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?

Beyoncé isn’t referring to herself as ‘it’ in Single Ladies: “if you liked it [their relationship] then you should have put a ring on it [her finger]”. It’s about a woman who won’t settle for a man who won’t commit to her. Fine if you fundamentally object to marriage as the goal of a relationship but it’s MN Relationships 101.

WAP is reported by some to be the epitome of female empowerment. I don’t see it at all. I think it’s crude and the lyrics are horrible.
Me too, my teenage nieces believe it is empowering.

Or imagine being a famous man in the 70s with the way the culture was with groupies etc. I bet there were many girls on the scene who really weren’t old enough to be there.

Aqua Barbie Girl. Sickens me that I was singing along to this misogynistic shit when I was 12:

I'm a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
I'm a blond bimbo girl in a fantasy world
Dress me up, make it tight, I'm your dolly
You're my doll, rock'n'roll, feel the glamour in pink
Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky
Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees
Come jump in, bimbo friend, let us do it again
Hit the town, fool around, let's go party
You can touch
You can play
If you say, "I'm always yours"
You can touch
You can play
If you say, "I'm always yours"

The song is clearly about a man who’s not taking advantage and who’s being responsible and looking out for her.
🤣

I actually think that’s a feminist song. I don’t think it’s intended to be serious at all!

As previously mentioned, Barbie Girl is satire.

For a catchy tune but crap lyrics I nominate Georgy Girl
“Hey there, Georgy girl
Swinging down the street so fancy-free
Nobody you meet could ever see the loneliness there inside you
Hey there, Georgy girl
Why do all the boys just pass you by?
Could it be you just don't try or is it the clothes you wear?”
“Don't be so scared of changing and rearranging yourself
It's time for jumping down from the shelf”

(Regarding Barbour Girl, that is)

And you can laugh all you like at my opinion of ‘Does your mother know’ but I know what kind of man I would have wanted my daughters to meet had they been the type to go messing around in things that were maybe just a little too much for their age, and it would be someone who could and would say that sort of thing. Kind of like the story with Lily Allen and George Lamb when he found her by herself in Ibiza or wherever it was.

Barbour Girl is my favourite autocorrect of the morning!

Haha Barbour girl....😆😆

Barbie girl being satire is news to me! Was this something the band said after the song was released?

I wouldn’t know - it’s just how I’ve always read it. The video is clearly a bit of a joke.

I could be entirely wrong, but that’s my opinion of it. It reads like a satirical commentary.

Ami Stewart's 'Ring My Bell'

'Sit back and relax while I put away the dishes...'

Yes love as that's exactly why you were put on this earth....

I've had a little watch of the video and I can see how you would say it's satirising 'Barbie' as the lyrics etc are really ridiculous. My issue is that it's only mocking 'Barbie' and not Ken whose twattish expectations and fantasies Barbie girl is so desperate to fulfil... so again women are the losers here. I think if the song made Ken look like the misogynistic dick he so clearly is rather than only making Barbie look like the pathetic fool then I could get more on board with the feminist satirical take.

Haven’t rtft but Wild World by Cat Stevens... I call it the ‘coercive control anthem’.

Oh, and the Pina Colada song. But its soo catchy

I don't think the Pina Colada Song is anti-feminist. Both parties are in a rut and dissatisfied with the relationship. It's the woman who makes the first move to possible infidelity by placing the lonely hearts advert, to which her husband/partner replies.

I’m not sure that’s the case though. I think it’s mocking the male position just as much - I think it’s the interplay and the uhm what’s the word (this is literally about the 10th word today that I can’t think of!!), that’s being commented on.

Bad for Good by Jim Steinman is a bit pressurising. It's very poetic, and catchy, but give it up Jim, leave her be!

The sea is whipping the sky
The sky is whipping the sea
You can hide away forever from the storm
But you'll never hide away from me
The icy cold will cut us like a knife in the dark
And we may lose everything in the wind
But the Northern Lights are burning
And they're giving off sparks
I want to wrap myself around you like a winter skin
You know I'm onto your scent
We're near the end of the chase
Take a look out your window and I'll be there in the night
Your love is so close that I can almost taste it

'I know him so well'.... oh yes. I used to think that was a lovely duet. Now I listen to two women standing around fascinated by the complexity of the bastard who they're both running around trying to take enough care of and understand properly while he does his own special thing and doesn't reciprocate in any way. A quick read of Lundy Bancroft badly needed.

Two more that drive me nuts:

You were always on my mind: the time to ring Women's Aid song.

maybe I didn't hold you
All those lonely, lonely times
I guess I never told you
I am so happy that you're mine
Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
Tell me
Tell me that your sweet love hasn't died
And gi-ve me
Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied

No. You had your shot. You chose to take everything, give nothing, you killed this relationship, now stop begging the poor woman to go on suffering and comfortably enabling you to make her life a misery because you feel like deep down you're a nice guy really. The entitlement is gobsmacking.

I just haven't met you yet, Michael Buble.... are you kidding me??

You'll make me work so we can work to work it out...

I really won't. If you can't be buggered to take an equal share in the relationship don't bother being a sod and then looking to me to 'make you' do what is needed to fix it. I'm not your mum, I'm not a dominatrix either.

And I promise you, kid, that I'll give so much more than I get..

plain creepy. You haven't met her yet Michael, because she's hiding under the bed MNetting on her phone. 'There's this jolly, creepy bastard following me around singing at me'...

(It’s been years since I’ve watched the video, tbf, so I’m basing that on what I remember of it).

I also don’t think Wild World is indicative of coercive control at all! Think that’s a bit harsh. It’s interesting to see the different impressions people have of songs like that, probably influenced in large part by their (our) own experiences...

@MichelleofzeResistance yes I’ve always despised that song.

Exactly as you said - no, you had your chance, and probably way too many chances at that, and you still didn’t step up. So no, you’re not getting another chance!

I just haven't met you yet, Michael Buble.... are you kidding me??

Aww c’mon. He doesn’t know her, she’s not a real person he’s stalking. It’s a paean to his future marriage with a as yet unknown wife, and full of hope and good intentions and actually rather sweet. “Promise you kid, I’ll give more than I get” sounds quite promising.

I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know some day that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid that I'll give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

Hmm... hmm

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And baby your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

Somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And promise you kid I'll give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair in love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work to work it out
Promise you kid I'll give more than I get, than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh you know it'll all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And promise you kid to give so much more than I get yeah
I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh promise you kid to give so much more than I get
I said love love love love love love love
I just haven't met you yet
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet

You were always on my mind, Jolene, and all the others about a man reflecting on how he has been crap or a woman wanting to stay with a man although he has been crap are not necessarily anti feminist in my view, just human nature. And the pain of wanting someone is the basis of 99% of pop songs... It’s the ones where the man is creepy, doesn’t take no for an answer or puts her down because she turned him down that meet the definition of misogyny.

The mk goon mess for the Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl is strangely satisfying