Songs about Society: Modern Radio Rhetoric!

Whatcha Say by Jason DeRulo-- a very critical analysis

I really enjoy the uplifting "sound" of this song, its background music and the tones of the artist. However, when I listen to the lyrics, the message being sung about society is just depressing for me. Of course, I could be lenient and discuss the power of forgiveness and second chances, but that's not as much fun as slamming the song to understand the potential binds that might be prevalent.

Have a listen to a fragment to hear Whatcha Say if you aren't sure about which song I'm talking about:




By the way, Tiger Woods, this song is for you... ::few coughs::

This song is all about money, disloyalty, attempts at the control of women, and *conditional* forgiveness of a woman for a man. I've noticed a lot of songs by male singers portray this mistake-forgive me-ok relationship control lyric pattern, and women a he's not here-there you are-whats the deal-ok or the rebellion of that pattern (Lady Gaga for example). Of course you have other songs that repeat "when a heart break no it dont break even" but this is all really just a recent radio song pattern I happened to notice. I'm not attempting to generalize here too much. We have just gone over the oppressive irony of Eminem in class that shows this is nothing new.

Rhetoric Analysis

Key Lyrics I Have a Problem With:

"but when I become a star we'll be living so large, I'll do anything for you, so tell me girl- mmm whatcha say, ooh that you only meant well? Yeah of course you did...that its all for the best.."

He is using male privilege here to make the statement that he will have lots of money and powerful stability, that this should be attractive to her, and she should ignore her emotions in order to be stable with him and have a higher place in society as a result. The ironic pity cries of "I can't live without you" place illusionary power and importance on the girl, in order to put her back in her place--under his control. What he really can't live without might just be that; control over a woman, specific or not.

Video: His character portrayal in the video is displaying a poor me scene with a bad ass attitude undertone. Very classic. The poor me visual runs over the "that you've always been well?" statement during the song. This is not coincidence. He doesn't want to appear to be controlling the woman, but begging to have someone he actually cares about. (which, this song can be translated to be also...) However, it is clear that he wishes for her to forget the whole thing and forgive him on the basis of power rather than emotion, when ironically his emotional rhetoric on screen is what prevails to win the relationship discrepancy.

So let's flip it on the singer. Mmmm whatcha say J.R., mmm that she only meant well? Well of course she did when she left! Mmmm whatcha say whatcha say that it's all for the best? Empowering herself TO leave! Well of course it is. Illusion and deception of power on the relationship level, demolished.