Unfortunately, at this time, Get Rec'd doesn't have a banner and since it's nearly midnight, I can't be bothered to make one. Hopefully, next week's installment will feature some snazzy images!
In most of these posts, I would give you all the song info but since I have less than 20 minutes to type all this [before it becomes midnight!], let's just focus on the words because I feel like this post is so important.
Feminism has a bad reputation as angry women who don't shave and curse all men. I'm quick to call myself a feminist because the description above is not what we are. Feminists want equality in rights, pay opportunities etc. If you believe in the equality of men and women then congratulations, you're pretty much already a feminist.
In my opinion and yes, it's an opinion, songs like "Break Free" and "All About That Bass" are barely feminist themes even though I've seen them classified as such. If anything is there, it's so generic and could pretty much be applied to anything. Also, I really cannot stand Meghan Trainor for a bunch of reasons and how All About That Bass contradicts itself in so many places [boys want a little more booty to hold at night]
I looked up a few feminist anthems but none of them really fit for me. Someone actually put Blank Space as a feminist anthem for Taylor mocking the industry and saying that the amount of boyfriends she has is none of their business but these two songs below are my personal faves.
First up, we have Sex Yeah by Marina and the Diamonds. I actually didn't want to listen to this song at first because of the title. I had no idea it was about gender equality and it's my fault for judging too quickly. There are amazing messages in it and an amazing tune. I personally love Marina and how many different messages she puts in her music. Sex, Yeah has a line where it's, "tired image of a star acting naughtier than they really are."
This song doesn't just say "yeah, women!" It's got more of a message, like how some people think women are sexual objects. I recommend reading this if you don't understand the song.
Secondly, we have Hard Out Here by Lily Allen. This song is vocally not very good which is a shame because Lily Allen CAN sing. Hard Out Here focuses on a dance beat with autotuned vocals but the message is very clear.
In many cases, people who have been called slurs often reclaim said word as something to be proud of. I can think of three examples off the top of my head [including the "n" word.] I don't actually agree with it in some way but I understand why people do it. In a perfect world, there wouldn't be any need for those words but this isn't a perfect world.
So my point is that this song is, "it's hard out here for a bitch" but bitch doesn't mean what we're taught it to mean. Hard Out Here is features self love, women having equal abilities [more than just the kitchen] and in Marianas Trench's Pop 101 style, parodies the things we see in hip hop videos [*cough twerking.]
In most of these posts, I would give you all the song info but since I have less than 20 minutes to type all this [before it becomes midnight!], let's just focus on the words because I feel like this post is so important.
Feminism has a bad reputation as angry women who don't shave and curse all men. I'm quick to call myself a feminist because the description above is not what we are. Feminists want equality in rights, pay opportunities etc. If you believe in the equality of men and women then congratulations, you're pretty much already a feminist.
In my opinion and yes, it's an opinion, songs like "Break Free" and "All About That Bass" are barely feminist themes even though I've seen them classified as such. If anything is there, it's so generic and could pretty much be applied to anything. Also, I really cannot stand Meghan Trainor for a bunch of reasons and how All About That Bass contradicts itself in so many places [boys want a little more booty to hold at night]
I looked up a few feminist anthems but none of them really fit for me. Someone actually put Blank Space as a feminist anthem for Taylor mocking the industry and saying that the amount of boyfriends she has is none of their business but these two songs below are my personal faves.
First up, we have Sex Yeah by Marina and the Diamonds. I actually didn't want to listen to this song at first because of the title. I had no idea it was about gender equality and it's my fault for judging too quickly. There are amazing messages in it and an amazing tune. I personally love Marina and how many different messages she puts in her music. Sex, Yeah has a line where it's, "tired image of a star acting naughtier than they really are."
This song doesn't just say "yeah, women!" It's got more of a message, like how some people think women are sexual objects. I recommend reading this if you don't understand the song.
Secondly, we have Hard Out Here by Lily Allen. This song is vocally not very good which is a shame because Lily Allen CAN sing. Hard Out Here focuses on a dance beat with autotuned vocals but the message is very clear.
In many cases, people who have been called slurs often reclaim said word as something to be proud of. I can think of three examples off the top of my head [including the "n" word.] I don't actually agree with it in some way but I understand why people do it. In a perfect world, there wouldn't be any need for those words but this isn't a perfect world.
So my point is that this song is, "it's hard out here for a bitch" but bitch doesn't mean what we're taught it to mean. Hard Out Here is features self love, women having equal abilities [more than just the kitchen] and in Marianas Trench's Pop 101 style, parodies the things we see in hip hop videos [*cough twerking.]
Looooooooove Marina! I lover her ultra-bubblegum-pop sound paired with lyrics about darker subjects, like sexual equality and depression and suicide and eating disorders. She's simply amazing and I can never get enough of her music.
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY! What are your thoughts on the Froot album?
DeleteFirst of all, can I just say how great it is to read a post like this! I agree: people misunderstand what feminism really is. Have you heard about that comment Kaley Cuoco made in an article, where she said that she doesn't consider herself a feminist? It annoyed me because I just found it really insensitive to all those women out there suffering injustices because they are female. Feminism isn't about hating men, like some believe it to be. If you believe in equality, then you are a feminist and should be proud to say so.
ReplyDeleteI agree about that line in All About That Bass, it bothers me too. Although, there are some good messages in the lyrics, that line doesn't fit somehow. I haven't heard that Marina and the Diamonds song before - I really like it!
Great post, Nova!
I don't understand how a person, especially a female can NOT be a feminist... What?
DeleteNice post, Nova. Feminism definitely has been given far too much judgement for being something that it isn’t, and I’m sad that people are renouncing it just because it might make people think about them in a way they don’t want. I’m all up for people deciding to be and represent themselves in any way they want, and I don’t want everyone to be the same or agree with me or declare themselves feminists, even if I personally believe in it and call myself one, but I just wish the stigma would be cleared and people would understand what it truly means.
ReplyDeleteI really love Sex Yeah- it’s possibly my favourite Marina song, and one of the first of hers I ever listened to. She really has so many songs that have these lyrics that stand out and are profound and make me nod and smile. I’m so glad this is happening more and more in music. In regards to Meghan Trainor, I don’t really agree with what you wrote, but That is OKAY, and I’m really glad that we live in a time where we don’t all have to feel the same. I really like Bass and think it’s so wonderful that she is standing up proudly for people of different body shapes, and love that, as there are a growing number of songs that support women, music videos that present not only straight but LGBT people and romance and songs that don’t make you feel like you have to be one size. It’s kind of fantastic, seeing these changes occur, even if it’s all happening far too slowly.
Xx
It's really simple: if you believe in equality, you're practically a feminist. I don't know why that gets a bad rep.
DeleteThe Meghan Trainor thing really bothers me because she made a HORRIBLE comment about anorexia and it was so ignorant. As an artist, I don't like her sound, which is personal but if you like her, that's awesome for you.
Oh no, I hadn't heard that! Thanks for letting me know- better to be informed, right? xx
Delete