Dominic Fike – “Wallflower”

Reed Bennett

I think the song's about cowardice, but with something much more vulnerable hiding underneath it. That’s how I’m treating my interpretation, because I was going to text Dominic for an official explanation of the lyrics but remembered I don’t have his cell.

The chorus is almost comically committed to synonyms for someone who won't act: “bush-beater,” “pussyfooter,” “wallflower,” “lily-liver,” “chicken heart.” Someone left Dominic Fike alone with an insult book from 1947. Google “lily-liver” for me because I’m too lazy. He's basically opened a thesaurus to coward and emptied the page onto somebody.

But I don't think the song is simply “Dominic calls somebody a coward.” The name-calling only gets us so far. Dominic opens on a world that's hostile as hell: “the fucking world is made of razor wire.” You can get into life or pad yourself against it, and whoever he's singing to has chosen the padding. That's the surprise. He didn't take them for someone who'd stay safely pressed against the wall.

Then, “If I could fly off the floor / Would you let me?”

That's the part that complicates everything for me. He's insulting this person for being afraid, then turns around and asks whether they'd let him leave the floor. Beneath all the bravado and ridiculous old-timey insults, he may actually need something from the very person he's mocking.

Which makes “wallflower” an interesting title because by the end I'm not entirely convinced there's only one wallflower in the room.

Okay, psychoanalysis complete. Let's put away the notebook and give the music some attention, because this thing moves. Dominic pulled his insults from 1947, so we'll send the compliments back the same way. “Wallflower” is a mighty fine toe-tapper with snappy guitars, a rollicking rhythm and enough pep to make sitting still a fool's errand. A swell little number, if we do say so ourselves.