This portfolio post will be analyzing the song, “What a Feeling”, from the boyband One Direction’s Made in the A.M. album. This song is interesting, because it shows the beauty of femininity in a different way than usual songs. There are definitely stereotypes of feminine beauty in these lyrics. Some of the lyrics that show this are:
- I’m watching her dance, dress is catching the light
- But you’ve got stars, they’re in your eyes
- In her eyes there’s no lies, no lies
There’s no question, she’s not in a disguise
These lyrics show how women are seen as soft, honest, loyal, warm, and flatterable. The idea of her dress catching the light is somewhat objectifying, but for the most part focuses on the dress rather than the woman herself. It shows femininity, but in a way that doesn’t focus on the woman’s body. The lyrics “she’s not in a disguise” show how women are stereotypically shown to be open and understanding and truly themselves. Throughout the song, the man explains “what a feeling” it is to be in this woman’s presence and how it feels to hold her. He expresses how much he wants to be around her, and this can be seen as an assertive masculine trait. Another lyric that I find to be interesting is:
What a feeling to be a king beside you
These lyrics show how stereotypically men are seen to be a “king” to women and be strong and dominant men for them. Overall, this song shows stereotypical ideas of masculine and feminine traits.
Shared by: Abigail Gonnering
Image Credit: Tell Tales