Positive Song v. Negative Song
Positive Song:
TLC- Unpretty
Okay so I am a TLC fan. This song, "Unpretty" was released a long time ago and I remember how it really touched me. It deals with the story of a woman who is letting the man in her life dictate what her body should look like. In the video, this woman is considering breast implants because the man who "loves" her finds her breast size inadequate. There's another woman who is binge eating and then starving herself to fit into the ideal beauty image presented in the magazines. I feel this song is trying to send the message that it is okay to look the way you were made, and that you do not need alterations, regardless if it is the media telling you that you do or your loved ones.
Negative Song:
Buckcherry- Crazy Bitch
When I began to think of a negative song, tons of commercial rap songs came to mind, but since many of those are so disrespectful to women as a given, I thought I'd make it a little harder on myself. I was so shocked when I first heard this song. I was not expecting these lyrics, because it was actually recommended to me by a woman who considers herself a feminist and she was rocking out to it. Whatever floats your boat, I know that I listen to some music that is misogynistic in nature, and none of us are perfect. However, I was really shocked by this song because I was not expecting that language. It just completely exploits women sexually, and then proceeds to degrade them by calling them "bitches". I expect this from a Nelly but wasn't really expecting it from commercial rock. I think hearing this song confirmed my belief that all genres of music exploit women; some are just pushed into the limelight for critique more often than others.