When that one Robin Thicke song came out, I didn’t get it.
Not “it” as in the song meaning – but “it” as in the brouhaha behind just another one of many misogynistic ditties. Rapey or not, the concept’s not unique to music.
Some say the song (which is kind of open to interpretation) perpetuates rape culture. Pharrell (who worked on it and helped hit-itize the tune) told Oprah it was really about how a woman has free will or that that “no man is her maker” because like… no one man owns us?
Thanks for the dowry lesson, my dude.
Pretty contrived for a song with such blurry lyrics.
But what’s not so lyrically blurry is the plethora of other songs with lines far more blatant in nature.
And speaking of nature, how about this:
Or why sugarcoat copulation when there’s Reznor to serenade us with stuff like:
“I wanna fckk you like an ANIMAL…”
“…I wanna feel you from the INSIDE!”
To be fair, Nine Inch Nails was known for having risqué lyrics. Most parents forbade their kids from listening – though my mom bought me their albums and forbade White Town (not because the name’s racist, but ‘cause they had “orgasm” in one of their song titles ) The in-your-face NIN 90’s tune was a little obvious in it’s darkness. It wasn’t being sung by your grandma.
But you know what doesn’t sound dark? Marley. That “Girl I Wanna Make You Sweat” song is a classic hit. And its jovial tune belies surprisingly predatory lyrics.
“Girl I wanna make you sweat. Sweat till you can’t sweat no more.
AND IF YOU CRY, I’M GONNA PUSH IT SOME MO-HO-WHORE”
But none of that kept it from being an-every-summer-hit covered by every musician (and a bunch just trying to be). Or making its way to all of those pop-topper NOW! CD albums. Or being stolen by me from my brother’s car so I could play it on my discman.
That said, under what sexual circumstances is the appropriate response to me crying to keep pushing the peen? Here I’ve kindly invited you to the pants party and you’re going to be an unruly guest?
Keep breaking shit after I’ve announced last call?
Or did he mean “cry out”, like in the heat of passion?
Like, as in climax?
Wait, I get it!
That’s what “No Woman No Cry” means.
#MarleyDecoded
