(Content note: the song I’m highlighting is a song written in response to the way society allows rapists to get away with their crimes.)

I’ve been a pretty big fan of First Aid Kit ever since I first saw the music video for their song Hard Believer, a pretty openly atheist song.

First Aid Kit is a Swedish folk duo consisting of sisters Klara (vocals/guitar) and Johanna Söderberg (vocals/keyboards/AutoHarp). They’ve actually been around for a long while, now, and are immensely talented.

On March 8th, International Women’s Day, they released a new song called You Are The Problem Here. This is how they described it:

“You Are the Problem Here” isn’t a typical First Aid Kit-song. It’s angry and direct. It’s a song written out of despair. After reading about yet another rape case where the perpetrator was handed a sentence which did not at all reflect the severity of his crime we felt upset and vengeful. We were, and are, sick of living in a society where the victims of rape are often blamed for the horrible thing that has been done to them. Our message is clear and should not be controversial in the least: if you rape, you are the problem. Alcohol is not the problem. So called “youth culture” is not the problem. You are. And you always have a choice.

On March 11th, they released the lyric video for the song:

This is definitely the hardest song First Aid Kit has ever put out. Part of me wants to call it Folk Punk or even Folk Metal, although the music itself is more like The Doors trying out Folk than War on Women or Otep. It’s the lyrics and emotion that make it so much harder than Folk or Rock. They are striking and raw and real. It’s a powerful song and a powerful statement. I’ve always rather marveled at Klara’s and Johanna’s lyrical abilities, they way they weave words and phrases together. I do consider both of them to be modern lyrical geniuses; I would genuinely put them up there with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, etc. And they use those talents to great effect, here, creating what is effectively a musical punch to the gut.

For me, it brings to mind so many fucking men who are allowed to get away with raping women, although Brock Turner comes to the forefront. And yes, I very much hope that all of them fucking suffer.

Here are the lyrics:

I am so sick and tired of this world
All these women with their dreams shattered
From some man’s sweaty, desperate touch
God damn it, I’ve had enough
When did you come to think refusal was sexy?
Can’t you see the tears in her eyes?
How did you ever think you had the right to
Put your entitled hands up her thighs?

You are the problem here
You are the problem here
No one made you do anything
You are the problem here
You are the problem here
No one made you do anything

And I
And I hope you fucking suffer

Do you really expect anyone to feel sorry
That you ruined your own life?
You did it when you thought you had the right to
Put your entitled hands up her thighs
And we don’t need to be diminished
To sisters or daughter or mothers
I am a human being, that is how you relate to me

You are the problem here
You are the problem here
No one made you do anything
That’s not how liquor works
You are the problem here
You are the problem here
No one made you do anything

And I
And I
And I
And I
And I
And I hope you fucking suffer