Thursday, December 25, 2008

The Inherent Importance of Marriage (Alt Title: Beyoncé Saves America)

Just when you think it's 476 AD, something comes along to prove that the glory of the American Empire has not faded. The new song and video by Beyoncé Knowles restores hope and faith that our country is not listening to the barbarians banging on the gate. (Stick with me on this one.)

According to Yahoo! and Saturday Night Live, "Single Ladies" by Beyoncé is fast becoming a viral craze across this great land. Women are enthralled by it and the song has become an anthem for them to rally around. There are tons of You Tube videos recreating the dance and some cover versions of the song have come out as well. Attached at the end of this post is the best version, by Lelia Broussard. It's also more lyrically understandable than the original. Listen to it, you won't be sorry.

For those who don't like to click on links or You Tube videos, here is a synopsis of the song: A couple has recently broken up and she is now drawing attention from other men. The ex boyfriend is upset. The song is from the woman's point of view and sung to him. The constant refrain throughout it is, "If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it." The message is quite clear: I will not be toyed with. I will not be strung along. I will not be used. Marry me or move along.

This is a message so important it cannot be overstated, and to see people flock to it is the gratifying part of this whole thing. Some of us believe that the foundational building block of society, as ordained by God Almighty, is the family. Without it, you have a society built on nothing but shifting sand. In an age where we constantly hear the vocal minority tell us that the family is antiquated and obsolete and that all it takes is a village, it is comforting to see that Americans instinctively know what is best. We have not yet turned the shining city on a hill into Sodomopolis or Gommorahville. The barbarians will not win the day.

3 comments:

Rogue Blades Entertainment said...

Nicely put, Jeff. While at this moment I won't be listening to any version of the song, I appreciate the recap. Not only is this good news, coming from who it does is impressive news. The source is not some unknown entity that can be quickly labeled by our ever-loving and -tolerant media folk as 'ridiculous' or 'fringe' or etc.

Wonderful to welcome a possible return of the family, though unfortunately just in time to welcome in the end of the country of America.

Brandon Barr said...

It is interesting that a few female R&B artists don't pander to the male rap cultures ideal of exclusive sex outside ouf marriage.

Too often they write lyrics to please the men, and sing solely erotica music, or "I'm just a girl-toy music". It's good to see a women standing up for marriage in the midst of that culture.

The r&b and rap scene is notoriously male-centric in the worst way.

Jeff Draper said...

Queen Latifah is another one who's spoken out about the current state of rap music. She encourages black women particularly to stop allowing black men to call them ho's and the like. I think it applies to all races, obviously, and really it's a comment on common decency.