Good question Kevin. You can play it both ways, can't you? Cole Porter's song "Miss Otis Regrets" can be played both ways just the same way. I heard a lovely version by the London comedian Earl Okin (who is also a very accomplished musician) in which he brought out the loyalty that the tragic lady inspired in her maid. It was a real heartbreaker.
I have a song called "Madame Whiplash", which is ostensibly about a strange man craving the walloppings he gets from a professional lady. I think that to those who lived in the UK through the Thatcher era (most of which I happily missed) it might mean something else. I like to think it works anyway just because of the bizarre character. I wonder if someone else could sing it and make it really sad?