Song Analysis: "Rude Boy" by Rihanna

"Rude Boy"

Rihanna

   I wanted to chose a very popular pop song that we hadn't talked about in class, so I thought Rihanna was appropriate.  This song is, unsurprisingly, about sex.  It isn't hard to interpret. However, I do want to point out a switch within the song.  At first the man has power in the verses.  Rihanna says she's "gonna let him be the captain" and it's all about what he wants and how good he can be. But then in the second half it is all what Rihanna wants and how she wants to do it.  It's weird to me because it seems like she is taunting him to be able to fill the dominant, masculine role of sexuality.  She wants him to "give it to her" and "take her there"; she wants him to be in charge.  But then her language suggests that she has power because she is directing him to do so by her "I'm going to let you...".  But, does she really have power if she is just fulfilling the typical female role of an object of pleasure?  Even when she says what she wants, the chorus throughout the song is "I want what you want"... so are her desires even relevant? 

  The video adds to the sexuality with sexual dancing and gestures referring to sex.  There is also a lot of animal imagery and "native" looking costumes which I think adds an even more animalistic tone to the song.  It is primal; there is no emotion or connection involved.  Their night is just about pleasure and "measuring up," that's it.  One thing we mentioned in class that I think is prevalent in this song is the sexuality evident in her voice alone.  She growls at appropriate times and you can hear her body moving through her sound and voice.  She also snarls her lip and I think if you listen close you can hear it (or imagine it) in her voice. 

Lyrics:

Come here, rude boy, boy; can you get it up?Come here rude boy, boy; is you big enough?Take it, take it baby, babyTake it, take it; love me, love me[x2]
Tonight I'ma let you be the captainTonight I'ma let you do your thing, yeahTonight I'ma let you be a riderGiddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up babeTonight I'ma let it be fireTonight I'ma let you take me higherTonight, baby, we could get it on, yeah, we could get it on, yeah
Do you like it?Boy, I want, want, want whatchu want, want, wantGive it to me, baby like boom, boom, boomWhat I want, want, want is what you want, want, wantNah nah-ah
[Chorus]Come here, rude boy, boy, can you get it up?Come here, rude boy, boy, is you big enough?Take it, take it, baby, baby, take it, take it, love me, love me[x2]
Tonight I'ma give it to ya harderTonight I'ma turn ya body outRelax; let me do it how I wannaIf you got it I need it and I'ma put it down[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/rude-boy-lyrics-rihanna.html ]Buckle up; I'ma give it to ya strongerHands up; we could go a little longerTonight I'ma get a little crazy, get a little crazy, baby
Like it?Boy, I want, want, want whatchu want, want, wantGive it to me, baby like boom, boom, boomWhat I want, want, want is what you want, want, wantNah nah-ah
[Chorus]Come here, rude boy, boy can you get it up?Come here rude boy, boy is your big enough?Take it, take it, baby, baby, take it, take it, love me, love me[x2]
I like the way you touch me thereI like the way you pull my hairBabe, if I don't feel it I ain't faking, no, noI like when you tell me 'kiss you there'I like when you tell me 'move it there'So giddy-up; time to get it up: you say you a rude boy: show me what you got nowCome here right now
Take it, take it, baby, baby, take it, take it, love me, love me
[Chorus]Come here, rude boy, boy, can you get it up?Come here, rude boy, boy, is you big enough?Take it, take it, baby, baby, take it, take it, love me, love me[x2]

Read more: RIHANNA - RUDE BOY LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/rude-boy-lyrics-rihanna.html#ixzz1kVNZuRJ8
Copied from MetroLyrics.com 

Feminine Voice

The Feminine voice is very influenced by society's view of women and the role they play.  I think the feminine voice has to be discussed by voices that succumb to society's version of a woman's role and those that combat society's view.  Women in society are seen as sexual objects, controllable, submissive, needy, and weak.  We can see the fulfillment of this view in artists like Britney Spears, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez.  Their voices sound extremely sexual.  Britney and Jennifer often use breathing and their voices are lighter and more airy.  None of these artist's voices are forceful and aggressive.  They sing about needing a man and serve as excellent objects for sexual pleasure.  Rihanna's voice is stronger, but she is always at the mercy of a man in her songs.  I think the song "Love the Way you Lie"link is a good representation of this.  I think the fact that it is an abusive relationship but Rihanna is incapable of leaving is a good but terrible illustration of the needing a man or not being strong enough to walk away.
    Artist  that work against society's view and seek to empower women are Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, and Nicki Manaj.  While all of these artists are all very sexy and dress that way,  their voices are stronger and more forceful.  They send messages of indepence (Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson) and power (Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce).  Nicki Manaj is the most successful woman rapper and often uses a strong voice.  She exudes confidence.  I think all of these women want to send the message that they don't need a man and they will not fit in the box the world has made for them.
   Another aspect of the feminine voice is the sound.  Feminine voices are often on display and used as the key instrument.  They are very melodic.  High soprano and vibrato is signifies a feminine voice like nothing else.  Three artists that exemplify this are Joan Baez, Florence + The Machine, and Sara Bareilles.

Britney Spears: "Hold it Against Me"

Rihanna: "We Found Love" (powerless)

Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson

"Listen" by Beyonce -empowerment

Feminine sound:

Florence + The Machine "Cosmic Love"

Masculine Voice

   I think a key concept to keep in mind while looking at the masculine voice is the "crisis of masculinity."  This crisis helps give shape to the different representations of the masculine voice.  In class we studied how the masculine voice can vary so much or sometimes sounds confused,  I think this is due to the crisis of masculinity.  The typical masculine voice is aggressive and dominating; there isn't much melody in their voice.  It is rough and exudes strength.  The sexuality you hear through it is strong and forceful.  It is never vulnerable or unsure.  The content portrays a masculinity that defines men as strong, dominant, the provider, the key to sexual pleasure. Women are there to serve them, and women need them. One song I think shows this is "Control" by Puddle of Mud (see link below).  There is also a rebellion streak within the content that says in order to become a man, you have to rebel against something that is holding you back. We studied this in Bruce Springsteen and his rebellion agains fathers. I think this rebellion is something to show freedom and strength.  We saw the struggle with the crisis of masculinity in Bruce Springsteen, but he always came to a resolution; he was strong, not uncertain in the end.  I think the ideology of the traditional masculine voice is that it is whatever is NOT feminine. Guys do what they want to do, when they want to, and no one can hold them down kind of thing.  It is take charge, know who you are (or resolve the identity struggle  in the end at least),  be a provider in all senses, and, at all costs, STAY STRONG.

   However, during our study of the masculine voice, we saw some deviance to this traditional voice.  I think there were always still traces of it, but I credit that to men being presented that masculinity their whole lives.  We saw men struggle with this traditional voice in through the evidence of emotion or vulnerability.  Some artists used a very melodic voice using it as the key instrument.  We saw lyrics that showed uncertainty.  The lyrics aren't concerned with proving their manhood as much as speaking about the writer's experience. Women do not always have such a typical role, they can be portrayed in a much more positive light.  I think the ideology represented in these masculine voices reflects the crisis of masculinity.  The men are searching and struggling with what it means to be a man today.  They still hold onto things that they are taught by society through the traditional male voice but realize that is isn't reality.  I think the masculine voice today is the process of sifting through who they are and defining their identity.

    The traditional masculine voice is the most prevalent in rock and roll today.  Hard rock and metal bands represent this ideology to a T.  But in other genres that stem from this, we start to see this different representation of masculinity.  Identities are always in flux and this is why I think it is so hard to define the masculine voice because...what does it actually mean to be masculine?  I can only do what contemporary artists do---Define the traditional masculine voice and try to find its faults and find alternatives.

Below I've choses artists and songs that represent what I discusses in the previous paragraphs.  I wrote this kind of backwards.  I listened to these songs and then I formed my idea of the masculine voice.  So the previous paragraphs are a sort of discussion of the following artists and songs.

Artists that represent the traditional masculine voice:
Bruce Springsteen, Buckcherry, Puddle of Mudd (link to lyrics of "Control"), Elvis, Anvil.

Links/Songs:

Buckcherry: Crazy Bitch

represents the ideology surrounding women

Adam Raised a Cain by Bruce Springsteen

shows the rebellion theme

Deviance from traditional masculine voice:

Coldplay, Frightened Rabbit, The Fray, Snowpatrol, Elton John, The Middle East.

All of these artists are more melodic and portray a vulnerability in their voice.  They question themselves and show that masculinity isn't effortless. The song "Blood" shows disillusionment with life.  I think what makes these different is the evidence of struggle and emotion. 

The Scientist by Coldplay

Blood by The Middle East

Rocket Man by Elton John

"I Met Up With the King" First Aid Kit

"I Met Up With the King"


First Aid Kit




"I Met Up With the King" is a song about both a male and female experience.  It encompasses frustration, expectations, and disillusionment of two roles.   I think the first verse is about masculinity and how the ability to live up to the expectations of that role will eventually fade.  The king is old and no longer can be the typical "Man", but he pleads to not be thought less of.  However, it is no use, his masculinity has diminished, he could no longer meet expectations of people.  I think it also shows the crisis of masculinity as the king tries to keep his grip on the fleeting masculinity.  The second verse I think is a plight for the female experience.  It speaks to women being seen for their beauty and not their mind.  And women falling for the trick, of thinking their worth is in their body.  It also signifies the worth and power of a woman being stripped away by this process and "no one believ[ing]" that this has happened.  I think this song shows the helplessness in trying to conform to the expectations of femininity and masculinity and even the powerlessness to fight against it.  You can hear the tragedy and anger in the singer's voice.  I also wanted to point out that it is the feminine voice singe and the theme of helplessness in lyrics is here, however it is different because it is used to critique the content.  But, it does not come to an empowering resolution at the end, it still is tragically powerless. 

  


Lyrics: 
I met up with the king
He confessed his body was burning
I met up with the king
His body had begun to rot
And he said don't think less of me
I'm still the same man I used to be

But no one believed him
No one believed him

I once knew a pretty girl
And she was in love with the world
And she loved a young man
Who loved her body but never saw her mind
He took everything she had kept
And then he took everything else that was left

But no one believed her
No one believed her

I feel just like the king
As I fall on the muddy ground
I feel just like you gal
There's people thinking
They know something now
Well I don't know anything at all
And we mean nothing to history
Well thank God

So tell me do you believe me?
Do you believe me?
I bet you don't
I bet you won't

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/i_met_up_with_the_king_lyrics_first_aid_kit.html
All about First Aid+Kit: http://www.musictory.com/music/First+Aid+Kit

"Fragile Meadow"
Black Atlantic

This is one of my favorite songs.  It doesn't necessarily fit into rock and roll very well but after I listened to it a couple times, I was able to tie in a few of the things we talked about in class.  The song to me is about a couple's journey of love, friendship, and relationship.  The singer talks about the situation they are in and his admiration for his lover.  I think this is an empowering song to women.  This is one of the rare instances in music where I feel that the address of "Woman" is empowering without possessing any negative connotation that sometimes accompanies it.  The woman is not talked about as an object and there are no sexual references.  Instead she is referred to a companion and lover, a love that has been shaped by them and their journey through trials and tribulations. The singer says he is fortunate to have met her,  I always think of that as him knowing her and interacting with and acknowledging her mind.  I think "fragile meadow" is about the state that there in, that so many things could come and separate them, yet he believes that they are destined to stay there with each other forever.  That even though the security of indestructibility of youth is not with them, they will still stay in a tranquil, yet fragile meadow.  I think the bit about the woman as a companion and "I love you for you" has a bit of 3rd wave feminism with the idea of you are empowered simply because you are you.  I think the man is recognizing that.  This also is not the typical representation of masculinity.  It is very vulnerable, even the lyrics are "fragile" and vulnerable.  The man is not a rock or emotionless being at all.  The music is also very intimate with the male melodic voice and single instrument with the occasional humming and percussion.  I think the intimacy of the music also ties in with the intimacy within the story of the lyrics.

I have included two videos.  One is the song accompanied by an inspiring interpretive dance, and the other is the band performing a live session. Enjoy.

Lyrics:

Woman, Tranquilly labouring  At our love's cultivation But I do believe Oh I am fortunate  To have met you, woman Woman, How ephemeral our grace is  In these wind stricken plains But I do believe Oh It is our fate  To reside here, woman Away from the mountains of youth  And safety Oh in a fragile meadow A fragile meadow Fragile meadow Woman,  I see you bloom in This sun, the sun that we've shaped But I do believe Oh you are a companion And a true lover, woman Through our rains and wintry  Phases I have come to love you Love you for you I love you for you Love you for you  I love you for you Love you for you I love you for you Love you for you I love you fo you

Song Analysis: Buckcherry "Crazy Bitch"

"Crazy Bitch"
By: Buckcherry

"Crazy Bitch" is a song that doesn't need any explanation as to what the song is about...it's pretty straight forward.  In this song, the male singer isn't interested in anything about the women except for having sex, emphasized by "no need to talk" in the lyrics.  He claims she is crazy, but it doesn't matter because she is extremely good in bed.  The lead singer exudes a dominant sexuality typical in rock music.  The woman's only power is sexual power in that he keeps coming back to her, but even that is dominated by the man in "I'm on top of it" and "baby girl you want it all, to be a star you'll have to go down".  The woman has no power in this text which is added to by the fact that she is a prostitute (see "another night paid in full").  I included a live video of the song so you could how the artist performs sexuality in this song.  He is extremely degrading talking about "bitches sucking his dick" over and over, shouting it like a mantra while thrusting and making hand gestures.  It is a very male dominated environment.  He opens the song by saying, "This song isn't about a lady, it's not about a little girl, it's about a...a....crazy bitch" while he proceeds to hit his face with the microphone while sticking his tongue out.  This song is a portrayal of male power over a woman in all ways.

Here is the link to the official video on youtube, it wouldn't let me post it on my blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ6pLKlU-8Q
I've also included a performance of Buckcherry performing "Crazy Bitch."  It is much more offensive and explicit, so be warned.

Lyrics: (also explicit)


"Crazy Bitch"

All right!

Break me down, you got a lovely face
We're going to your place
And now you got to freak me out
Scream so loud, getting fuckin' laid
You want me to stay, but I got to make my way

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Take it off, the paper is your game
You jump in bed with fame
Another one night paid in full, uh
You're so fine, it won't be a loss
Cashing in the rocks, just to get you face to face

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Get the video
fuck you so good
Get the video
fuck you so good

Crazy bitch
Crazy bitch
Crazy...bitch

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back, come on

Baby girl
You want it all
To be a star
You'll have to go down
Take it off
No need to talk
You're crazy
But I like the way you fuck me

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on

Hey
You're crazy bitch
But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it
When I dream, I'm doing you all night
Scratches all down my back to keep me right on
You keep me right on

You're crazy
But I like the way you fuck me

Song Analysis: Warrant "Cherry Pie"

"Cherry Pie"
Artist: Warrant

Warrant is an metal band from the "big hair" days.  They exude the sexuality typical for this genre and era.  They are dominating, talk about women as sexual objects, and have uses some androgyny. "Cherry Pie" was released in 1990 and shot Warrant into fame. The song is basically a big euphemism for sex.  It is about having sex in various places ("swinging' on the front porch, swingin' on the lawn...") while praising the woman for being so good at it and attractive.  It is said that the song was written in 15 minutes on a pizza box if that helps you get an idea for the extent of depth in this song. In the first few seconds of the video Warrant leaves no uncertainty to what "cherry pie" is referring to when a triangular piece of cherry pie nicely falls right in the featured woman's lap between her legs.  The song is full of men's desire and centered around the man's pleasure which is fulfilled by the women.  We see this in "She's my cherry pie, put a smile on your face ten miles wide."  I think we see the dominance in the lyrics "She's MY cherry pie," the woman and her anatomy are his for his use.  The women is a typical sexy rock star groupie.  She has blonde hair, big boobs, flat stomach, perfect big lips painted in red lipstick, and a nice butt.  She spends the video being the object of desire, dancing around provocatively shaking her curves and taking part in scenes including phallic symbols and/or symbolizing sexual actions.  One of the most appalling is the whole band of Warrant holding a fire hose together spraying her in the mouth and all over her body, while she dances around opened mouthed and giggling while the band sings that she is a "cool drink of water such a sweet surprise." Take a look at the video and see what you think.

Lyrics: Link

Dirty, rotten, filthy, stinkin'

She's my cherry pie
Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise
Taste so good make a grown man cry
Sweet cherry pie, yeah

Woaw

Well, swingin' on the front porch, swingin' on the lawn
Swingin' where we want 'cause there ain't nobody home
Swingin' to the left and swingin' to the right
I think about baseball, swing all night, yeah
Yeah, yeah

Huh, swingin' in the livin' room, swingin' in the kitchen
Most folks don't 'cause they're too busy bitchin'
Swingin' in there 'cause she wanted me to feed her
So I mixed up the batter and she licked the beater

I scream, you scream we all scream for her
Don't even try 'cause you can't ignore her

She's my cherry pie
Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise
Tastes so good make a grown man cry
Sweet cherry pie, oh yeah

She's my cherry pie
Put a smile on your face ten miles wide
Looks so good bring a tear to your eye
Sweet cherry pie, yeah

Swingin' to the drums, swingin' to guitar
Swingin' to the bass in the back of my car
[| From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/w/warrant-lyrics/cherry-pie-lyrics.html |]
Ain't got money, ain't got no gas
But we'll get where we're goin' if we swing real fast

I scream, you scream we all scream for her
Don't even try 'cause you can't ignore her

She's my cherry pie
Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise
Tastes so good make a grown man cry
Sweet cherry pie, oh yeah

She's my cherry pie
Put a smile on your face ten miles wide
Looks so good bring a tear to your eye
Sweet cherry pie, yeah
Pie, yeah
Swing it
All night long
Swing it
(Aow)

I'm a trained professional
Swingin' in the bathroom, swingin' on the floor
Swingin' so hard forgot to lock the door
In walk her daddy standin' six foot four
Said, "You ain't gonna swing with my daughter no more"

She's my cherry pie
Cool drink of water such a sweet surprise
Tastes so good make a grown man cry
Sweet cherry pie, oh yeah

She's my cherry pie
(Pie)
Put a smile on your face ten miles wide
Looks so good bring a tear to your eye
Sweet cherry pie, sweet cherry pie, yeah

Huh, swing it