Friday, October 5, 2007

''If you want a good time, she gone give you what you want''


My intention was to write about two fun things in this post: My recent visit to the top of a mountain and a dance class I took last week. But I just witnessed something too interesting not to mention it.

Our TV is working after a break of two months. So, now there's MTV. But it's not like it used to be. When I was younger I watched MTV day and night and knew every video by heart. Now I just watch it occasionally and turn it off understanding why it worries parents that their children stay glued to it.

It's not so much the videos in which the singer flexes her body in every thinkable position, while looking into the camera with a finger in her mouth, that bother me. I've spent so much energy, and time, analysing them that they don't affect me in the same way as before. The intention is too obvious to me and it just leaves me sad that female artists have to go through this - claiming female liberation and calling it freedom to choose - in order to get the notoriety they desire.

Additonally, it scares me to think that this is how role models are presented to the impressable young, still caught in the image-construction phase. But, being part of the system, having been there, flexing on floors of dance floors in attempts to look like Beyonce, or thinking that too thin women are the most beautiful ones, I am exhausted (and maybe still too affectable) to reflect on solutions.

Now, what really bothers me are the sleek videos, made by important producers, featuring talented musicians and dancers. The performers are all dressed in next year's fashion, the sounds have never been heard before, dance moves not thought of until now. It's every artists dream to one day collaborate with them. They're so cool and so sleek and so new and so young. They're it.

Today I watched a video, subconsciously drumming my finger against my thigh, while consciously developing an amazement toward the extrordinary open exploit of the female body and mind. This particular video tells the story of three men, Mr. Timbaland, Mr. Justin Timberlake and Mr. 50 Cents who - through technology- have found a way to film women through walls, cars and buildings. And they discover women are masturbating 24/7! (Only problem though, I don't think the majority of women look like they're in a porn flic while they please themselves. And in the car? Must be dangerous like hell.)

The lyrics are especially interesting as the three gentlemen explain that they're tired of using technology (but aren't they excited to have found a way to see through walls? They could make millions if you ask me). So they suggest to the girls that they just 'sit down on top of me' (yes, it rhymes with 'technology') or that they 'need you in front of me'. (That rhymes too!). It's quite confusing.

Anyway, never mind. After the masturbation scenes, Mr Timberlake is in a car with binoculars directed towards a bourgeois building where a young lady is undressing in the window (behind a curtain of course, she is not an exhibitionist!). Mr Timberlake then suddenly manages to control her moves (he violently reaches out his hand - her back arches so much that you think the spine is going to break). He then finds himself, fully dressed in front of her door, and she is there as well, almost naked, (how did she know he was there? Did he ring the bell?) with her legs around him while he presses his big leather-gloved hand against her throat. But she still wants him there and then (well she is ''always ready, when you want it she want it, like a nympho'' like Mr 50 Cents adds).

The next scene pictures our three gentlemen in a very classy apartment with girls who wear expensive lingerie and dance and flex and bend and who give them lapdances although our heroes do not seem very interested with their best 'I'm not bothered'-face.

And then: The end.

Wait! I forgot the end-lyrics sung by Timbaland: 4x ''You're hips, you're thighs, you got me hypnotized, let me tell you''.

Well, it was the first time I saw it, but I can't make out if this video is meant to be: (choose one)
a) a tribute to strippers (''She work it girl, she work the pole'')
b) a tribute to prostitutes (If you want a good time, she gone give you what you want'')
c) a tribute to handicapped (''Think she double jointed from the way she splitted'')

Either way, it's deeply disturbing as it is very demeaning either way. This video has nothing, not even a slightest resemblance, to what real life looks like. You might argue that not many music videos do, and I agree. But the glamourized and nonchalant way of presenting (either one) of these important and problematic issues is just wrong. In every way.

So, you've understood why it intellectually bothers me. However, the frustrating part for me is that I enjoy it. Well, parts of it. They could have left out the story about the three gentlemen and their ladies. But the clothes, the moves, the beats and the filming are really good.

Thus, brainquizz for the weekend: Does this kind of music compulsory need these types of videos in order to be popular? If not, would squaredance be more popular?

You can read the lyrics here
And watch the video here

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I wasted about ten minutes of my life in watching the video (reading the lyrics first while youtube was buffering). I will never get thes ten minutes back. Thank god I didn't waste more time though... how much time did YOU waste on this video?

How are things going... how are the wedding plans coming along?

AĆ°alsteinn

Dannie said...

No time wasted watching. Just time getting annoyed.. I usually reapeat that the easiest way to happiness is just to let go. But feels good to know I still have the critical thinking in me in the foie gras eating country. Yes, planning is fine. Although tirering. Otherwise alright. How are you my dear?