But there is one thing that just really kills a song for me:
It's message.
That's why you won't find me listening to a lot of rap or hip-hop, because I don't like to hear about phat rides or bootylicious babes and how gangstas are pimpin. Mainly, I don't care, and usually I find it laughable. But there is one song that has really got me annoyed lately:
"Joey" by Sugarland.
It's been a long time since I've loathed a song, but I. Hate. This. One. Why? Because I think it glorifies self-loathing and guilt over things that you have absolutely no control over. According to The Boot the song is about a teen boy who dies in a car wreck, leaving the singer (in this case, Jennifer Nettles) to bemoan all the things she could have done to stop it.
WTF?
"I'm so sorry," the narrator sings. For what? Really? I'm waiting for the second version of this song.
"I'm so sorry for cutting your brake lines..." That's a song that would make sense.
Do we honestly want to encourage this kind of inane thinking in young women who are already brainwashed into believing that true love exists in one-dimensional, immortal alpha males and that they'll only be beautiful if they resemble skeletons? Now, let's dose them with a song about how things that are absolutely out of their hands should bring them enormous guilt.
I repeat: WTF?
The worst thing is, once you hear it, it's stuck in your head ALL DAY LONG. It's enough to make me want to bang my head against something.
Sorry, Ms. Nettles. I love most of your other songs--but I'll never buy the album that this is on, and I am forced to turn off the radio when it comes on.
Too bad. She's a really good singer. But I agree, those lyrics are horrible. And I love the "cutting your brake lines" comment. Classic. Seriously, what is she referring to?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this and I loaded the sog up and listened to it on youtube, and I will admit I don't like it, but thats becuase I don't like many songs that sounds like this. his type of music is just not my forte.
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of those things in which you do have to look at the "moral" behind the story. Story is, the singer/narrator did not go out with her boyfriend that night, she did not take the keys from him and he was drunk, and he ended up in an accident. She loved him, and as part of her los, she was trying to assure herself in her vunerability.
Its like on the Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and not, not the guy that struck by lightning 7 times, LOL, but the breakdown of the story of how the main femal character was injured in the car accident. It all had to happen just like that for her to the car accident to happen.
In this case, the narrator/singer is pondering that if she would have done things different, anything, would Joey still be alive. As a deep thinker and a man of philosophy, you would be suprised how one small simple act can change things, and not always change them the way you intend. Its really cool to see first hand when you greet someone out in public obviously having a bad. Telling them to smile and complimenting them. Works wonders.
As for you statement of the one dimensional immortal alpha males, meh, I don't see eye to eye with you on that. Yes, they broadcast that a girl is only pretty if she is of a certain height and weight, but alot of thi is really just peer judgement provided mainly in high school. Its the insults and the embarrasement that really damage the girls and put them into depression. Becuase if you were sitting alone with an island with 500 "Be Thin" magazines, you would not care other thn to use them for a source of fuel. But put 5 people there making fun of you weight or look, and you will try to change them.
Its just all about being respectful. Not all girls a pretty, and not all are full of personality, and not all have intellegince. And for the ones with more than thier fair share, God built in other flaws. Like Isaac Newton, smart as hell, but put an injured pigeon within 50 feet of him, and yea, he would drop all of his gravity theorms mid thought to help nurse it back to health for weeks and weeks.
Just a few ideas to make you say, "What If" as well. =P You know, make the world go round instead of being flat. But yes, this song is abyssmal. Keep this Bill Anderson guy away from music sheets.
Hey, Desiderium,
ReplyDeleteI get what you're saying about the "what if" factor, but in all philosophical honesty "what if" is a waste of time. And I don't support any song/book/media that encourages that sort of thinking.
Everyone is going to have their "what if" moment, but this song just blatantly flaunts it to the point of idealizing it. That's what irritates me. It's glorifying pointless guilt. She's blaming herself for a situation that she had absolutely no control over. Yes, people do that, but rationally I can't condone it. It's--in a word--stupid.
LOL. I just offered my opinion. The girl is in her "I'm totally misunderstood by everyone" phase in the song. I'm sure the pre-teens and teens will love it is all. But meh, I tend to agree with you on the stupid part. I was just breaking it down to see where I went with it is all. So I agree to agree.
ReplyDeleteBut if I did have a close friend that killed him or herself by driving away from my house drunk and all I had to do was take the keys from him or her, I may be inclined to blame myself as well.
When your friends die, it sucks, and you wish you could have just seen them one more time, or talked to them on the phone, you know, done something. You know time lost and all that jazz.. And trust me, you are "stupid" during that time. You could ask my friend Donald, if he was still alive...
I can relate, but yes, the song sucks. But this as, as they say, your show, so back to you and enough about me.