I haven't seen Justin Timberlake get much flack for bringing sexy back, but Miley, Christina, and Britney always do.
The backlash that the girls get attests to the fact that people, are indeed, a commodity. If parents really want age appropriate role models, you have to use people that never age. It's not fair to typecast anyone and dictate to them how they may live and tell them they can not mature, or pursue being a sex object.
How many people are lecturing Megan Fox? Not that many. But, people come out in masses against the Disney girls, because, they were, at one point, a 12 year old role model for their 5 year olds.
As Adam Lambert said, "I am not your kid's babysitter". I guess things like Barney, Sesame Street, cartoons, and cg tv shows are best, because puppets and graphics don't age.
I'd like to note some of the lyrics in Justin's song:
"Dirty babe
You see these shackles
Baby I'm your slave
I'll let you whip me if I misbehave
It's just that no one makes me feel this way"
You can tell the girls are getting fed up with being treated like an object. It's almost backwards, usually people hate being treated like sex objects, but, here they are rebelling against everyone who says they must, forever, remain 12 years old and never go through puberty.
I have included my interpretation of the lyrics if you think outside the context of the video.
Christina - Not Myself Tonight.
Crucial lyrics:
"I'm out of character". - I feel this was an allusion that she is washing away the character people have forced on her.
"The old me is gone, I feel brand new, And if you don't like it, fuck you."
"I don't care cause this is my night" - I like that, because she is making it clear, she is entitled to her night, HER life, etc.
Miley - "Can't Be Tamed"
Crucial lyrics, "For those who don't know me, I can get a bit crazy". None of these parents who complain about her know her personally. They know Hannah Montana.
"I can't be tamed, I can't be saved
I can't be blamed, I can't, can't
I can't be tamed, I can't be changed" - I like this, because she can't be molded. She is not to blame for whatever your kids wear or how they dance, and she can't be tamed, meaning people don't get to tell her how to live.
"I'll tell ya I'm not here to sell ya
Or tell ya to get to hell" - I think this means she is not doing the sexy vibe to try to sell albums, nor is she doing it as a means to tell people to fuck off by being a little more sultry in her video. I think this is a remarkable lyric, because it says so much using so few words.
"I wanna fly I wanna drive I wanna go
I wanna be a part of something I don't know
And if you try to hold me back I might explode
Baby by now you should know" - I really feel this is a plea for people to wake up and smell reality and let her blossom into an adult. She is allowed to pursue a life outside of Hannah Montana. People should know by now, that trying to keep her 12 is not only gross, but also wrong.
"I'm not a trick you play, I ride a different way
I'm not a mistake, I'm not a fake, It's set in my DNA
Don't change me" - I love this for so many reasons. "Leave Miley alone"! She is not a one-trick pony, she is not faking sexy, she is just wanting to grow up. Everyone is entitled to that. I like that she says things about DNA, because I feel it could be an allusion to conversion therapy. Miley is supportive of gay and lesbian rights and marriage equality.
Britney's version of "My Prerogative"
The song is very well written, and she covers it well. She did not come up with the lyrics, but she has a fine appreciation for them.
The crucial lyrics:
"People can take everything away from you
But they can never take away your truth
But the question is..
Can you handle mine?"
"Everybody's talking all this stuff about me
Why don't they just let me live?
I don't need permission, make my own decisions"
"why can't I live my life
without all of the things
That people say"
Basically, the whole damn song perfectly shows what she means. I feel worst for Britney, because she has been trampled on so horribly.
Let's not forget about Lindsay Lohan, she has gotten trampled on, too. - "Rumours"
Crucial lyrics:
"Why can't you just let me
Do the things I wanna do
I just wanna be me
I don't understand why
Would you wanna bring me down
I'm only having fun
I'm gonna live my life
(but not the way you want me to)" - This says it all.
And, while on the subject of typecasting, everyone thought that Adam Lambert was a total sweetheart (except for the haters, that is).
And, his song, "For Your Entertainment" shows another side of him, and I LOVE IT.
Crucial Lyrics: "Do you know what you got into
Can you handle what I'm about to do
'Cause it's about to get rough for you
I'm here for your entertainment
Oh
I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet
You thought an angel swept you off your feet
But I'm about to turn up the heat
I'm here for your entertainment"
I like that he says, "I'm here for your entertainment", because that, alone, objectifies him. He never specified that he would entertain by what he feels is entertaining, not by what people wanted to see. I think it is genius.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)