Jolene, and other anti-feminist anthems

[StealthPolarBear]

Just to say this is a light-hearted chat thread.
I love jolene, sing it with a minor adaptation every time I'm cleaning the windows. I have no idea about the background, but it must come near the top of the least feminist songs ever!
Another which I've just heard is sheryl crow, strong enough. "lie to me, I promise I'll believe, lie to me, but please don't leave"
Brilliant song, awful lyrics :)
Any others?

I think some people look to deep in to songs ,

"gwenhwyfar it's basically: if you loved me, you'd stop talking about it and shag me.

I remember being 14 and my mate's much cooler 18 yr old sister dismissing it like that to usgrin"

More than Words? Can you show me the lyrics?

This thread has got me wondering if my beloved Take That were ever misogynistic ..and you know... I think they pretty much pass the test...(am I wrong?) Love them even more now. Oh to be a teenager again.

The social background around "Baby It's Cold Outside" is fascinating - the song is based on the very common trope that "nice girls" weren't interested in sex, even when they of course were. The song is a call and response conversation between two adults who both know what they want, but have to play a polite game of invitation and demurral to get to the position where they can both admit it and act on it. Post the sexual revolution however, where we don't approach the lyrics through the same lens, the nuance is lost.

Interestingly, in the original film version of the song (in a movie called Neptune's Daughter) it it sung by two different couples, one where the male singer takes the role of the persuader, and in the other, it is the woman who take that role.

Does Your Mother Know by Abba is a masterpiece! I loved the way in the first Mamma Mia film they reversed the parts so it was the (much older) woman singing to the besotted young man.

[quote Creamcrackersandricecakes]@WarOnWomen - yes you're absolutely correct. Stephen Jones, who wrote the song, has stated that it's about male photographers using women to sell things with their sexuality. So if anything, it's a feminist song![/quote]
So - I've noticed this is a common issue with certain kinds of songs/stories/films. Intended to tell a cautionary tale, but then people take it as advocating the behaviour.

The Giving Tree being a good example, in children's books. I think Every Breath You Take is another example, it's about an obsessive, and meant to be.

My Sharona by The Knack - great song, awful lyrics...

‘I always get it up
For the touch
Of the younger kind’

Avril Lavigne, Girlfriend

@Notthecarwashagain

'Think of her in bed Lying there just watching telly Then think of me instead'

''l'll never grow so old and flabby
That could never be'

'She's a PhD in "I told you so"
You've a knighthood in "I'm not listening'

Urgh it's just a whole song of shittiness! Gave myself the hump now

Y’know the original uncensored version of this song is “Don’t Marry Her, Fuck Me”?

Has no one mentioned “Saving All My Love For You” yet? It’s literally a mistress, quite accepting of being a mistress and the whole situation.

@donewithitalltodayandxmas

I think some people look to deep in to songs ,

Alternative is to accept everything at face value I suppose.

gwenhwyfar it's basically: if you loved me, you'd stop talking about it and shag me.

I agree with this interpretation, it reminds me of a dodgy ex when I was a teenager.

Other opinions are of course available

I admit I wasn’t a great fan of “Jolene” when it was first released, but I discovered this enchanting medieval interpretation of it on YouTube a few weeks ago, and haven’t stopped playing it since. This is “bardcore”, and I love it!

Cater to u by Destiny's Child. It's just a song about catering to their man's every need.

@StealthPolarBear

Is angel of the morning about romantic love

No it's about having sex for the first time.

Yeah, but she thinks her man is going to be unfaithful because of Jolene, not because of his lack of fidelity and the whole song is directed at Jolene and not her husband! It's profoundly sexist!
"Woman, control my man's sexuality!"

This thread is genius. I had never even thought about some of this stuff.

Never really thought about what 'More than a woman' would mean, but just looking at that, it is deeply disturbing!

I’d read somewhere that Every breath you take by Sting was about a stalker but people seem to think it’s a love song!

Didnt Sting say he never understood why people thought it was a love song, and were not creeped out by it?

Smooth Criminal always freaked me out and it seems like no one ever listens to the actual lyrics.

To pp who said Shaggy - yes, same, it makes me ragey so I change station.

Blurred Lines.

And the song about breaking hearts by Taio Cruz annoys me -

^Now I may not be the worst or the best but you gotta respect my honesty.
And I may break your heart, but I don't really think there's anybody's as bomb as me
So you can take this chance, in the end everybody's gonna be wondering how ya deal
You might say this is Ludacris, but Taio Cruz tell em' how ya feel!
Now listen to me baby
Before I love and leave you
They call me heart breaker
I don't wanna deceive you
If you fall for me
I'm not easy to please
I might tear you apart
Told you from the start, baby from the start.
I'm only gonna break break ya break break ya heart
I'm only gonna break break ya break break ya heart
I'm only gonna break break ya break break ya heart
I'm only gonna break break ya break break ya heart
There's no point trying to hide it
No point trying to evade it
I know I got a problem
Problem with misbehaving^

[quote DodoApplet]I admit I wasn’t a great fan of “Jolene” when it was first released, but I discovered this enchanting medieval interpretation of it on YouTube a few weeks ago, and haven’t stopped playing it since. This is “bardcore”, and I love it! [/quote]
Love!

I am here to suggest Sk8r boi by avril lavigne, it's basically her slagging off another woman for her choices.

I read a brilliant parody article last year from the "girl" being sung about where she goes through all the lyrics-

“Five years from now, she sits at home, feeding the baby, she’s all alone.”

Then it's like "I’m a proud single mother, how dare you suggest I don't like my baby"

Gave me a laugh anyway

@Serenster

The social background around "Baby It's Cold Outside" is fascinating - the song is based on the very common trope that "nice girls" weren't interested in sex, even when they of course were. The song is a call and response conversation between two adults who both know what they want, but have to play a polite game of invitation and demurral to get to the position where they can both admit it and act on it. Post the sexual revolution however, where we don't approach the lyrics through the same lens, the nuance is lost.

Interestingly, in the original film version of the song (in a movie called Neptune's Daughter) it it sung by two different couples, one where the male singer takes the role of the persuader, and in the other, it is the woman who take that role.

I don't see why it's so difficult for people to get this in 2021. Seduction still happens surely? What a sad world if not!

"Post the sexual revolution however, where we don't approach the lyrics through the same lens, the nuance is lost."

I disagree. The sexual revolution was in the 60s, but still now a person being chased can still take their time to say yes.

Tonight's the night I've waited for
Because you're not a baby anymore
You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen

🤮

Oh yes sk8r boi and the smug "she was stuck at home watching TV and saw her ex". Makes me throw things every time.

Many of Horror by Biffy Clyro is questionable too:

Cause when my back is turned
My bruises shine
Our broken fairytale
So hard to hide
I still believe
It's you and me 'til the end of time
When we collide we come together
If we don't we'll always be apart
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Happy Hour - Housemartins

It's another night out with the boss
Following in footsteps overgrown with moss
And he tells me that women grow on trees
And if you catch them right they will land upon their knees
Where they open all their wallets
And they close all their minds
And they love to buy you all a drink
And as we ask all the questions
And you take all your clothes off
And back to the kitchen sink

Anyone else ever see Bramax in action? Their numbers included 'Ladies of Ming'; 'The Beard Not on her Face' and the classic 'A Lesbian Stole my Morag'. Very funny. Not PC at all!