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NARRATIVE ESSAY NOTES/READING 2. Provide an interpretation of any two songs that exemplify contrasting representations of one salient theme, subject or issue. You should consider the significance (or insignificance) of lyrics, music and social/ cultural context. What does your interpretation enable you to argue about songs and the world?

STRUCTURE: Intro – male attitude towards women in songs, gender identity within soul/r&b music, comparing bump n grind by r Kelly to when a man loves a woman by percy sledge and looking at how R Kelly values a woman for her ability to satisfy him whereas Percy Sledge focuses more on how he can please her. Shift in dynamic and tackling gender stereotypes through signs of weakness. Section 1 – lyrics of bump n grind (briefly) with r.kelly’s history – hiding in plain sight, first person = focus on himself, refers to female character as “lady”, “baby”, “girl” purposefully excluding a name, have not referred to the male perspective as a character because based on personal life it clearly represents R. Kelly accurately and is not just a character or persona he has taken on. Section 2 – lyrics of when a man loves a woman (briefly) with percy sledge’s history - still an unhealthy relationship - A ballad about a devotion bordering on obsession, the

song features Sledge embodying a soul who's desperate, lost and so bent pleasing his woman that he's willing to turn his back on his friends, spend all his money on her, "give up all his comforts and sleep out in the rain." (https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-percy-sledge-when-a-manloves-a-woman-great-american-ballad-20150414-story.html) -even after their relationship has broken down he still does not say a bad word about her, shows respect to women - in second person, takes on the role of a narrator = focusing on the story of his love with this woman; only first person when he says “I know how that feels” to show he can relate to unrequited and lost/broken love Section 3 – looking at musical aspects of soul music, looking at speech/sound of both songs, comparing video/performance making reference to the 30 year gap -soul focuses on emotion, feeling and a story which is why many are about true love, whereas rhythm and blues although it derives from soul its focus tends to be on the sexual aspects of the relationship, often described as “bedroom music”. However, there is a way to not belittle the female character in the process of this but R. Kelly refuses to do this. Section 4 – reading people’s reviews on R. Kelly and seeing how that has changed with his history, reading Percy sledge’s reviews and seeing how it has not changed https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/r-kelly-robert-allegations-buzzfeed-investigationignition-remix-young-girls-sex-lyrics-a7846736.html Conclusion – arguing how the actions and personal life of the writer/artist can impact the narrative of their songs and how we interpret them

Kelly’s songs have become part of that broader narrative Also about how sexism is believed to be a dated mentality but it exists now as much as it did in the past and R. Kelly shows this

WOMEN AND POPULAR MUSIC – SHEILA WHITELEY 

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‘In the 1960s, the identification of women as an oppressed group united feminists around the need to establish theories of causation… By the 1970s a growing understanding of the diversity of both gender and sexism led to an identification of the separation of the domestic and the public sphere as the most significant boundary in society. With women bearing and raising children, their lives were largely bound to the domestic sphere.’ P2 o Percy sledge puts the needs of women first in his song, the female-male relationship dynamic has been switched where the woman has the control “if she said that’s the way it ought to be”... but still implies that the man is the main financial support and breadwinner of the two claiming he would spend his last dime and give up all his comforts. ‘…while the 1990s show some significant inroads by women into the music industry, production continues overall to be gendered in quite conventional ways, especially with regard to positions of power (producers, managers, executives, technicians).’ P4 – percy shows that he would support his female partner with whatever she would want to do, however r. Kelly clearly sees his female partner as just a sexual satisfaction for himself and assumes that all she wants out of life is a male partner, as if she is incapable of doing anything else with her life. R Kelly says “you’ll never find another me” – accentuating how special he is but at no point does he compliment her or make her feel special. In 1998 Rocklist (a US email network discussing popular music) debated whether “Jagged Little Pill” (1995, Alanis Morissette) should have a place on their list of 101 Greatest Albums. ‘…for many she is “way too me-me-me”, and this sense of music-aspersonal-therapy couched within an angst-ridden vocabulary that insists that it’s meaningful, authentic, is what riles.’ P5 – If Alanis had been a male I guarantee that no one would have questioned their place on this list; being selfish/self-indulged is seen as a male characteristic so it is emphasised when a female takes on this character and people clearly feel uncomfortable with it. This was around the time Bump n Grind had also been released and there had not been much backlash towards his attitude yet. ‘In the new millennium, then, it can be said with a certain degree of confidence, that women generally have an increased presence, but that there is still a long way to go.’ P8 ‘Too much expertise in a male-defined rock environment tends to mark the woman as an intruder.’ P14 – similarly to this, r. Kelly introduces the female character in his song as a visitor whereas the female character in percy sledge’s song feels like an important part/protagonist of his narrative. Madonna in her songs “Express Yourself” and “Justify My Love”: ‘Both foreground explicit sexual images, references to sado masochism and pleasuring, dreams and fantasies, so framing the opposing views of Madonna as opportunist and feminist icon… her intentions as ironic, as deliberately destabilising traditional representations

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of, for example, pornographic imagery by intentionally playing on the inflections of feminised imagery.’ P16 – fighting against this stereotype that females can only exist as the sexual “visitor” of the men’s music e.g.: in r kelly’s music video, however, Madonna accentuates her sexuality and brings it to the forefront as the artist herself. ‘The [1960’s] counter culture can be defined as a generic label for a somewhat loose grouping of young people, a generational unit, who challenged the traditional concepts of career, family, education and morality and whose lifestyle was loosely organised around the notion of personal freedom.’ P22 – can see some of this influence in percy sledge’s song as it was released in 1966. ‘Despite her success, however, the 1960s’ preoccupation with image and youth became increasingly oppressive and by 1968 Dusty was refusing to be photographed from the left (her bad profile) and worrying about laughter lines round her mouth. The press had also become increasingly curious about her private life, alluding to affairs with both men and women.’ P24 – It seems Percy Sledge, as a male, never was encouraged to worry about these kind of issues as it is hard to find any news or history of his private life. But at least he used his platform to show others how you should treat a woman with respect and not objectify them, give them control. ‘The confrontational style of such groups as the Rolling Stones, for example, equated with sexual freedom, promiscuity and hedonism, identifying, describing and characterising the macho style of performance which was to be termed “cock rock”. Adjectives such as “brutal”, “menacing”, “erectile”, “tough”, “obscene” and “outrageous”…’ p25-26 – Suggests that the aggressiveness nature of males in terms of their attitude in songs and performance is a natural characteristic that we must accept and label. We should not excuse R. Kelly’s behaviour as just a male symptom. ‘…women performers were largely viewed as ineffectual, as entertainment. The concept and reality of equality is equally fundamental to any consideration of the role of women within the counter culture. The period leading up to 1969 – the high point of the counter culture and the emergence of second-wave feminism – can be characterised by an emphasis on freedom, equality and progressiveness.’ P27 – women only seen as entertainment. ‘…the espousal of freedom coincided with sexual stereotyping, often overt sexism and yet more contradictions. In particular, the more permissive, promiscuous sexuality brought its own pressures – how to be emancipated and yet deal with the romanticised construct of the young, single woman.’ P29 – focus always seems to fall on the young, single woman as a character in narratives of songs – seen as an aesthetic. ‘Britain had finally passed the Sexual Offences Act (1967) so decriminalising homosexuality. The Abortion Act was also passed in 1967 after a lengthy campaign (‘The Right To Choose’) for safe and freely available abortion and contraception.’ P32 – all of this was happening around the time that when a man loves a woman was written which may have influenced its different approach to women in the song. ‘…heavy rock and, later, the various branches of heavy metal all too often represent women as dehumanised and degraded, fulfilling simply their role to gratify the male sexually, wanting to be humiliated, suppressed and physically harmed and objectified…’ p39 – it is quite ironic that Percy seemed to be ahead of his time in terms of his view on women whereas R. Kelly seems to be stuck in this old-age thinking.

ethics, loyalty, consent. Making matters worse is the fact that R. Kelly is a child pornographer and all around terrible person: hearing him sing about any kind of sexual behavior while discussing the issue of ethics is enough to make anyone cringe. Thus, while I think the song is musically quite good, I can’t bally well condone it given the history of the artist.

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https://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/r__kelly/bump_n_grind/ dagwood525 – feb 9 2018

R.Kelly went to church on this classic song. and the Re-mix with the How it feels version is soulful Sizzle. the Music and the Production is Great. this song was the One that made R.Kelly a Superstar and made him a solo Force. Classic Song from Da King of R&B.

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https://www.amazon.com/Bump-N-Grind-R-Kelly/product-reviews/B000057H9E Classic Kellz – feb 22 2008

"Twenty-nine years in the business and y'all still coming to see me," he said at one point in Saturday's show, and though he sounded grateful, there wasn't much excitement or surprise in his voice.”  

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-r-kelly-forum-review20151011-story.html Again focus on himself, and how this is satisfying him. Not saying thank you to his fans.

“Kelly managed one thrilling sequence early in the show when he began telling the crowd about a run-in with a security guard he said he'd had on his way to the stage. The guard, Kelly said, had advised him to keep his act clean, which prompted the singer to launch into an apparently improvised ditty about how he couldn't believe what this guy was asking.”  

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-r-kelly-forum-review20151011-story.html his whole brand as an artist relies on over-sexualisation and most of this stems from his toxic masculine attitude

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/r-kelly/bump-n-grind  In the early to mid 90s, artists were trying to find other ways to refer to sex discreetly. “Bump N Grind” was one of the most famous and popular ways to describe sex in a public music setting R Kelly went on an expletive-filled rant at a Chicago nightclub on his 52nd birthday amid claims of sexual misconduct, saying 'I don't give a f**k what's going on right now.' The R&B singer sang his famous 'Bump N Grind' on Thursday, wailing: 'Baby I don't want to hurt nobody, but there is something that I must confess.' The musician shouted into the microphone: 'Y'all motherf***ers don't know, it's my motherf***ing birthday and I don't give a f**k what's going on right now.' In 2002, footage emerged which reportedly showed R Kelly urinating on an underage girl and he was investigated by police in Florida.

He was found not guilty by a jury in Chicago in 2008 after an initial prosecution collapsed due to defence complaints about search warrants. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6584169/R-Kelly-sings-Bump-N-GrindChicago-club-celebrates-birthday-amid-sex-abuse-claims.html

12 Play album (with bump n grind) described as a quantum leap stylistically and production-wise, setting out his manifesto as love-man par excellence… Kelly comes across as every inch the unreconstructed lover, with Your Body’s Callin’ establishing the pattern of the album. With a smooth, crystal clear production, love, lust and romance intertwine in Kelly’s languid vocal. He clearly sees nothing wrong with a little Bump N’Grind, and on It Seems Like You’re Ready he doesn’t hide his lusty intentions: “your body is my playground, let me lick you up and down, let me make you feel like a woman should”… It is as explicit as is it soulful. The album closes with 12 Play, Kelly such a lover that mere fourplay is not enough… 12 Play still sounds contemporary and frequently surprising, and is an album that broke new ground. Although it embraced possibly every soul cliché in the book, Kelly stamped them with his own vocal, writing and production authority.  

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/c6q4/ (2010) Nearly every song focuses on his attempts to attract a woman, never once referring to a female as another person but objectifying them, and valuing them purely on their sexual abilities: “Your body is my playground.” Still has the mind-set of a child through this use of imagery but also emphasises his manipulation – greatly contrasts with Percy Sledge who refers to his female lover simply as “she” or “baby” and at one point saying “You’re my world.” (compare to mother earth theory?) Clearly views himself as superior to his female lovers – 12 play instead of “four-play” “ CanIt el l y oual ls omet hi ng ?CanIk eepi tr eal ?CanIt el ly ouaboutadr eam Ihadl as t yJ .Bl i ge.Hey ,i twasonl ya ni ght ?Wel l ,Iact ual l yhadadr eam wher eImadel ov et oMar dr eam,buti twass ov i v i d,i tf el tr eal ;buti nt hi sdr eam,i twasmor et hanf or epl ay-i t was12Pl ay .CanIsi ngi tf ory ' al l ?Tel ly ' al lhowi twent ?”

He’s been unabashedly audacious for most of his career, though there’s certainly more to his catalogue than just silly, catchy metaphors for his horniness—he’s a master of narrative, which is why his songs actually work. Why then, when it’s so obvious that Kelly is acutely aware and eager to deliver more of what people attach to in his music, is he continuously treated as the butt of his own unintentional joke, a sexed-up idiot savant that tragicomically stumbles into three Grammys? 

https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/08/17/whats-so-funny-about-a-little-bump-ngrind-r-kelly-frank-ocean-and-the-right-kind-of-rb/ (2012)

Ye tvi de of oo t a g es ur f a c e dTue s da y( No v e mbe r10)ofKe l l ywhi c hp r o v e d de s pi t et hec ont r o v e r s y ,Ke l l sc a ns i n g .  

https://www.vibe.com/2015/11/r-kelly-sings-bump-n-grind-2015 (2015) Putting all these accusations to the side to compliment his voice and talent immediately shows forgiveness to his horrible actions. Even then he is promoting the same derogatory attitude in his songs.

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*AGE AINT NOTHING BUT A NUMBER

Surviving R Kelly Documentary notes   

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R Kelly has denied all claims relating to sexual assault, domestic violence/abuse, and sexual misconduct with minors “My silence allowed it to continue… a part of me thought it was my fault.” “In the middle of all these allegations, R. Kelly’s just dropping music.” o A few months after releasing “Bump N Grind” and “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number” (with Aaliyah – 15 years old at the time) R. Kelly (27 years old at the time) married Aaliyah. By 2000, rumours were starting to surface about his relationships with underage girls so he released “Guilty Until Proven Innocent” featuring Jay-Z. In the chorus, he brags that no one can touch him and he has many women supporting him which he insinuates as his property – “You can’t touch me, no you can’t touch me / Jigga, Kelly, not guilty / Try to charge me but I’m not guilty / I got, all, my mamis.” Then in 2002, there was a leaked video of a man having sex with two underage girls who the authorities believed to be R. Kelly and he was indicted on multiple counts of child pornography. This is when he released one of his most famous and popular songs “Ignition”, in the verse he sings “That’s why I’m all up in yo grill / Tryna get you to a hotel”. o https://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/r-kellys-problematic-lyrics-sex-abuse “The accusations are now a part of pop culture.” In an interview: “Do you like teenage girls?” and R. Kelly’s response is “When we say teenage, how old are we talking?” “As a kid, I had lots of secrets.” – r. Kelly “Child sexual abuse confuses power and control with sex so often [when they grow up] they want to be the one that is in that power position.” – Dr. Candice Norcott (clinical psychologist) He was aggressive in terms of his sexual behaviour/language in school as a child “His nickname was Pied Piper for a reason. To bring the young people to him, to follow him, to admire him, to listen to him and he’s good at it.” “Who wouldn’t want to be with a superstar?” “He liked high school girls because he could influence them more. ”

PERCY SLEDGE

"He wanted to diminish the negative … make it more of a love story in the bridge … and call it 'When A Man Loves A Woman.'" Sledge put himself at the center of the creation story during an AOL/Spinner interview in 2010. "When I wrote the song at first, it was

called 'Why Did You Leave Me Baby.' And I changed it from that to 'When a Man Loves a Woman.' I just reversed it. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-percy-sledge-when-a-manloves-a-woman-great-american-ballad-20150414-story.html As Sledge tells it, one night while performing with The Esquires Combo, he was upset about a woman - a broken relationship - so upset that he couldn't concentrate on the music he was supposed to sing. He was so overcome with emotion as the group started their set in a Sheffield, Alabama club, that he turned to his bass player Calvin Lewis and organ player Andrew Wright and asked them if they could play a slow blues backing any key, their choice - to which he could sing. After a quick conference (one source indicated that the "conference" consisted of glances and shrugs), the band started to play and Sledge vented in song for about six minutes.

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https://www.songfacts.com/facts/percy-sledge/when-a-man-loves-a-woman This song originates from Percy’s pure and rawest form – you can hear the emotion in the voice and lyrics whereas I don’t feel any emotion from R. Kelly’s song – no signs of actual love, just “cheeky” sexualisation.

Percy Sledge says that when he originally sang this, he had in mind Lizz King, his girlfriend of three years who left him for a modeling job in Los Angeles. Said Sledge: "I didn't have any money to go after her, so there was nothing I could do to try and get her back."  

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/percy-sledge/when-a-man-loves-a-woman Challenges gender dynamic stereotypes of that time – female being successful in her c...