Millenials get heat for basically just existing: we're lazy, insensitive, selfish, we ruin everything we touch, and we have horrible taste in basically everything. While I would love to argue about why none of that is true— and if it was, it wasn't our fault because we were raised that way— that's not why I'm here. I'm here to talk about one, small aspect of this argument: music.
Other than being criticized for its lack of "real instruments" and excessive use of auto tune, a big complaint about today's music is the content. It gets harder and harder to find songs that don't contain explicit lyrics or messages. Some people don't like to hear curse words in songs, some people do. Some songs are extremely catchy but carry a negative message. Despite these factors, Millenials popularize the genres and make them mainstream. This is what music of the 2010s has become. Of course, not all current music fits this stereotype.
Now I'm not justifying any of this, nor am I against it. I'm not saying that it's okay that all of our music is so explicit (although I cannot resist belting the words to "Get Low" by the Ying Yang Twins whenever I hear it), I'm making the argument that the music that the Gen X's and baby boomers listened to wasn't all virgin-like and hunky-dory either, even though they act like our music is so heinous compared to theirs.
Let's go through some popular songs of the "good ol' days" before Millenials ruined everything:
1. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (Frank Loesser, 1944)
Yes, one of the most beloved and over-covered Christmas songs. Don't me wrong, I love this song, but have you ever really listened to the words as you were singing them? It's so rape-y I can't wrap my head around it. Look up the lyrics and you'll realize why "No means no" is so prominent now.
2. "Makin' Whoopee" (Frank Sinatra, 1956)
This song was originally released in 1928, but I chose to list Frank Sinatra because everyone loves good old Blue Eyes right? First of all, the song title literally says making whoopee...as if phrasing it that way makes it sound better. But you'd actually be surprised that this isn't a positive song about doing the dirty, it's actually about the "bad" things that will happen to men when they get married. Early sexism and misogyny in its prime if you ask me.
3. "Standing on the Corner" (The Four Lads, 1956)
Let's let the lyrics speak for themselves:
"Standing on a corner giving all the girls the eye
Brother if you've got a rich imagination
Give it a whirl, give it a try
Try standing on a corner watching all the girls
Watching all the girls, watching all the girls go by"
Can't get any more perverted than that right? Wrong.
"Brother you can't go to jail for what you're thinking
Or for that woo look in your eye
Standing on the corner watching all the girls
Watching all the girls, watching all the girls go by"
And this is how catcalls came about. And rape culture.
4. "I Saw Her Standing There" (The Beatles, 1963)
This is one of my favorite Beatles hits, but the first line is a little iffy:
"She was just 17, you know what I mean"
Do I know what you mean, Paul? As a middle schooler, until I learned from my favorite British novelist J.K. Rowling that the age of consent in England was 17, I thought it sounded a little borderline creepy. The rest of the song is fine, of course.
5. "Lady Marmalade" (The Eleventh Hour, 1974)
Millenials are familiar with this song because of its remake by Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Lil' Kim, Mya and Missy Elliot released in 2001 but it was originally released in 1974, then popularized by Labelle in 1975. The well-known French line in the song says "Vouslez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir" means "Would you like to sleep with me tonight?"
Stop, you old people will ruin my virgin ears with your foul lyrics.
6. "Summer Nights" (John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, 1978)
Ah, "Grease," another crowd favorite. Not only is Danny a total d-bag, but his friends are no better. "Did she put up a fight?" Uh, are you asking about date rape, homie? Not to mention the song is full of subtle sexual innuendos.
7. "Don't Stand So Close to Me" (The Police, 1980)
This song was based on Sting's experience as a secondary teacher and sexuality in the classroom. Apparently 15-year-old girls in his classes would come on to him and he would have to control himself...okie dokie then.
