Blurred Lines

I'm an old fart, so a lot of pop culture doesn't pierce the membrane of nostalgia I keep around me. But "Blurred Lines," the number one hit by Robin Thicke, with assistance by Pharrell and T.I., has managed to catch my attention.

The song, dubbed the "song of the summer" by many, has elicited all sorts of conversations about a number of facets of it--the video, which features almost nude models prancing like show horses, the lyrics, which to some are misogynistic and endorse rape, and the similarities to Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up;" the latter created enough of a stink that Thicke filed a pre-emptive suit against Gaye's estate.

The song itself, which I've heard only a few times, is catchy enough, but not very substantial. I'm not a club guy--I don't dance, and just listening to dance music isn't very interesting. Apparently this song, which has spent much of the summer at number one and topped charts all over the world, is now a staple at weddings, and even grandmas dance to it (this reminds me of the "Macarena" craze some fifteen years ago). It's got a nice hook, with the use of cowbells and the repeating "Hey, hey, hey," but it hasn't turned itself into an ear worm for me--if I try to recall how it goes, it's not easy for me to summon it. All in all, though, there are many number one songs that are not particularly distinctive, so it doesn't break new ground here.

It's the video that garnered my attention. The unrated one features three models, topless and in flesh-colored g-strings, cavorting with the three singers, who are fully clothed (another version sees the girls wearing tops). This has always been a bugaboo for feminists, who see it has equating women as objects, while the men are in some kind of control. I can't disagree, but this is not new. Frankly, men's bodies aren't as beautiful, and these women, including Emily Ratajkowski, who is currently number one on my imaginary girlfriend list, is incredibly attractive. She reminds me of a line by Woody Allen: "Her figure described a set of parabolas that could cause cardiac arrest in a yak."

The other girls in the video are no slouches: Elle Evans, who was once known as Lindsey Gayle Evans, was a Playboy Playmate and former beauty queen who is most infamous for being arrested for dining and dashing. The other girl is Jesse M'Bengue, about whom I know nothing.

So what does this video say, really? It reminds me of Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible," which featured him backed by sullen models pretending to play instruments. They were fully dressed, so Thicke merely kicks up the sexuality several notches. Is it offensive? In the grand scheme of things, I would say no, but I'm also not buying the counter-argument, that the girls, especially Ratajkowski, who frequently shows a look of disdain, are the ones in control. I suppose the big sign "Robin Thicke Has a Big Dick," which is shown twice, is some kind of joke, whether or not it is true--it's like Thicke is playing the part of a callow good-looking guy, but the girls are getting the last laugh. Uh huh.

Thicke has protested, saying that he and his mates are all married. It's really laughable to think that a guy thinks that married men are immune to being sexist pigs. I don't think he's a pig, but let's call this for what it is--cheesecake. And thank god for it.

As for the lyrics, I can't understand them so I had to look them up. It appears to be sung from the point of view of a guy who is trying to tell a girl that her boyfriend, who wants to marry her, is wrong for her, and that she should let her kinky side roam free, especially with him. In some ways it's like Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young," except much more explicit: "I know you want it," repeated over and over. I don't really see anything in it about lack of consent, just a guy who is hoping she'll dump the stiff and get freaky. Perhaps "You're the hottest bitch in this place" is a bit much.

I also listened again to Gaye's "Got to Give It Up," and I don't see plagiarism. Both are catchy and use cowbells and a falsetto, but otherwise they don't remind me of each other. I'm not musically gifted enough to know much more than that--they certainly don't seem to have the same melodies, not like "She's So Fine" and "My Sweet Lord" did.

So, after all this, what can I say about "Blurred Lines?" It's a cute song, Robin Thicke seems to have some talent, and Emily Ratajkowski is a goddess. That's about all.