SNARKNOTES: “DRUG DEALER FRIEND” BY EMMURE
Context
Emmure is a band that was formed in Connecticut in 2003. They were clearly influenced by a style of music known as “metalcore,” which was very popular in the Northeast during the early twenty-first century. Given its name due to the fact that it combined elements of heavy metal music and hardcore music, metalcore eventually evolved into another genre, deathcore, which differed from metalcore primarily in its utilization of simpler riffs and more diarrhea vocals.
Emmure are largely considered to be one of the pioneers of the deathcore genre by those who have never heard of The Acacia Strain.
Plot Overview
The Narrator, a voyeur, expresses a desire to see man’s penis sucked upon by someone else. The Narrator knows that it will be a pleasurable experience for all parties involved. The Narrator strongly values eye contact as well.
Character List
The Narrator — A voyeur who derives enjoyment from watching others perform the act of oral sex.
The Fellater — The person doing the fellating at the request of The Narrator.
The Fellatee — The person being fellated at the request of The Narrator.
Analysis of Major Characters
The Narrator — The Narrator proves the most dynamic character in “Drug Dealer Friend.” While vocalist Frankie Palmeri’s delivery implies anger, The Narrator predominantly expresses feelings of happiness and a desire for The Fellater to enjoy him or herself. However, since we are never given the perspective of the other characters during the story, we may conclude that The Narrator is unreliable.
The Fellater — Although frequently assumed to be a woman, there is no evidence that this is the case. In 2011, Palmeri told Alternative Press that “a lot of people will probably think this song is about a female, but it’s not,” which suggests that The Fellater is, in fact, a man. Furthermore, while The Narrator calls The Fellater “bitch,” an insult traditionally lobbed at females, it is important to note that “bitch” can also be synonymous with the words “coward” and “weakling.” And, finally, there is the fact that Palmeri is known for not being a literal lyricist — for example, he asserted that these lyrics are “about discovering just how weak people can be when it comes to substance abuse and how blind they become to how it affects the people around them,” despite the fact that there is no evidence that this is the subject of the song. Knowing, then, that Palmeri often works with symbolism, we can infer that The Narrator may very well be a homosexual voyeur.
The Fellatee — The most mysterious character in “Drug Dealer Friend.” Very little is revealed about The Fellatee during the course of the song, besides the fact that he has a penis, and that said penis is currently being sucked.
Themes, Motifs, & Symbols
Voyeurism Versus Martymachlia
Although it is clear that The Narrator takes joy in observing the act of fellatio, it is ambiguous whether or not The Fellater and The Fellatee also enjoy being watched — although The Narrator does not doubt that, at the very least, The Fellater is in fact an exhibitionist.
Sucking Dick
A recurring image throughout the song. Telling someone to “suck my dick,” “suck a dick,” “suck his dick,” etc., is considered an insult that implies sexual inferiority. However, some enjoy giving pleasure to others, and are predisposed to relish the taste of salt. This being the case, we can conclude little from the constant use of the phrase, other than that The Narrator very much holds the performance in high regard.
Vision
The song’s never-ending discussion of sight and eyes may be the clearest indication that it is all a metaphor for drug abuse, since “being able to see” is a long-stand symbolic trope in literature, and practitioners of controlled substances have often been known to enjoy euphoric, religious, and other-worldly experiences while using. And so The Narrator may very well be concerned with the spiritual health of The Fellater, not the condition of his or her eyesight. This argument is further bolstered by the own well-known spiritual beliefs of Palmeri, who believes that the teachings of a character from Star Wars could unlock his inner video game character.
Summary & Analysis
I wanna watch you suck his dick
The Narrator of the song wants to watch someone perform oral sex on a third party.
I know you fucking love it, bitch
The Narrator feels confident that The Fellater enjoys performing oral sex. Although the word “bitch” can be deemed insulting, the fact that The Narrator is so familiar with the sexual proclivities of The Fellater strongly implies that it is meant as affectionate dirty talk, and not in a derogatory manner.
Choke!
Whether The Narrator wants The Fellater to perform an act known as “deep throating,” during which the entire penis is shoved down a throat (thus making it difficult to breathe and sometimes inducing choking or coughing), or The Narrator is simply observing that The Fellater is deep throating is unclear. However, it is certain that deep throating is currently-in-progress at this point in the narrative.
Do you see me now?
The Narrator asks The Fellater if he or she can clearly observe The Narrator at this moment. One theory posits that The Fellater may suffer from a rare form of blindness, which can only be cured by performing oral sex on another individual.
I wanna watch you suck his dick
The Narrator re-iterates his desire to observe as The Fellater fellate The Fellatee.
I know you fucking love it, bitch
Why does The Narrator feel the need to once again express confidence that The Fellater will enjoy having The Fellatee penis in his or her mouth? Could it be that The Narrator is, in fact, trying to convince himself that he’s doing right by The Fellater? Perhaps The Fellater is an unwilling participant in these activities — or, as was the common parlance of the day, being “face raped?”
Do you see me now?
Some critics assert that the repetition of this question weakens the argument that The Fellater suffers from an exotic disorder of the eyes — for, surely, by this point in the narrative, he or she has sucked enough schlong to be able to see clearly. This suggests that the question is being asked aggressively, and may be another example of the aforementioned rough language meant to induce sexual arousal. However, it is possible that The Fellater’s affliction is so strong that he or she perpetually requires male genitalia to occupy his or her mouth in order to maintain his or her vision. Semen may also be required for this cure to take hold, although the subject is never explicitly discussed in the lyrics.
You fucking bitch
This is a telling line; if shouted in the heat of passion, we can now definitively conclude that The Narrator does, indeed, have a filthy mouth. However, it could also suggest that The Narrator is not very well educated — for, technically speaking, The Fellater is sucking, not fucking, and The Narrator has therefore utilized an incorrect descriptor.
Do you see me now?
The Narrator’s concern for the vision of The Fellater does not abate.
Look into my fucking eyes
The Narrator demands that The Fellater maintain eye contact while performing oral sex. This could be The Narrator’s way of testing The Fellater to make sure that he or she really can see now — although the use of the word “fucking” here suggests emphasis and aggression, further solidifying the theory that this song is really just about a dude making a chick suck some other dude’s cock while he screams abusive things at the poor girl.
-AR
