Posts Tagged ‘music’
Love the Way You Lie
Posted on: August 10, 2010
I don’t know how to feel about this song. I would normally have an aversion to it just because it’s Eminem. But is it trying to bring awareness to domestic violence or glorifying it? And what about the fact that Rihanna, who was part of a largely publicized domestic violence assault, is the featured artist? Or that Megan Fox donated her fee for appearing in the video to a domestic violence shelter?
Thoughts?
As a purely personal side note, when I was really disappointed in my dear, lovely Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) when I first heard that he was appearing in an Eminem video, and that was before I even had heard the song. Dominic Monaghan and Megan Fox both actually did a good job in just acting the video, no matter what my conflicted thoughts on the subject matter are.
Wednesday Link Love!
Posted on: March 17, 2010
feministhemes.com: Telephone: Lady Gaga’s Latest Controversy
Lady Gaga’s new video for Telephone has set of quite the firestorm online. Gaga appeared (pantsless) on my radar about a year ago as I noticed her being ripped apart by women-targeted fashion and gossip blogs, and the occasional feminist blog. Over time, things seemed to improve: she developed a reputation for being subversive, outspoken, gay-friendly, and arguably feminist. Her latest video has put a lot of us back at square one, wondering if we were kidding ourselves, if she’s messing with our heads, if this was just a fluke, if she jumped the shark, or (!!!) if it’s just a (NSFW) music video.
Criss writes: VAGINA!!! TAMPONS!!! VAGINA!!!
The ads are selling tampons — which are things you stick inside your VAGINA — but they are not allowed to say the word “vagina.”
Feministe: Five-Song Feminist Playlist
Jezebel has a Feminist Play List of five feminism-inspired songs, and they pick some good ones. But I know Feministe readers are primo Insufferable Music Snobs, so add your selections in the comments. And maybe the most fun thing about making this list? There are so many more than five songs to choose from. Feminism win.
Viva La Feminista: Book Review: Enlightened Sexism by Susan J. Douglas
Douglas attempts to unveil the contradictions in society, especially pop culture, that allows us, men and women, to believe we live in a post-feminist world but in fact do not. She fails to convince me, despite believing it, due to her contradictory examples.
I'm so over Taylor Swift
Posted on: March 1, 2010
- In: Pop Culture
- 1 Comment
I used to sing along when Taylor Swift came on the radio. Then “Fifteen” happened.
Now she has a new song out called “Today was a Fairytale.” It makes me gag every time it comes on the radio. Within the first three lines there is some major gender stereotyping:
Today was a fairytale
You were the prince
I used to be a damsel in distress
Really? Do we really have to implant the idea in teenagers that all women are in need of “rescuing” by men? Is this necessary? It’s not romantic, it’s just telling us that women can’t take care of themselves and need a man to rescue them from themselves. And that’s only the first three lines!
And…next stanza:
Today was a fairytale
I wore a dress
You wore a dark gray tshirt
Because all women have to wear dresses in order to be seen as feminine and deserving of love. The lyrics don’t even really make sense half the time. Like why is there a line about wearing a dress? It doesn’t really make sense. There is also a line that goes: “You took me by the hand and you picked me up at six.” What?
I really can’t stand Taylor Swift anymore. I will probably still sing along when “You Belong With Me” comes on the radio, but that’s just because I think that song is catchy. But everything else about her and by her has just become obnoxious to me.
She only sings about relationships with boys (except for when she mentions that her friend Angela [female] gave “everything she had” [aka her virginity] “to a boy who changed his mind” in “Fiftenn”). And those relationships are often based on patriarchal gender norms. And it saddens me that she is so loved by teen girls because she is not setting a good example for them. Though she is starting to garner some unkind media.
And p.s. her acting debut in Valentine’s Day was also really annoying. It could have been a good character, but Swift just completely overacted it to the point that it was painful to watch the scenes that she was in. Just thought I’d throw that out there.
On Wednesday night, the Country Music Awards (CMAs) were aired. Taylor Swift won all four awards that she was nominated for, including the high honor of “Entertainer of the Year.” She was the only woman nominated for “Entertainer of the Year” and had to beat out country music veterans such as George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and Brad Paisley. I say, good for her. I am a fan of T. Swift (as my friends so lovingly call her), despite my feminist values.
But not everyone is proud of the 19-year-old star for winning this coveted award. Wynonna Judd, the 45-year-old country star, thinks Taylor Swift is too young to be winning such a big award. She tries to make it sound like she’s looking out for Swift, that if too much of a good thing comes too soon, she won’t be a lasting influence on country music. But I think all is said in this quote from Judd:
My thing is, being a home-school mom, I want kids to earn it, and I think some time … ’cause mom and I rode in a car for the first year of our career to visit radio stations. There was a making of the star, there was a rising up, and the fans went with us.
Apparently success comes too fast nowadays and you don’t even have to work for it. Now, I don’t know Taylor Swift personally, but I’m pretty sure she’s had to work for her success. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her winning the award at age 19. She’s been around for a while now and has a huge following. Frankly, I would have been a little surprised if she didn’t win. And the fact that she, as the only woman in the running, beat out four male country legends for it, that just makes it even better.
Thursday Link Love!
Posted on: November 5, 2009
I used to do these link love posts in the mid to late afternoon. Now, I’m thinking that I like early to mid evening better. Just so y’all know. Here are some of my favorite posts of the past couple days. Don’t forget to leave links in the comments to what you have been writing and reading!
The Undomestic 10: Gail Collins [The Undomestic Goddess] – Amanda was able to interview the author Gail Collins for her ongoing Undomestic 10 series.
Some Partially Formed Thoughts on Size and Disability [this ain’t livin’] – How do the size acceptance movement and disability activism intersect?
Lil Wayne: Feminist or Misogynist? [The Sexist] – I’m not a fan of Lil Wayne, but this is an interesting look at his lyrics.
Why the term “ally” is not mine to apply [Deeply Problematic] – a must read.
Feminist Hate Sarah Palin Because She Lost Her Baby Weight [The Sexist] – good for a laugh.
3OH!3 Strikes Again
Posted on: October 20, 2009
So I keep hearing this new 3OH!3 song featuring Katy Perry on the radio. It’s called “Starstrukk” and it’s pretty horrible. I couldn’t find a music video for the song, but here’s a video with the song:
I will be the first to admit that I actually enjoy the song “Don’t Trust Me.” But “Starstruck” is offensive and doesn’t even really have a good beat for me to make up for the lyrics.
The song promotes street harassment through the wistling at what a girls is wearing. I still don’t understand why people think that women should be flattered when men whistle at them on the street. It’s creepy and more about a demonstration of power than driven by sexual desire. All it does it make the woman feel unsafe.
But wait, there’s more…My “favorite” line (in quotes because I’m being sarcastic. I don’t want anyone to get confused):
I think I should know how to make love to something innocent without leaving my fingerprints
Does this make anyone else think of rape?
And on top of the street harassment and rape references, it is pretty much saying that women dress and act a certain way just to tease men.
3OH!3 is not the greatest band around, and I don’t think that anyone would say that they would. But this song makes me disappointed in them. But I guess I shouldn’t expect much because “Don’t Trust Me” is a horrible song despite the fact that I enjoy it. But I was really surprised when I found out that the woman in it was Katy Perry. I just didn’t think it would be a song that she would be a part of. But I guess they were on tour together and her songs aren’t the greatest either.
Dollhouse [Sing-A-Long Saturday]
Posted on: October 10, 2009
So, keeping with the theme of “Dollhouse” today…
I’ve been hearing this song on the radio a lot lately. Being a pop song, it’s not perfect, but I think it has a good message…
The song “Dollhouse” by Priscilla Renea is about how her boyfriend treats her poorly and orders her around and how she’s not going to take it anymore. She sings about how he has this picture of a perfect girl that she used to try to be, but can’t anymore. He orders her around, she likes what he likes because he told her to, but now she’s realized that it’s a bad relationship and is out.
The chorus goes like this:
I tried to be a picture perfect girl
But you were in your own fantasy world
Tryna control me like some kind of Barbie
but that just ain’t me
Cause I ain’t a doll, this aint a dollhouse
You’re way too old to be, puttin me down like this
and playing around like this
I ain’t a doll, this ain’t a dollhouse
No, I could never be, stuck living life like this
behind these four walls,cause I ain’t a doll
I like that this song is popular and plays on the radio a lot. I’m sick of hearing all the songs about either the “perfect” relationship or songs that sexualizes, objectify, and oppress women. I think that this song could have the potential to empower girls and women. It could show girls and women that they don’t have to take being in a relationship with this kind of man. But, like I said, it’s not perfect because it is made to appeal to the mass population and therefore reflects some of the sexist societal norms.
I really like the end of the song:
And I come with imperfections
Epitome of perfection
if you can’t understand, loving the way I am
then you’re no good for me, so glad i kept my receipt
She's Just Being Miley
Posted on: September 29, 2009
I’m really glad that Miley Cryus is continuing her break from Disney with this new music video for “Party in the USA” (note: same song to which she pole-danced at the Teen Choice Awards). Please note the sarcasm. And I’m also really glad that I am now aquainted with Miley Cyrus’ bra and cleavage.
Have you seen Lady Gaga’s new music video for “Paparazzi”? I have mixed feelings about Lady Gaga, but this music video is just a little too much.
The extended music video has the embedding disabled on youtube, so I wasn’t able to bring it here. But you can watch it here. There is a short excerpt of a different music video before “Paparazzi” starts.
I can’t always understand what she is saying when she is singing this song, but I can definitely see what the music video looks like. The music video seems to be glorifying domestic violence and violence against women.
The opening part of the music video features Lady Gaga with her boyfriend, played by Alexander Skarsgard (Eric on True Blood, swoon). He takes her out onto the balcony so the paparazzi can get pictures. When Lady Gaga resists, her boyfriend starts to hit her a little bit then pushes her over the edge of the balcony.
Lady Gaga is then rolled around in a wheelchair and has to use crutches to walk around (but being a music video, she doesn’t have to for long). Throughout the music video, there are pictures of dead models that flash across the screen. At the end of the music video, she poisons her boyfriend and calls the police. After being released from jail, the paparazzi love her again.
I think the song is about how the paparazzi have been killing her personal life (but I could be majorly wrong). I get that. But I don’t think that we need to glorify violence against women to get that message across. By depicting a horrifying case of domestic violence and then showing numerous dead women throughout the video, that’s pretty much uncalled for.
Her song and music video is not intended to promote violence against women and domestic violence (I hope) but with the position that Lady Gaga is in to be influential and what her music video is depicting, it kind of comes across that way. Depicting domestic violence and the dead models makes these things kind of sexy, which they completely are NOT! I just wish that Lady Gaga had a little more class and tact that this music video, but I guess she doesn’t.
This cross post comes from Chally. Chally is a scary feminist. Among other things, she’s a non-white, heterosexual, cis, disabled, middle class woman. She lives in Australia and enjoys knitting, Doctor Who, and cake. You can find her at Zero at the Bone. She is also on Twitter as @challyzatb. Also check out her previous guest post here.
k.d. lang is everyone’s favourite Canadian pop/country singer-songwriter. Whether she’s singing covers or originals – and I’m including both – her voice is something else. There’s a lot of brash and flashy music about and k.d.’s stands out for peeling it back. She lets you stop and go into yourself. So let’s get into it, shall we?
“Constant Craving” (lyrics here)
“Crying” (originally by Roy Orbison; lyrics here)
“Hallelujah” (originally by Leonard Cohen; lyrics here)
She’s a delight, isn’t she?
Fighting with the Sky 