Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Keith Urban's Adventure in Feminism



When you hear somebody say somebody hits like a girl 
How does that hit you 
Is that such a bad thing 
When you hear a song that they play sayin’ you run the world
 Do you believe it 
Will you live to see it?
Chorus:
Sister, shoulder, daughter, lover 
Healer, broken halo, Mother 
Nature, fire, suit of armor, sole survivor, holy water 
Secret keeper, fortune teller 
Virgin Mary, Scarlet letter 
Technicolor, river wild 
Baby, girl, woman, child 
Female
When somebody laughs and implies that she asked for it
 Just cause she was wearing a skirt 
Oh is that how that works 
When somebody talks about how it was Adam first 
Does that make you second best 
Or did He save the best for last.
She's the heart of life 
She's the dreamer's dream 
She's the hands of time 
She's the queen of kings.

I've read that he is being accused of "mansplaining" feminism, but it goes way beyond that.  The first huge, glaring error is his use of "female" (the title) as a noun referring to a woman.  I have to ask, female what?  Human?  Because we have a word for that, and it's "Woman."  

Don't get me started on the little breathy sexy feminine sighs in the background every time he sings the title...I prefer to hear women roar, not sigh...

The first two lines are clumsy, with repeats of "somebody" and "hit."  The country feminist song is apparently not worthy of the songwriters' best efforts (it took three of them:  Shane McAnally; Ross Copperman; Josh Osborne).  

Every phrase describing what "females" are, qualifies them.  What about women who are NOT sisters, daughters, shoulders, lovers, etc., etc.? why can't he give us a little respect for just being ourselves...jammie-wearing, tired of working, chips and salsa snacking women?

I understand that he is trying to sell it to people who still tell women "Don't worry your pretty little head about that, little lady," but with this song, he's trying to appeal to feminists as well.

Sorry, Keith.  No cookie for you.

3 comments:

  1. I almost posted something about Keith' stringy, frosted hair, but damn....I've been worried about you and your family, Ronni --- the Austin bomber and all. I woke up this AM to a report he blew himself up in ROUND ROCK.

    We need to catch up.
    ~Surf

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