Another Love Song

In the song “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood on the album I Love You, reveals about how a man fantasizes about himself and his love together, having sexual relations together, living together, and facing the cold world together.

Jesse James Rutherford begins “All I am is a man / I want the world in my hands / I hate the beach / But I stand / In California with my toes in the sand / Use the sleeves of my sweater / Let’s have an adventure / Head in the clouds but my gravity’s centered / Touch my neck and I’ll touch yours / You in those little high-waisted shorts.” You might be thinking, Jesse is speaking about fashion, clothes, hating the beach or being in California. No that’s not what the artist means at all. Jesse James Rutherford wants to say make the best of the situation you're currently find yourself in. That’s why the Jesse James Rutherford says “Let’s have an adventure / Head in the clouds but my gravity’s centered." 

 Jesse James Rutherford sings “Cause it’s too cold / For you here and now / So let me hold / Both your hands in the holes of my sweater.” The artist is using imagery to describe a romantic moment where himself and his love face the cold world together, that’s why Jesse James starts with / “So move to a place so far away.” Another example where the artist implements the thought of imagery, moving far away from the “cold world” meaning society, with his girlfriend.

 
Jesse James Rutherford speaks about having a sexual moment with his girlfriend, Jesse James Rutherford sings “The minute that my left hand meets your waist / And then I watch your face / Put my finger on your tongue / ‘Cause you love to taste, yeah.” This reveals how their is butterflies in his stomach and is imagining sexual intercourse with her, and describing his love and romance for her.

Blurred Lines- Clear Lyrics

The song “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke has been talked about as one of the most degrading songs of the year. The song describes how the male is in complete control of the woman no matter what she wants. Women become just sex objects. The woman is also shown as submissive because of the way Thicke convinces her she wants it. Finally, in the video, multiple men are shown as players while women parade around as they watch. “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke is a clear representation of contemporary art that represents the still sexist dominant ideology towards women in America today. 

In patriarchal societies, men are known as the superior gender. In the 1950s especially, women were being treated as nothing but housekeepers and sex objects. Today, it is 2016 and for the most part life is very different in terms of equality. Women are getting jobs that they were never able to have, they are able to vote, and they can live a life of their own. Although there are many good outcomes of many feminist movements, there is still discrimination portrayed through social media and society as a whole.

Music has always been something that brings people together, creates strong relationships, and can lift everyone’s mood. The song “Blurred Lines” did just that. It spread throughout the nation and became a catchy tune everyone could get up and dance to. Pop music is known for sounding fun and exciting, making it easy for listeners to get hooked, but then things can turn the other way once you really understand the lyrics. Thicke sings, “Baby, it’s in your nature,/just let me liberate you”.

The context of these lyrics is him mostly likely at a bar or party where a girl is being harassed by another man. He tells her he wants to save her from him and prove he is the better guy. He most likely does this so she will think of him as a tough guy. From this, you may think he is meaning no harm, but then he continues to sing “I know you want it, I know you want it, you’re a good girl.” clearly hinting at sexual acts. This makes him out to be the dominant and her as a submissive because he is telling her what to do and is telling her how he thinks she feels.

As if the song was not enough, there is a video, which magnifies the lyrics and shows them visually. The video consists of multiple men singing and standing there in nice tuxedos while women parade around half naked as objects they can look at. This video clearly objectifies the women as only something nice to look at. The director clearly prefered the male gaze because of the way the men look at the camera. When the women walk by, the men stare and smile and joke to each other as if it was entertainment.

This song and video reflects the patriarchal structure of society by showing men superior from women. This is shown by having the men sing and be the main focus of the song and video, while the women are shown as something hot to look at. The lyrics sung by Robin Thicke are made clear to see the discrimination happening and chauvinism being shown by making it clear the woman does not have a choice in what they do together.