#also the lyrics are from bitten by patrick wolf

[rodenka]

the teeth have long departed

but the desire burns strong

[malhare-archive]

Oh yeah pal, the wolf monologue basically made the film for me. Like before I was just like "This is an interesting weird movie I guess" but after that I was like "Oh god. Oh fuck." Like personally I'm more of a scorpion person, I've been obsessed with them since a young age and also playing HIKEBACK, a psychological horror / sci-fi short visual novel about abuse and change (or the ability to), did something to me that no other story will ever be able to do, and that game used Aesop's scorpion and the frog as character themes (it can even be seen in the designs now that I think about it) and metaphors. And also I'm like weirdly obsessed with that pop culture retelling of the fable, where the scorpion doesn't sting the frog and says that it can't choose its nature but it can control its actions or something like that? I also have a love/hate relationship with the original fable because on one hand I'm like "REAL SHIT 👀👀👀???" and on the other I am like "When I die I will take a book of these fables with me and I will hit Aesop really hard with it every afternoon for the rest of eternity because this fable is wrong and goes against all my convictions and ideals and it is imperative to my wellbeing that Aesop is aware of that."

But anyway wolves are cool too, it's just that, I don't know, I just hate relating to wolves because if I say it, people will surely think that I'm one of those weird guys who are like "Oh I'm a total wolf I'm a Super Mega Alpha Male haha lol". Or they'll think that I'm saying that they're like cool and badass and majestic and I'm too. But what I am in fact saying is "I was born with; or perhaps was made to grow; metaphorical claws and teeth so sharp they bite when they should kiss and cut when they should pet. My love is caustic and smells of burning plastic, it bites and takes and tears your throat out until there's nothing left of you to give to me, to nurture my empty body with. My hair raises at the tiniest sound and my heart is always racing to run or fight. I'm a wild animal, a pack animal, but I'm rabid." you know?

Anyway the wolf songs. Well the most obvious ones are:

I Know I'm A Wolf by Young Heretics

Little Red Riding Hood by Amanda Seyfried

Wolf Like Me by TV On The Radio (or this cover)

Then there's WOLF by Siamés, which is from the POV of the wolf and uses it as a metaphor for addiction

Then The Wolf Song by OMNIA, which actually may be rather literal because OMNIA is a bit out there

Then Be Nice To Me by The Front Bottoms uses the wolf metaphor once but it isn't the focus

Songs that are focused on their metaphor but use a slightly different animal are:

Lion by Hollywood Undead

and Dog Teeth by Nicole Dollanganger (actually I'm mildly sure this one is supposed to be about sexual assault but I can't really be sure sure about it and personally I don't treat it as that kind of song but as a general thing. Mostly because I can relate to "You're cold on the inside, there's a dog in your heart, and it tells you to tear everything apart." and actually a lot of the lyrics in general.)

Some other miscellaneous songs are:

Wounded Wolf by Giles Corey, which is named that but never actually mentions a wolf???

Bitten by Patrick Wolf (lol), which yeah talks about being bitten and stuff but isn't really focused on that. Honestly I just like the song.

Silt by Half Waif, which uses a few lyrics of a lion metaphor but otherwise talks more generally about loving with venom

Tongues and Teeth by The Crane Wives, which is also pretty vague in terms of metaphors but it fits the general concept.

I'm actually somewhat sure I knew more very specific wolf songs, but I can't find them at all right now?? Idk might get back to you with more if I ever remember the titles lol.

YOOOOO, sorry this took me a while to get around to I just [inhale] have a lot of thoughts and wanted to be able to give a thoughtful response! Thank you so much for the reccs, I LOVE getting music reccs and I LOVE wolf metaphors/imagery so I put all these songs on a playlist to listen to at work!

I've already heard a few of these - Funnily enough, "Wolf Like Me" is my favorite TV on the Radio song! I also love "I Know Im a Wolf" and "Dog Teeth"!! Im excited to listen to the rest <3

I really like the Scorpion and the Frog fable too! That "nature vs self determination" debate is really close to my own heart.

I also definitely feel you on relating to wolves in that way, especially the bit about “having claws and teeth” that accidentally hurt others. My connection to wolves isn't some macho lone-wolf deal, it's about trauma, overcoming your own nature and life obstacles, and inner strength though I'm now starting to get more into my relationship with my patron deity, Fenrir.