GWSS 241 Blog Post #1
Adubbs
One common thread that connects the materials that we’ve engaged
with is that the people who were able to capitalize on their contributions to
popular music were white males. The narratives surrounding the birth of
Rock-and-Roll disproportionately exclude people of color and womxn. As Wald
puts it in the “Rosetta Tharpe and Feminist Unforgetting” reading,
racial-ethnic minorities and women are rendered invisible in history (158). This
stands out to me because it is not far-off from what we see today in Western
academia. One generally must look in non-conventional places to find the
stories of the people who paved the way for us to create and consume music the
way we do today.
Additionally, we see music as a way for people to heal
themselves and connect with others. Music, whether being created or consumed,
is something that gives people an outlet to express themselves. This was
demonstrated when we heard Cobain's cover of “In the Pines” as “Where did you
Sleep Last Night” in a raw, emotional, performance. This also came to light
when we learned about Alice Bag in the “Death to Racism and Punk Rock
Revisionism” by Michelle Habell-Pallan when she stated that “Hollywood punks
were accepting of difference, they were open to any social outcast” (249).
Further solidified when Alice discusses how she grew up being made fun of for
her appearance, her broken English, and for having Mexican parents and how this
contributed to her anger that she ultimately expressed on stage.
I chose Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” because it
reminded me of Alice Bag’s punk style. To me, Benatar, much like Bag, was
unique and edgy and in this song, she takes on a more growl-like style of
singing through lyrics that tell a story of fighting back. I believe that Alice
Bag helped pave the way for Benatar. Additionally, Pat Benatar has been wildly
successful, and this most likely had something to do with her whiteness and the
representation that it afforded her. On the other hand, I chose Nona Hendryx’s
“Leaving Here Today” because it was one of the songs from her first solo album
after parting ways with the Bluebelles. Hendryx struggled to find success
throughout her early career which demonstrates how womxn and womxn of color
especially were often excluded, underrepresented, and not compensated, or
credited for their contributions to music.
Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Nona Hendryx - Leaving Here Today
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