But Sex Sells

I’m not a prude. At least I don’t think I am. Ok…maybe I am. Help me here. 

I was checking out Kasey Musgrave’s new album, Golden Hour.  I like it. Smart. Introspective. Vocoders. Not quite country. Nicolette Larson comes to mind. It’s a listen-while-you-float-in-a-pool kinda record. And a record that makes you think. For some reason I like to have an artist’s face in mind while I’m listening to their music. I needed to refresh my memory so I Googled her image and here's what came up. 

Pretty! And pretty breasts! At least the bottoms of them. But what was the thought behind the costume choice? Plus...isn’t she chilly? 

But I don’t want to pile on Kasey. I dig her. She was just the catalyst that started this stream of musing. 

A few months ago I wanted to use the image below as a preview for a blog about Kesha that I was sharing with Facebook. Guess what? I got a warning from Facebook that there was too much "cleavage." I kid you not. I had to crop it. Plus, this isn't cleavage. It's something else, but its not cleavage. 

Remember this one? Ariana Grande confirmed that “Side to Side”was about having so much sex you can’t walk straight. 

Umm. Ok. So…you’re adorably cute, you sing like an angel and you had us from hello when you hosted SNL. We’re not gonna love you more because you go to Flywheel in a thong.

The boys on the other hand, may be muscle-bound, tattooed and tangled in bedsheets but they’re not sticking their butts in the air. 

There’s no hidden messages here. No deeper meaning. There's no trying to make a point about culture, hypocrisy, a double standard. Art. Anything. Are we using our sexuality to bring attention to an important matter? Cuz I can dig that. 

I get Britney. Her brand was sex. 

Songs about sex never made me want to have it. I’ve always been a girl who got turned on by a smart lyric. Romantic or otherwise. (Oh, and a speaking voice. An annoying speaking voice is a deal breaker.) Now, “Sara Smile”— that’s a sexy song. Hamish Anderson’s “U”. There’s another. (Although try to listen to it without watching the video.) And yes, songs explicitly about sex can be cool….“Sexual Healing.” But I don’t have to actually see Marvin having sex to understand how he's feeling. 

Back to Kasey, I especially like (and relate to) “Pageant Material” from a previous album in which she sings….

I ain't pageant material / I'm always higher than my hair/ And it ain't that I don't care about world peace/ But I don't see how I can fix it in a swimsuit on a stage/ I ain't exactly Ms. Congenial/ Sometimes I talk before I think, I try to fake it but I can't/ I'd rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain't

I agree. But then look at me here. 

But that was a long time ago. :) 

Anyway….here’s where I’m at…we can do whatever we want with our own bodies and, no matter what we do with them, no matter how we choose to display them, it does NOT mean that anyone can help themselves to them. Still, the question remains…in these trying #MeToo #TimesUp times, if we don’t want to be objectified why are we objectifying ourselves?

There are so many ways women can help other women in the many struggles we face. And one way is through music. 

Besides, objects are easily replaced.

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I just had to throw in the one of Justin. I don't know why. I think I'm tired and need to go to sleep.