Rebecca Black… On Second Thought
It’s a “uniquely terrible” song, and it may just be music to parents’ ears. Rebecca Black’s “Friday” says more about the state of cultural values in America, than perhaps her shallow teeny bopper song may let on.
In an age where drug and alcohol abuse, profanity, oral sex, threesomes, and sadomasochismare themes in pop culture songs, parents rightfully throw up their hands and wonder where the innocence has gone. Enter: Rebecca Black’s YouTube hit, “Friday.”
Black has been made fun of on television, attacked on blog posts,cyberbullied,and called a talentless “b***h” by viewers who were disappointed by her shallow lyrics and cheesy music video about life as a 13-year-old. According to an interview with Black, viewers have told her to cut herself, get an eating disorder, even end her life, “Friday” is a synthesized pop song about a young girl’s daily decisions about school and weekend plans.
Black took the internet by storm after “Friday” was posted on YouTube on February 10, 2011. In a little over a month, Black’s video has received more than 69 million hits,and has landed her spots on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Good Morning America. While most of the attention has focused on her immature song and video, there is a lesson to be learned and a broader point to be made by her age-appropriate success.
With former role models like Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohanturning from innocent Disney icons into raunchy adult stars, Rebecca Black has provided a welcome relief from the relentless sexualization of chidlhood.
“Friday” has been excoriated as “uniquely terrible,”“hilariously dreadful,”and called the “Worst Song Ever”But Black’s “Friday” is exactly what parents are looking for to replace the filth in pop culture. Society has been spending too much time poking fun at her shallow song, and not enough time recognizing that almost 70 million hits means that a popular video flocked with an innocent message can still win out.
For instance, the video for Lady Gaga’s chart-toppinghit “Born This Way”on YouTube has only garnered a little over 28 million hits, compared to black’s 69 million. The “gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered” anthem from the pop sensation accrued more than 440,000 downloads in its first week. This radio and digital sales record-breaking songhas yet to receive even half of the internet hits already obtained by the previously unknown teen.
- Erin R. Brown's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
Got to get down on Fri-i-day...
Submitted by Quasi-socialist on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 1:05pm.
Just had to be said.
Friday = par-tay, par-tay, par-tay
Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 1:11pm.
I know what that means to 8th graders in my town.
And, no, I do not live in South Central.
The Trend Of The Attacks
Submitted by Boil It Down on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 1:47pm.
I've noticed for a long time that anything approaching normalcy and decency is attacked and spread across the media. On the other hand, lack of personal discipline is popularized and gains audiences in "reality" shows while indecency is widely celebrated. To me, these are solid indicators that our society is in steep decline and our modern day empire is going the way of all the rest which have disintegrated throughout history.
thanks a lot
Submitted by ripper58 on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 1:58pm.
now I got that stuck in my head for the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Pal Foot-Foot
Submitted by Rebar002 on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 2:19pm.
Rebecca Black's talent pales in comparison to that displayed by The Shaggs.
High School Musical
Submitted by Radical1979 on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 2:36pm.
This was also vilified in the media. But it was cute, had catchy songs, and kids and parents could watch it together. The msm hated it.
Just to be fair
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 3:43pm.
Having heard this song, I can now at least tell the correct order of 4 days of the week. I just hope someone produces a song explaining the other 3.
Rebecca Black
Submitted by mandrake on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 4:00pm.
This song(?) is lousey because the voice is computer generated ...not human..any musiciian can tell. Makes me wish for Bob Dylan ;)
I'm sorry
Submitted by HockeyKid on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 4:29pm.
but I think you missed this one, Erin. The song isn't good, and its "success" isn't due to its popularity, it's due to the general tendency toward watching train wrecks. (See "Star Wars Kid"--the most watched video on the internet--it's not about talent, sadly.)
The real story is how Ark Music is exploiting every 13-year-old it can find who is willing to coax Mom and Dad into ponying up a couple grand to make a video.
Speaking of 13-year-olds, don't you see a bit of the same early press for maturity in the song's talking about riding around with friends (who presumably are 18 since they're allowed to drive with other teenagers in the car--at least in my state) and "partying, partying, yeah!" (or does 'partying' not imply drinking, reserved for 21-year-olds in most states)?
So no, as a parent of a teenage girl, I don't see anything redeeming, encouraging or good about the "Friday" phenomenon.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Now you know those kids at
Submitted by ples32 on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 4:15am.
Now you know those kids at that party where just going to sit around playing checkers and drinking milk until they went to bed at 9 PM. And what parent off a 13 year old girl does not mind their kid riding around with older boys in a car. Especially considering based on the video they skipped school that friday, since once she gets in the car its morning and the next time you see her its night time and she is still riding in the same car.
I am proud to say that I am
Submitted by bob loblaw on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 7:57pm.
I am proud to say that I am not one of the 69 million hits, and if I had to guess people have watched the video because it is a terrible. I have seen parodies and clips of the video on various late night shows. Popular music sucks, it always has and it always will. Give me Mumford and Sons, Arcade Fire, Jack White, The Black Keys, Hayes Carll, Seasick Steve and the classics, you all can have this junk.
Um, Lady Gaga Thinks She's A Genius...
Submitted by TheReal7Sticks on Fri, 04/01/2011 - 11:29pm.
Well, I think that pokes a hole in your logic. If Lady Gaga hasn't gotten the kind of video hits that this Black character has, then why is she not having a fit over it?
To paraphrase the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy: "You have exploded in a puff of logic."
We need a Charles Bronson or
Submitted by mostlymoderate on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 12:47am.
We need a Charles Bronson or a Clint Eastwood type of person to go around and eliminate all the in the cyberbullies of the World.
Nope, The song stinks
Submitted by ples32 on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 4:08am.
Sorry but you are way off base on this song, It got so many hits due to people calling friends and saying check out this disaster, and the publicity made more people go watch. Just because you have a lot of youtube hits does not mean its a good song. And yes i have seen it and from what i can gather from the video instead of promoting some kind of good message as you seem to think, It comes across as school is boring but on friday a kid can go out and party. How is that a good message???
And the song is not being attacked because it promotes a good, decent lifestyle, it is being attacked because it is a crappy song with a horribly autotuned voice saying the same words over and over again.
Hmmm
Submitted by RESTLESS 1 on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 11:56pm.
It's at 78.5 million hits now, but judging by the comments, that number is not because it's good or enjoyable.
Frankly, the song sucks. It may not have a bad message, but as far as I can tell, that's because it has no message. Ughh.