Skip to 1:32 in the Yellow Ledbetter misheard lyrics. 

 Recent weeks have been chock-full
of general outcry over Blurred Lines,
the Robin Thicke song that many have called a “rape anthem.” This terminology
is undeserved, and a stretch of the actual lyrics of the song. Every song is,
of course, subject to interpretation. There are songs like “Yellow Ledbetter”
that are completely indecipherable; I, for one, am a firm believer that Pearl
Jam meant one lyric in particular to be a shout out to Mr. Potatohead. But that’s
just me.

The thing
is, this song was banned at a university. Apparently, there was general
consensus with other critics that the song is “rapey” and it promoted
nonconsensual sex. It has prompted many a response from rape victims and
ordinary folk alike that disagree with its portrayal of naked women prancing
around while a guy in a suit whispers “I know you want it” repeatedly into her
ear. Some law students even made a video response to it, which I’m sure you’ve
already seen. Most of the people that have a problem with this song do so
because they associate the “blurred lines” reference to nonconsensual sex and
what it means when the victim says “no.”

It promotes smoking. That’s bad for you. 

My question
to these folks is: Have ya read the lyrics? After a thorough read, essentially
it seems to me like the nice young lady in question here (referred to as “the
hottest bitch in this place”) is with some other guy (“OK now he was close,
tried to domesticate you” but apparently “he too square for you”).  The blurred line in question is about her
cheating on her man with the narrator, because her current boo is “not [her]
maker.” And she can do whatever she wants.

It’s pretty clear, at least to me,
what the “blurred lines” lyric refers to, and it’s definitely not rape, but
rather cheating on your significant other. Although the video is far from
virginal, it’s definitely not a rape anthem. Furthermore, there are literally
dozens of other songs, some of them very recent, that make direct references to
raping someone. Case in point: “Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even
know it, I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” You want
to talk about perpetuating rape culture? That’s a song called “U.A.E.N.O.” Look
it up. 

There are many things that one
could criticize in the video and lyrics that would be a worthy attempt at
undermining the validity of the song and the message it sends. For instance,
many critics have said that the women are being used as objects to reinforce
the status of the men in the video. Okay. That’s also debatable, because as
I’ve already said—everything is subject to interpretation. But let’s go ahead
and follow that argument down the rabbit hole. What about—uh, every rap video,
EVER? What about “ass, ass, ass, ass, ass, ass, ass”?—those are actual lyrics
to a song. What about “what I do is unheard of, with these women I’m OJ, I get
away with murder…”? And that’s just off the top of my head. By the way, that
last one is a Pitbull lyric. And you know
he’s everywhere. Speaking of Pitbull, he also has a song called “Culo,” which
means…what else…ass.

Let’s be clear, I am in no way a proponent of the video or the song in itself; but I can formulate an argument about the picture this video paints of women without being so quick to call it a rape anthem. The portrayal of women in many modern songs and videos leaves much to be desired, and much to be debated. A lot of it is not okay—but that doesn’t all add
up to “Blurred Lines” being a song that references rape. That is just factually
incorrect, based upon what the lyrics actually
say.

Being too quick to call “rape anthem” has its downfall. For one,
having a rape “trigger like a hairpin” undermines the very serious issue of rape. It brings controversy to a topic for which there truly is no
blurred line. It minces words and prompts angry retorts from people who are
quick to throw monikers like “feminazi” and “chauvinist” around. It muddies the
water. So, let’s be clear: there is no blurred line when it comes to rape. No
means no. Rape is wrong. But does this song promote rape? No. What it does it
do is promote cheating. And that’s a whole ‘nother issue. 

– Helena B.
 
 Also Read: 
 Introducing Student Intern Network Communities
 Skipping Class Technically Costs You $100’s
 7 Tips To Basically Guarantee Job Placement
 10 Job Interview Tips