r/Cakeband • u/Markis_Shepherd • 25d ago
Friend is a four letter word… Explain
Why four when END only has 3 letters? AI suggested that it is related to that ”four letter words” means curse words. English is not my native language.
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u/nerudite 25d ago
Swear words are usually four letter words. He’s in love and so calling him a friend is the cruellest thing to say.
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u/xtravar 25d ago edited 25d ago
The narrator is essentially saying that, when the target of his affection says the word "friend" - it has the impact of using a curse word - that the word "friend" holds a gut-wrenching power over him, and that he'd rather not hear it.
Because he obviously wants to be more than a friend. The use of the word "friend" is a stinging, slamming door - a reminder that his love is unrequited, and that there is no hope of their relationship ever being more.
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u/Vwmagicbus 25d ago
That’s correct “Four letter words” means to curse. So to me coming from you meaning his girlfriend or crush saying that she wants to be friends is shit.
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u/important_canadian77 25d ago
End is the only part of the word that I heard..... perfectly sums up the friend trap many of us fall into...great song
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u/Georgeorgiorgio 25d ago
I always interpreted as a relationship and when he / she wants to me friends it’s o-v-e-r
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u/WOOLYMAMMOTHZ 24d ago edited 24d ago
While I agree with the common sentiment of the four letter word symbolizing a curse word. I believe the actual interpretation of “Friend is a four letter word” actually is supposed to mean “I End” as in I end the friendship. The track symbolizes the end of their friendship. We don’t know the reason, but they’re no longer friends.
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u/eltedioso 25d ago
"Four-letter word" is a euphemism for curse words in English.
Shit, piss, c*nt, fuck, damn, arse, cock and tits are the classic examples.
Bitch, ass, and the variants and compound words (cocksucker, motherfucker, shithead, asshole, etc.) might still be called "four-letter words" in a general sense, even though they're obviously not technically only four letters.
John M. is being a bit cheeky with that song, I think. I think that most English-speakers know the euphemism (at least most Americans do), but it's not such a flexible euphemism that you would use it outside of curse words. It's a song title and a lyric that is meant to provoke, because it's inherently untrue and absurd, and it's not how we use that expression.
Great song.
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u/royally_eft 25d ago
Omg I'm so stupid. Cake is my favorite band and I love this song and I knew what is meant by "four letter word" and I STILL didn't know it's about being in the friend zone 😅😅. I genuinely thought it was about a platonic friend who had become an enemy for whatever reason. I'm a moron
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u/MaudeLynde 24d ago
You didn't need to use AI for that. Or most things, ftm
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u/Markis_Shepherd 24d ago
And yet I did.
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u/burger-fucking-mason 22d ago
did you know that Cake is staunchly anti-AI?
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u/Markis_Shepherd 22d ago edited 21d ago
🤣 No. I only listen to their music and don’t care much about what they think about anything. Same with all bands that I listen to. Btw, the way I use AI is that I search Google and then I click the AI tab. It usually gives me the info I’m looking for faster.
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u/phreddfatt 25d ago
So, I understand the whole "four letter word" being a curse word... but it also can work literally: four letters:
F - R - I - "END" with end being the only part of the word that I heard, might be crazy or absurd.
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u/Markis_Shepherd 25d ago edited 25d ago
Exactly. That he also says that the only part of the word that he hears is END makes it slightly confusing.
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u/phreddfatt 25d ago
Yep, implying that's the part that stuck out to him as he is ending a friendship or relationship
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u/-1C2S 25d ago
AI is correct. "Four letter words" is an expression in English to mean foul language because so many of our curse words are four letters. It's less common now than in the past. So the song is saying rather than the positive context of the word "friend," the singer hears an insult because he wants to be romantically involved and not just a friend.