Written by TJ Washington. Article header courtesy of Grace Mcglynn (@Gracem_Illustrations)
Former-black midi frontman Geordie Greep has never shied away from controversial topics within his music: from cult leaders to homophobic ship captains and egotistical murdering boxers, Greep’s larger than life storytelling hides genuine critiques on societal issues that ring harshly true. That’s why with the surprise release of “Holy, Holy”-the first single from his solo record The New Sound-the internet exploded.
“Holy, Holy” sees Greep going all in on his character-based lyrical style, embodying a misogynistic womanizer throughout all of the first half. These lyrics made many both within and without his fanbase extremely concerned, but upon a closer inspection, you see that this track is not what it seems. Greep has always been fearless in his narrative ambitions, and this song is where they reach their logical peak. Greep explained in an interview with Larry Fitzmaurice of “Last Donut of the Night” that he initially had much trepidation with releasing a song like this under his own name, rightfully believing that some would connect the first person delivery and associate it with his own beliefs. Greep explained that he “thought it was more effective to just portray it and really get to the roots of [toxic masculinity]” rather than dance around the subject.
This approach lets “Holy, Holy” create an atmosphere where the audience immediately becomes disgusted with the narrator. Upbeat and jazzy swing rhythms bringing to mind the womanizing stereotypes of old school musical theater cliches, all the while the lyrics range from microaggression to straight up assault as he verbally forces a girl into sexual favors with him. If this was where the song stopped, it would certainly be a disgusting portrait of a monster. However, when it reaches the second half, the tables turn.
After the climatic explosion of the track with the reprise of the intro’s distorted guitar leads and acappella countermelodies, the atmosphere completely shifts. The underlying rhythm stays frantic, but dreamy chords are overlaid atop a lyrical flashback to the night before the one mentioned in the first half. Greep showcases the immaturity and deceitfulness of the narrator, describing his meeting with the woman who he later assaulted. It’s revealed that he paid this woman to interact with him in this way in an attempt to raise his social pedigree, portraying him as this hypermasculine figure who is able to obtain anything he wants with just his presence alone. Repeated motifs like “how much would that cost?” showcase that the only thing truly larger than life about this man is his monetary acumen.
It’s a twist that completely reframes the original story, almost transforming the narrator into this tragic figure who is so insecure in his own personality that he would go as far as to fake assault just to find social acceptance from a notoriously disgusting subset of the population. Greep said this was a very intentional choice, showcasing how “[y]ou can feel sorry for them and, at the same time, repulsed by them.” It’s a much more complex look into a red hot topic, showcasing that the people who fall into these hypermasculine circles aren’t monsters, but misguided individuals who fall for predatory figures pushing these self-destructive beliefs onto them.
This empathetic look into lampooned individuals is a reminder that in such a polarizing time, to be human is not to try and be perfect: it’s to recognize our faults and grow from them. “Holy, Holy” is an acknowledgment of how easy it is to lose this simple mindset, and hopefully, it promotes some to reflect on their lives and aim for improvement.
