Artist: Bikini Kill
Song: Rebel Girl Lyrics
Overview:
This analysis explores female-fronted punk/alternative rock bands and how their top song expresses emotions. I will be using The Sex-Role Perspective to examine what it means to be a woman according to women in a male-dominated genre. To best explore the Sex-Role Perspective, my analysis will consist of highlighting emotions that fall under stereotypically female and counter-stereotypical emotions pulled from Hyde (1995, p. 134).
Stereotypical emotions conveyed:
“That girl, she holds her head up so high / I think I wanna be her best friend, yeah”
- warm/friendly
“When she talks, I hear the revolution / In her hips, there’s a revolution”
- Femininity boiled down
Contersterotypical emotions conveyed:
“I know I wanna take you home / I wanna try on your clothes”
- Aggressive/suggestive
Conclusion:
This song talks about either a friend or an actual crush a woman has on another woman. She holds the singer’s attention with her rebellious style and actions and all the singer wants to do is be around this new girl. This song is seen as one of the most well-known feminist anthems and shows a call for female friendship and admiration.
Shared by: Zoe Green
Image Credit: https://diymag.com/2015/08/19/bikini-kill-share-unreleased-track-playground