Week 4: Black's n Blues... and Beyonce

While reading Cheryl Hicks' "Bright and Good Looking Colored Girl" she lightly touched the topic of black women expressing sexuality through music, specifically the blues.  During the early-twentieth- century the blues music scene was a way for black artists to express their sexual desire through lyrics and performances. While Hicks only provided a few sentences on this topic, I believe within the scope of black women's sexuality and its expression during the early twentieth-century, the importance of blues should not be understated.

During the 1920s and 1930s the blues deviated from society in terms of providing promiscuous and sexual imagery within the lyrics. For example in Bessie Smith's lyrics she clearly expresses sexual desires in the song "I'm Wild About That Thing" :

Give it to me papa, I'm wild about that thing 

Do it easy, honey, don't get rough, 

From you, papa, I can't get enough 

I'm wild about that thing, I'm wild about that thing. 

Everybody knows it, I'm wild about that thing. 

While sexual desires were clearly stated in many songs, this did not exclude desires of homosexuality.  Willie Dixon's song "Back Door Man" clearly shows this through the title of the song in combination of repetition of "I-I-I am the, the backdoor man" and later:

When everybody is-a trying' to sleep 

I'm-a somewhere makin' my midnight creep

And ev'ry mo'nin when the rooster crows 

He's tellin' me that it's the time to go

The early twentieth century was a time where all women faced more critical surveillance specifically in the topic of sexuality and social life.  However "many young working-class black women, regardless of their regional, religious, or familial background, grappled with the relentless surveillance by police officers, reformers, concerned relatives, and community members" (Hicks, 420).  Due to the increase in sexuality amongst social and public places, the African American society was labeled as  highly sexual and promiscuous. While these labels don't actually represent the African American culture the magnified glass the police held on African American women contributed to the stereotype they they are extremely promiscuous.

This stereotype continues in today's modern society. The clearest example is pop-music artist (and legend) Beyonce. Beyonce provides the public with promiscuous and sexual lyrics in combination with her hypnotizing performances on stage. 

For example, her lyrics Blow are exactly what your dirty mind thinks ...

Keep me coming, keep me going 

Keep me humming, keep me moaning

Don't stop screaming, freaking, blowing 

Can you eat my skittles 

It's the sweetest in the middle 

Pink that's the flavor 

Solve the riddle 

While some may argue that today's music lyrics are worse than what they have been before, I disagree completely. These lyrics are not any more provocative than Bessie and Willie lyrics. They are all talking about sexual experiences and desires. I personally believe that every person, no matter sex, gender, race, class should be able to speak freely about their sexuality. We are just a bunch of "filthy animals" anyway... 

Even though Beyonce publicly identifies as a feminist, she is constantly judged and picked apart for her lyrics, outfits, and performances for how they demonstrate black women's sexuality. Meanwhile, there are white female artist who do the exact same thing. For example, Madonna is a pop icon legend who visibly expressed sexuality amongst her lyrics, performances, and clothes... not to mention she publicly made out with Britney Spears on stage and it didn't jeopardize her title.  

While Madonna is praised for her expression of sexuality, Beyonce is critiqued and questioned of her views as a feminist. The difference of perception amongst the public eye, only continues the stereotype and idea that black women are considered as more of a sexual deviant than white females. 

Even though (Disney's Hannah Montana) Miley is doing this.....

For you're clear enjoyment here is Beyonce's video for "Drunk in love" ... 

Drunk In Love

-PK