ll always be my queen of tumble down” or “But I’m still drawn on by the murmur.”

Is the song about Yasmin?  I have no idea.  Could all of the lyrics involving a woman be directed at her?  It is possible.  We know that Come Undone was written with Yasmin in mind.  I offer a slightly different interpretation and one that I prefer to think of.  What if it is about fans?  What if it is about female fans, specifically?  Now, before I dive into how that would fit, I’ll be honest that if I can make any of their lyrics about fans and fandom I will.  I am a sap that way.  The murmur could be our voices and our voices could cause Simon and the rest of the band to be “drawn on”.  It could make them continue.  The crown could be this idea that we have fans have made them idols, celebrities.  Does being a subject of fandom or being a fan make you someone to be made fun of?  It certainly can.  The songs keep us company as the line about the “pretty tune” would imply.  Then, the next verse with flirting definitely fits.  Fans definitely do flirt.

Do I really think the song is about Simon and the band’s relationship with the fans and how we keep them going?  Probably not but I prefer to think of it that way.  It gives me a connection to the song that I wouldn’t have otherwise and isn’t that what songs are supposed to do?  Aren’t they supposed to connect to the listeners?  What do you think?  Is my idea far fetched?  Are the other theories better?

-A

Related posts:

  1. Interpretations of (I’m Looking for) Cracks in the Pavement
  2. Interpretations of the Reflex
  3. Interpretations of Palomino

By Daily Duranie

Once upon a time, there were two Duran Duran fans. One named Amanda, the other named Rhonda. Over many vodka tonics, they would laugh about the idea of one day writing a book about their fan experiences. While that manuscript is still being composed...Rhonda thought they should write a blog. (What was she THINKING?!) Lo and behold: The Daily Duranie was born.

10 comments

  1. “Box” off Red Carpet Massacre is one of my favourite songs.
    I love it for its melody, its musicality and, sharing most of the Italian radio DJs who back then passed it on the radio, it is one of the few “DD songs” on that album, because it sounds so distant from the Timbaland trademark: there is no hip-hop note!
    I think the lyrics are written by Simon, as the Nick’s ones read more sarcastic and cryptic opposite to the Simon’s ones who read poetic and feature a different grammar (sometimes cryptic, too!!). I agree with the theory according to which the lyrics are about his relationship with Yasmin.
    The man in the story reads to me to be a partner who is telling of his “surviving” (sort of) after a long time love story.

  3. Funny, just listened to this song on my way to work this morning. I know I have heard Simon mention it was a song about screwing up with Yasmin and feeling like a fool for doing so. But I do love the fact that the it can have so many interpretations, it's a mark of great lyrics.

  4. I do think it's about Yasmin or rather his relationship with her, maybe about his screwing up at times, knowing it hurts her, feeling bad for it but also knowing it hurts himself when he does so. He's always drawn to her, he knows he's her's and yet sometimes he does things he shouldn't because for some stupid reason he gets drawn to those things as well even though it's a fleeting interest(exampled in the line “What I thought a pretty tune/Was howling at the moon” – thought it was something it wasn't and now it's gone) yet he does it anyway. So I think the song is a way of saying I know I'm an idiot sometimes but you are it for me. That's she's seen him after he's made a fool of himself but for some reason she's stuck around anyway.

    And I know the lyrics always say it's “But I so generously did leave you” but for the life of me I always here him saying it as “That I so generously did leave you”

  5. There's a pretty funny question in the Ask Katy book about this song (that I don't think ever made it onto the DD site, just the book). Let's just say that person's interpretation is a bit more…crass…than what's been proposed here.

  6. I totally agree! In fact, when people hate on RCM, one of the first things I bring up is this song. It is definitely in the tradition of those haunting, beautiful & classic Duran ballads.

    Don't get me wrong-I don't love RCM–but I do think about half of it is really good and that includes Box Full of Honey.

  7. Just a little tidbit, “Box” is another word for a woman's privates. Does this change the interpretation? Not sure.

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