pray for the immortal soul
of rock 'n' roll.
These lines offer a look at how Duffy blends two typically separate lexicons—those of the Church and of rock music (and pop culture more broadly)—to create a novel, humorous effect. The juxtaposition of these two worlds parallels the relationship between the speaker and her brother. These two characters are opposites in many ways, yet they are intertwined. Moreover, we can interpret these lines as an instance of wordplay, in which the speaker professes to pray for her brother after his death. Because the real Elvis Presley was seen to embody rock and roll music, and because he died prematurely, the speaker's prayers for the "soul/of rock 'n' roll" can be understood as prayers, not merely for the art form, but for the practitioner of it.
The Reverend Mother
digs the way I move my hips
Here, the speaker asserts that she shares certain characteristics with her famous brother, including both a skill for dancing and a certain penchant for displays of sexual prowess. This is unexpected, given that she is a nun, and Duffy enhances the effect of this irony by mentioning the Reverend Mother's enthusiasm. That detail may also be read as hinting at repressed homosexuality within the convent, intensifying the idea that it is a place of both safety and repression. Nevertheless, this detail offers another assurance to readers that the speaker and her brother are more alike than they are different, separated not by innate characteristics but instead by diverging fates.
I think of it
as Graceland here,
a land of grace.
These lines are a nod to Elvis Presley's Memphis home, known as Graceland. Here Duffy takes a reference that is likely familiar to many readers and interrogates it, engaging with familiar language in a way that makes it feel new. These lines point readers toward the two meanings of "grace," and in doing so they suggest a parallel between the speaker and her brother. One meaning, usually associated with Christianity, refers to forgiveness or generosity—it is this meaning that most obviously connects to the speaker's life as a nun. The other meaning, however, refers to physical elegance or ease, and appears to be more linked to Elvis Presley's charisma as a performer. The siblings share a connection to the word and concept, but practice different definitions of it.
