In the discussion about the Is Lana Del Rey pro-pedophila? piece we posted earlier today, both here in the comments and , a sort of depressing point came up: a lot of pedophile songs are pretty fucking awesome. "Into the Night"? Sketchiest video ever, but it's a fucking jam. Now what?
Abby Taylor takes a closer look at the history of skeevy undertones, or overtones as the case may be, in the history of popular music.This stuff has been with us a long time, and it's probably not going away.
Ped-wave Rocku
Art has always been a mirror of society, reflecting the desires and conflicts of the time it is created in, especially with regards to the creation of popular music. Pedophilic undertones in music are yet another example of the influence of our society’s obsession with innocence and perfection. If there wasn't a demand for it, surely it wouldn't keep being created. Can we blame artists for catering to this obsession?
Yes... in a way I suppose we can. It's technically their responsibility to be role models, not to continue the manifestation of something so shameful. Still I'm sure most songs performed by artists these days are written by a team of people hell bent on making the artist famous (and making themselves a shit ton of money). The artists can not be the only ones to blame here.
Lana Del Rey is just another example of this. Her image has been manufactured by the music industry in order to sell records. Her lyrics are deplorable it’s true, however, we can’t forget that songwriters have been using "daddy" as a term for "boyfriend" or "lover" or even "husband" since the early 1900s. The term "little girl" is in songs that range from the early 50s-present, in songs written by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Motley Crue, Justin Timberlake, Suede, The Smiths. Black Sabbath, T Rex, and many other 60s/70s bands refer to a female lover as "mamma" but is that grounds for suggesting that they are pro-pedophilia? I'm not sure.
If we look at Japanese culture, where cuteness, innocence, and "Lolita” style are generally embraced by both the media and the general populous, we see that despite the main stream focus on a younger, girlish, female representation, the child rape count is about 1/3rd as high as in the US. Perhaps it’s a result of the fact that the approach is different. The Lolita style in Japan is merely a style of dress, and while the hentai industry (Japanese animated porn) does its fair share of sexualizing “cuteness,” most of the mainstream media simply displays the style as girlish, fun and cute, keeping the sex out of it. Most of the lyrics found in Japanese pop songs are about as sexually charged as an episode of Blossom.
In the US, it’s different. Sex is everywhere. It sells everything from soda to cars and it does so effortlessly. It’s no wonder it shows up so prominently in our music industry. But is it crossing the line when the sex is acted out by the seemingly innocent? What’s to be done?
If society continues to sexualize children, we can continue to expect artists to respond to it, and as a result, people with a predatory nature may continue to nourish their darker sides. Why not? If Katy Perry says “let you put your hands on me in my skin tight jeans…” it must be okay for them to do it too! If pedophilia is still being classified as one of the worst parts of society, then why are artists, the music industry, and the media continuing to glamorize it? Mostly because the public eats this shit up like heart shaped lollipops.
Here’s a charming list of songs that seem to glamorize the relationship between a seemingly innocent and helpless young girl and an older man.
Most of these songs charted in the top 10. Comments below in brackets by Luke.
Benny Mardones "Into the Night" ["I'll show you love like you've never known." Maybe because she's 16, bro? How many types of love you think anyone's seen by then?]
The Police
The Rolling Stones
Gary Puckett & the Union Gap "Young Girl" ["You kept the secret of your youth. You led me to believe you're old enough to give me love? And now it hurts to know the truth." -- Dude, just...dude.]
Neil Diamond "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon"
The Beatles
Chuck Berry ["Just has to have about a million framed autographs." YO YOU CALLING HER A GROUPIE SLUT AS WELL? THAT'S FUCKED UP.]
Bruce Springsteen ["Hey little girl is your daddy home?" No, but Chris Hansen is.]
Of course female artists aren’t any better… with lyrics like “wanna play for a day, daddy, in my kitty box…” we can’t really argue that these female artists are seeking to empower and desexualize the young girls they influence.
Bunny Holiday "Tender Young Flesh"
Lana Del Rey
Britney Spears "..Baby One More Time"
Lil Kim "Kitty Box"
Katy Perry
--ABBY TAYLOR
brought to you by
15 comments:
What if it's the episode of Blossom where she has sex with Vinny?
As an aside, I read Chuck Berry as Buck Cherry and then I died a little.
I would bet a lot of internet moneies that Buckcherry has a song about banging underage chicks/giving them coke.
Nickelback too I'd wager.
On one hand I find it deplorable that this is the society my niece is growing up in. On the other hand I can't help but leer at that hot 17 year old in yoga pants. #guyproblems
Yeah I feel you, but isn't the point that this is always the society that all nieces have grown up in? Maybe it's just more on the nose obvious now, but then again everything else is too. NOT SURE
Artists are supposed to be role models?
Not to add a pseudo-pedo slant of my own or anything, but perspective is, as usual, everything. Society sexualizes youth because youth is sexy. Only in the last 100 years has sex with minors become taboo. You can't undo a billion years of behavioural evolution in the blink of an eye.
I'm not condoning it anymore than I would other acts of savagery... But it always helps to consider the socio-biological roots of these phenomena.
Fuck everyone else's nieces, if I'm being honest (and I HAVE! BA ZING!!) But seriously, I agree it's the same society but I suppose the argument can be made that computers et. al. have brought was was once a private sexualization out into the open. As you said it's led to an acceptance by society. One could argue it's good for somethings, but not for this.
Artists aren't necessarily "supposed to be" role models, however, pop music is representative of the attitude of the general public. If these artists suggest that having sex with children is acceptable, how then do you suppose the public will respond to it? Also, artists like Katy Perry, who claim to be role models, should no longer claim that they are interested in empowering young women, if their lyrics cater to the over-sexualization of women/young children.
I stand corrected, the author says they have a "responsibility to be role models," which I'm having an even harder time understanding.
But all of those women are like 40. In famous years.
SO GLAD you wrote more about this! There is so much ground I wasn't able to cover in my lil Lana bit, and you did. Awesome.
The one thing that doesn't sit right with me though is the Japanese child rape stats. It may be tricky to compare rape state cross culture since the victim has to come forward for rape to be counted. People in different cultures may be more or less likely to step up for a number of reasons. Also, you don't have to commit rape to still be doing some way messed up stuff to kids.
See, now, if you didn't have the anonymous commenting option you wouldn't have indignant paedophiles telling you off for conflating sexual attraction to children with sexual abuse of children. (Where did the indignant paedophile's comment go?)
Motley Crue - All In The Name Of Rock
"She's only 15
She's the reason the reason that I can't sleep.
You say illegal
I say legal's never been my thing"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDficqMmG84
Good call. Also forgot this gem from Jeff Winger's dad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlN3oEjMpUQ
Post a Comment