Lately I have seen many people share the article on Facebook about how Robin Thicke´s ‘Blurred Lines’ promotes rape and violence against women. I read it, and felt a bit unsure about the whole thing.  

I mentioned this to my hard-core feminist cousin to hear her thoughts. The same girl who, a couple of days earlier, almost threw out a friend from her house because he, after she said “I want to buy a guitar”, had suggested she come by his shop where they sold “a pink one”.

She has opinions. About most things. Including the sex of Lego figures, Miley Cyrus, and of course Robin Thicke. Long story short; I, as a woman, should not be listening to his music, only smirk over the fact that he has to pay these young beautiful girls to dance in in his video.

 

But I can’t lie. It’s a catchy song. I had another look at the lyrics. Had we maybe gotten them all wrong?  Those young, beautiful and half naked girls in his video, are we sure Thicke is singing to them? Is he really objectifying young women? Or simply sympathizing with the older ones?
Is it possible that Blurred Lines is only code for reduced vision and wrinkles?

Clue #1:

The song starts with: Everybody get up. Exercise, very much recommended for people over a certain age.

 

Clue #2
If you can´t hear what I´m trying to say, if you can´t read from the same page. My grandmother needs a hearing aid and my mother holds everything with small prints as far from her eyes as possible. These lines are followed up by Maybe I´m going deaf, maybe I´m going blind. Coincidence? I think not.

Clue #3
What do we need steam for + You the hottest bitch in this place = Menopause?

Clue#4
What rhymes with hug me?
Snug as a bug in a rug and some tea?   

Clue#5

I'll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two. Ass: an acronym for acetylsalicylic acid, better known as Aspirin. Personally I always break my Aspirin in two, in fear of it getting stuck in my throat. And what can Aspirin be used for? To prevent heart attacks and strokes. And who are most likely to get a heart attach or a stroke? Middle aged and older people.

 

Clue#6
What you don't like work? According to Forbes.com a lot of people don´t. They explain this with the fact that most people pick their career at the age of 22, when they have no idea what they want to do or what’s available to them. They get sucked in because of the security of money and because they feel there is too much risk in trying to change their careers. Who would struggle the most when trying to changing their career and getting a new job? People over 55.  

 

Clue#7
I hate them lines (on my face?)

Clue#8
Talk about getting blasted. “Blasted” a play from 1995 containing rape, sucking out someone’s eyes and eating a dead baby, written by Sarah Kane.  And how old is Sarah Kane? Well, she is dead. She died very young in 1999, but if she had not died, she would have been 43 today. A mature woman.

What about the rest of the lyrics you say? OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you, And that's why I'm gon' take a good girl, and Not many women can refuse this pimpin'. Is it possible Thicke has just thrown them in there to make it rhyme? Like this one:

 

Baby can you breathe? I got this from Jamaica

It always works for me, Dakota to Decatur.

 

What does one city in America and a territory that existed from 1861 to 1889 have to do with any of the previous information given in that sentence? It makes as much sense as this one:
 

Baby are you broke, has your money all been spent
That is not good at all, Brussels to Gent (two towns in Belgium)

And that still kind of works with the melody.

Sexist, promoting violence against women, or singing to an older generation? As Thicke said himself “this is what great art does. It is supposed to stir conversation”.

 

And with those words I think it’s time we leave this debate behind us. And start a new one:
When is it appropriate to use the word “art”?