Name: Matt Johnson
Singer Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s loud personality and voice were an outlet for her to express the contempt she had towards society’s views on black women. In Maureen Mahon’s article “Big Mama Thornton’s Voice” she said Thornton would be sassy to her male guitarist and that “Commanding a man to wag his tail marks a gender-role reversal that encapsulates the disruptive and dangerous form of femininity that Thornton embodied” (Mahon 9). This bold action was one of many woven throughout Thornton’s music and was her way of expressing her progressive views towards women’s role in music and society. Thornton’s contributions towards advancing the extent to which marginalized women can express themselves through music was pivotal for the development of the Rock genre in America. Similar to Thornton, Maylei Blackwell, a professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies and Women’s Studies, found expression for her struggles as a marginalized woman in music. In an interview Blackwell said, “I feel like I could say punk rock saved my life…I was really pissed off you know about racism in my school, things I didn’t have words for, sexism, being sexualized at a very, very, young age...So punk gave it a container, you know, a mode of expression” (Blackwell 6). Thornton and Blackwell used music as a vessel in which they could express heavy topics like racial oppression and sexism in a unique way no other medium could. Many women with similar stories to Thornton and Blackwell have contributed to the evolution of American music immensely, adding a level of richness and depth to the music that only comes with real pain and transgression behind it.
Singer Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s loud personality and voice were an outlet for her to express the contempt she had towards society’s views on black women. In Maureen Mahon’s article “Big Mama Thornton’s Voice” she said Thornton would be sassy to her male guitarist and that “Commanding a man to wag his tail marks a gender-role reversal that encapsulates the disruptive and dangerous form of femininity that Thornton embodied” (Mahon 9). This bold action was one of many woven throughout Thornton’s music and was her way of expressing her progressive views towards women’s role in music and society. Thornton’s contributions towards advancing the extent to which marginalized women can express themselves through music was pivotal for the development of the Rock genre in America. Similar to Thornton, Maylei Blackwell, a professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies and Women’s Studies, found expression for her struggles as a marginalized woman in music. In an interview Blackwell said, “I feel like I could say punk rock saved my life…I was really pissed off you know about racism in my school, things I didn’t have words for, sexism, being sexualized at a very, very, young age...So punk gave it a container, you know, a mode of expression” (Blackwell 6). Thornton and Blackwell used music as a vessel in which they could express heavy topics like racial oppression and sexism in a unique way no other medium could. Many women with similar stories to Thornton and Blackwell have contributed to the evolution of American music immensely, adding a level of richness and depth to the music that only comes with real pain and transgression behind it.
No Doubt - Just A Girl
Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko
The two songs I selected connect to the readings because they convey how women are not given as much freedom of expression as men and that they shouldn’t be confined to one sexuality. The first song I selected is called “Just A Girl” by No Doubt and the song is sung by a woman who is loud, expressive, and unladylike. One snippet of lyrics in the song is “Oh, I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite”. The singer is literally defying what she said the societal norms are in the song by dressing in unconventional ways and having an intimidating presence in the music video. This connects to Thornton’s on stage attire of overalls and an aggressive personality while singing. Similar to Thornton, the singer is stepping out of societal norms, inspiring others as well. The other song I picked called “Girls Like Girls” by Hayley Kiyoko explores the fluid relationship many people have with sexuality that is often oppressed or looked down upon by society. There is a snippet of lyrics in the song “Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new”. This quote shows how Kiyoko is bringing to light that even if a girl is dating a guy, she may like a girl. Kiyoko is trying to empower women around her to stand up for themselves if they feel trapped in a bad relationship or realize they have different feelings. In her interview Maylei Blackwell talked about her experiences with sexuality: “All my first boyfriends wore eyeliner and, you know, they wore makeup...I and girls would make out with each other”. Blackwell’s Punk singing was rooted in her interactions with society and her sexuality. She felt pressure from society looking down upon her because of her sexual fluidity. The song by Kiyoko also draws from similar societal pressures to empower people to be proud and stand up for their sexuality.
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