The Heart of Rock and Roll
Is Exploitation
Well, since I started this page, it seems to have received more attention than anything else on my web site, and I've received quite a bit of mail, both positive and negative.
First of all, if you're a fan of any of these groups, well, so am I, if that makes you feel any better. You won't believe the hilarious reactions I get to to this list. It reminds me of that concept we learn in Psychology 101 - cognitive dissonance. Fans feel they must choose between their group and my interpretation of their songs. They can't accept these songs as reactionary, and reconcile this fact with their appreciation of the artists who recorded them.
People who recognize a favorite artist on trhis list feel the need to 1) discredit me, 2) tell me I'm wrong, simply wrong in my interpretation of the song, or 3) tell me that my politics imply that I am advocating the censorship of these songs.
Second, if you think the solution to my problems with racism and sexism in amerikkkan popular culture is to leave it, well, I'm sorry, but I'm here to stay. If you think that I advocate turning off your radio, boycotting all american films, and throwing a brick through your television set, well, once again, I'm sorry, but that's not what I advocate. I won't give you the pleasure of my non-participation in these discussions of the meaning and value of the symbols we use to communicate the joy and pain of human existence.
When we sing "I wish I was in Dixie," what is the Dixie we long for?? What was life like in that Dixie?? Can we ever rise above that original meaning and find joy in these songs again? Yes, no, maybe - this list is just an attempt to call these songs for what they are. It's each individual's responsibility to come to terms with them, and how they fit in their own lives.
Here's a list of songs I Love to hate/Hate to love:
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynrd Skynrd
Quite a toe-tapper. On the surface, it's an irresistible little hook, simple, easy to sing - all in the key of G. But what is this song really about? "Now Watergate doesn't bother me now; Does your conscience bother you?" "In Birmingham we love the governor" This was George Wallace, the segregationist. This song was also a direct attack on Neil Young, who penned a hit called "Southern Man," calling on the south to grant equality to African Americans.
American Pie, Don McClean
What? This lovely little ditty, a romantic, sentimental song, the Forrest Gump of amerikkkan pop? It's sin is the sin of omission. If you were to listen to this song, you'd never know that African American's played a significant role in the development of Rock and Roll Music. Buddy Holly, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan were all that existed. Right.
Turning Japanese, The Vapors
In 1979, Paul McCartney wrote an instrumental with the racist title FrozenJap. At least he had a motive. He had just been arrested in Japan for marijuana possession, was deported, and subsequently cancelled a world tour. That must have encouraged the Vapors, who recorded this song, their only significant hit. In this song, an idiot is mourning the loss of a girlfriend. As he holds on to her picture, he begins to feel the need to masturbate. Equating japanese ethnicity to masturbation is an offense that would only be topped two years later by the racist imagery in the popular John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles.
Fire, Bruce Springsteen
Nothing more than a justification for date rape. This song was written by Bruce Springsteen, but popularized by the Pointer Sisters, which makes it even more disturbing. When does no mean yes? When does no mean no?
The World Before Columbus, Suzanne Vega.
I like Suzanne Vega. I think she's a great songwriter. But she really missed the boat on this song off her last album, Nine Objects of Desire. It's a beautiful song, dedicated to her newborn boy. However, she says that the world without her child would be black as night, like the "world before Columbus." Come on, Suzanne, you should know better! There was plenty of light in the Americas before Christopher Columbus reached these shores. It was an easy metaphor, it fit well in the song, but was diabolical in its implications.
Brown Sugar, The Rolling Stones
Gee, where do we begin with this song, as well as the whole Rolling Stones catalogue? This song celebrates the joy of raping your slave. Shall we go on? How about Under My Thumb, their 1965 song about the joys of controlling your girlfriend. Going back to the concept of cognitive dissonance, I recently had a discussion with an african american coworker about Brown Sugar. She's a big Rolling Stone fan, I mean BIG. Well, she wouldn't believe this song was about rape, at least until I searched for it on the web, then printed it out for her to read. It was amazing, watching the look on her face as she read the dreadful lyrics. Something had to give, and it wasn't the Rolling Stones. She put the lyric sheet down, and said. "Well, what if they're making fun of it." Oh, that's helpful! I'm sure that Mick and Keith were really politically progressive during the 1960's, and were well versed in the concept of politcal parody in top forty songwriting. Right.
More songs to come. send me your votes for the most reactionary toe-tappers ever written!
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