Gender in Country Music
Michael Palmiscno
Brian Campbell
Women in Music
October 10th, 2012
Gender in Country Music
Throughout history men and women have played different roles in music. Today is no different. With the development of the music video, these different roles were magnified. From rap to country, men and women play roles. DreamWorlds 3: Sex, Desire, and Power in Music Video explores the world of music video. Women are seen as sex symbols that simply must have sex and will submit to any fantasy that a man may have. This is mostly displayed in rap music. DreamWorlds 3 also talks about the language used. Again, it is mostly displayed in rap, and the language is very vulgar. Country music is different. According to research by Julie Andsager and Kimberley Roe, country music sang by men portrays traditional gender messages, and country music sang by women portrays both traditional messages and progressive messages. They studied music from 1997, country music’s “Year of the Woman.” There are numerous examples of this, but I chose to analyze one song, I’m still a Guy. I believe this song shows how mainstream male country music reinforces traditional gender messages. Content analysis does not tell the whole story about the portrayal of females in country music, and I will explore this after.
I’m Still a Guy is a song that is sung by Brad Paisley. It was written by Paisley, Kelley Lovelace, and Lee Thomas Miller and released in 2007. The recording company is Arista Records. The main message that Paisley wants to get across is that he (men in society) is “still a guy” despite his partner’s (women and society in general) attempts to change his stereotypical behavior and make him more “feminine.” The song appeals to men more than women although some women could find it humorous. Any man who has had a relationship would probably find it funny and in some ways true. Because it is a country song, it probably appeals more to rural areas, but that does not mean
Brian Campbell
Women in Music
October 10th, 2012
Gender in Country Music
Throughout history men and women have played different roles in music. Today is no different. With the development of the music video, these different roles were magnified. From rap to country, men and women play roles. DreamWorlds 3: Sex, Desire, and Power in Music Video explores the world of music video. Women are seen as sex symbols that simply must have sex and will submit to any fantasy that a man may have. This is mostly displayed in rap music. DreamWorlds 3 also talks about the language used. Again, it is mostly displayed in rap, and the language is very vulgar. Country music is different. According to research by Julie Andsager and Kimberley Roe, country music sang by men portrays traditional gender messages, and country music sang by women portrays both traditional messages and progressive messages. They studied music from 1997, country music’s “Year of the Woman.” There are numerous examples of this, but I chose to analyze one song, I’m still a Guy. I believe this song shows how mainstream male country music reinforces traditional gender messages. Content analysis does not tell the whole story about the portrayal of females in country music, and I will explore this after.
I’m Still a Guy is a song that is sung by Brad Paisley. It was written by Paisley, Kelley Lovelace, and Lee Thomas Miller and released in 2007. The recording company is Arista Records. The main message that Paisley wants to get across is that he (men in society) is “still a guy” despite his partner’s (women and society in general) attempts to change his stereotypical behavior and make him more “feminine.” The song appeals to men more than women although some women could find it humorous. Any man who has had a relationship would probably find it funny and in some ways true. Because it is a country song, it probably appeals more to rural areas, but that does not mean
Bibliography: Andsager, Julie L., and Kimberly Roe. 1999. "Country music video in country 's year of the woman." Journal Of Communication 49, no Jhally, Sut. 2007. Dreamworlds 3: desire, sex & power in music video. Northampton, MA: Media Education Foundation. [ 2 ]. Andsager, Julie L., and Kimberly Roe. 1999. "Country music video in country 's year of the woman." Journal Of Communication 49, no