"Ring of Keys" Question — Page 4

"Granted, Kad, but despite what they may think, Jews are not the only people in the world who read. My parents and grandparents did, and they were evangelical Christians. Appearances aside, Christian faith doesn't necessarily shut down the brain.

What an ugly thing to say.

Maybe I was just unaware that Jews think they are the only people who read.

Making negative generalizations about a group of people constitutes ugly in my book.

"can anyone explain the significance/what the words "ring of keys" is referring to? I understand that the song is about the young version of the main character beginning to discover her sexuality. But I still don't understand the title. Thanks :)"

This part of the question is the most important one I think, and the part that I think most of the posters in this thread are ignoring/missing.

I am hearing from the posters that apparently having some sort of ring of keys was a Lesbian "convention" (for the lack of a better word..."expression" maybe?) back when it was far less acceptable to be out publicly.

But this is not a well known thing outside of the community. I had never heard of it before and I am clearly not alone.

The entire song went over my head because once I started to understand what she was talking about, the Keys came up again. Is it more established in the dialogue before the song? Maybe a phrase that was cut for the Tony presentation? It just seemed really odd to me that the song focused on such an innocuous thing...(which, yes I get the symbolism of on all of the levels discussed previously) but I think it is a lyric that will distance a lot of people. I kept wondering, are they keys symbolizing that she has a more traditionally masculine job? Did her father (or other male figure) have a Ring of Keys like that too and she always associated that with a man? Is there a monologue earlier talking about Keys?

It COMPLETELY pulled me out of the emotion of the song. Clearly the keys were important, and it had something to do with the fact that the woman was the first "Butch" she had seen. But for someone who did not know the real-world association it came across as some sort of inside joke that they weren't letting the viewer in on...

I am not saying that there can't be symbolism. I am not saying that there can't be multiple meanings. I am not saying that the phrase shouldn't be used. But I just think it needed a little more setup for someone coming into the story cold.

I think, for Alison as a kid, it's probably more that people who have big rings of keys are usually in charge of stuff. And she saw a strong, confident woman dressed like a man, with a big ring of keys, and all her perceptions of "femininity" were shattered.

^^^

This.

I'm guessing no one else read the article where Tesori explains why they chose that particular image.

They wanted to use things that were indicative of a specific type of lesbian without using terms like "butch", "manly", or other such words that may be interpreted as crass.

They went with lace up boots, dungarees and the ring of keys to convey who this woman is.

I didn't know about the meanings of such rings until ghostlight's post, which was a very interesting comment.

Updated On: 6/10/15 at 11:25 AM

"I didn't know that keys were any sign of homosexuality (like handkerchiefs) until this thread, actually. For me, the full description in the song's chorus- her swagger, lace-up boots, ring of keys- paints a very clear image of a specific type of woman."

"^^^
This.
I'm guessing no one else read the article where Tesori explains why they chose that particular image.
They wanted to use things that were indicative of a specific type of lesbian without using terms like "butch", "manly", or other such words that may be interpreted and crass.
They went with lace up boots, dungarees and the ring of keys to convey who this woman is.
I didn't know about the meanings of such rings until ghostlight's post, which was a very interesting comment."

It's not that I don't get what the song is about. What I don't get is why they chose that particular item to be so important.

I get the imagery. I get the concept. I get everything except the decision to make the entire focus of the song about the keys. Everything else says "Butch Lesbian" to me and it all makes perfect sense...except the keys. And I get the symbolism...I get why they chose the Boots, and swagger, and dungarees...I get it I really really do...

But the keys having such importance...they are the title of the song...the refrain...clearly they are the focus of Young Allison's attention. Dungarees, I get why those are important. Swagger...check. Lace up boots...yup.

Keys........?

No setup monologue saying..."And I couldn't stop focusing on her keys, funny how your mind fixates on certain things." or "I didn't know why the keys were important then, but I knew they were."

No line in the song saying something about how "the keys meant nothing but everything all at the same time."

So it left me wondering not about the girl, or her emotions, or her discovery...but about why are the damn keys so important.

Like I said above, the focus on the keys with no context around it just made me really feel like I was missing something and took me out of the moment completely.

I think it may be as simple as the fact that the keys are in the actual panel from the graphic novel.

They were looking at that I'm sure when they wrote the song.

^ Yes, it's just one of several things you'd associate with masculinity, it holds no more purpose than any of the other descriptions, it just sounds better. I feel like they have taken the phrenetic aspects of Bruce and toned them down from the original recording, at least definitely at the Tony performance.

My response to anyone saying that the reason they focused the song about the keys is because there were keys in the original illustration, or you read that they focused on the keys because it was outlined in an interview with Janine Tresori is that you shouldn't have to have outside information to make something understandable. Outside of the song? Maybe, but definitely not outside of the show itself.

And I still feel that people aren't understanding my concern/observation/question.

I get what the song is about. I get that she is noticing a woman who matches how she feels on the inside. I get that she is pointing out everything that she notices about her. I get the song...I understand what it is saying...I get what it ties to in the book. I get that the keys are something that represents something masculine to her. I LOVE the comment above pointing out that it shows a contrast to keys being in a purse. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SONG IS SAYING...Seriously, I do...I don't need another response saying the same thing.

What I DON'T understand, and wanted to discuss, is WHY they chose the keys to revolve the entire song around. Why not the Dungarees? Or the Boots? Or the Swagger? Or any of the other more readily and clearly "butch" characteristics. And why, when they chose to focus the song on the keys, did they choose to never examine why that particular item became so important when it is arguably the LEAST butch/masculine thing on the list.

And you can't use the answer that "They aren't important, they are just part of the whole thing." because the song is called "Ring of Keys", the most musical emphasis is put on those three words. It doesn't change from verse to verse...the song is about the keys. (Yes, I understand that it is not about the keys, and if your response to the statement above was "But it's NOT about the keys!" then you just don't understand my comment at all.)

I understand Showing not Telling. I understand the power of that...unfortunately, I feel that this is a case of Telling and never Showing. I feel they tell you that the Keys are important but don't show you why.

Updated On: 6/10/15 at 01:07 PM

Let it go, you may feel better. This conversation is nuts. The song does not "revolve around" the ring of keys, that's just the title, it's only part of the song.

I wasn't there when the song was composed, but it's possible that they had a melody and that, of all the unique things about the woman Alison sees, ring of keys fit the melody line best. Given that Tesori has mentioned that she wanted the song at first more than Kron, I wouldn't be surprised if it's just as simple as that.