Baby Got Back
I know that many of you may not think that "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot is poetry, but I am here to tell you that it is. The speaker in the poem is Sir Mix-A-Lot himself, and it is about how he likes women with big butts and also how society views beauty as slim women with small waists and small butts. The song may sound very shallow and may seem like it objectifies women, which it may, but it also is Sir Mix-A-Lot challenging the society's standards of beauty and making women who do not conform to society's standards feel beautiful, also. His sentiment is displayed when he says,
I'm tired of magazinesSayin' flat butts are the thingTake the average black man and ask him thatShe gotta pack much backSo, fellas! (Yeah!) Fellas! (Yeah!)Has your girlfriend got the butt? (Hell yeah!)
Tell 'em to shake it! (Shake it!) Shake it! (Shake it!)
Shake that healthy butt!
Baby got back!
He is claiming that all the magazines like Cosmopolitan and Playboy glorify slim women and do not feature women with large butts and that he disagrees and is tired of it.
Sir Mix-A-Lot also combats body shaming in this song. he says, "So cosmo says you're fat/ Well I ain't down with that!" He is combating Cosmopolitan magazine for making women with big butts feel fat.
"Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot may not be viewed as poetry, but it creates the argument that slim is not the only type of beauty and all women are beautiful.
I did not see this at first when I have listened to the song. It is cool how you argue for the song and that he is actually supporting woman. Without this analysis, I would have forever thought that this song was objectifying women. This blog offers a new perspective to a controversial song and it is an eye opener. I am sure many women out there strive to be beautiful like girls on the covers of magazines, just as many guys attempt to have the same haircut and features as the "Sexiest Man Alive" in people magazine. Good connection.
ReplyDeleteIconic song choice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrew, when first listening to the song I would see it as an objectification of women. When listening to this song, I feel like most people overlook the deeper meaning of it. This analysis has done a good job of supporting how it is in support of women instead of against.
ReplyDelete