Perhaps you’ve heard of “My Humps,” a hit song by the Black Eyed Peas that enjoyed a lot of radio play a while back? It’s the sort of song that Christian moral/media pundits could have a field day with: it’s vulgar, misogynistic, and is (if I may don my Art Critic hat for a moment) lacking in social value. Well, it turns out they’re not the only ones who feel that way: Alanis Morissette recently released a parody music video that recreates the lyrics and hyper-sexualized posturing of the original, but set to a melancholy piano solo rather than a thumping hip-hop beat. It’s surprisingly clever and compelling, and it’s being hailed as a brilliant piece of social satire:
On one level, [Morissette’s version of] “My Humps” is a commentary on dim-bulb pop. The Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps,” though a huge smash, was widely mocked for its vapid, suggestive lyrics. [...] The video, featuring Fergie, the group’s lead singer, was, if possible, even tawdrier….Dressing herself Fergie-style, with baubles and bling, surrounded by black-clad male dancers, Morissette retained the original’s visual sluttiness but replaced the Peas’ thumping rhythm track with a pensive solo piano. By removing the intoxicating bass line and clearly enunciating the crass lyrics, she gave the song’s sexpot swagger a new tone of sadness and desperation while simultaneously parodying her own artistic tendencies toward self-absorbed angst.
If you want to see for yourself, you can watch the original Black Eyed Peas music video and Morissette’s parody on Youtube [note: both videos feature a lot of scantily-clad females, hip-hop gyrating, and crude lyrics; watch at your own discretion]. Morissette’s version really is strangely effective; by simply placing the song into a different context, she’s created a very cutting critique of its message.
There are some other good examples of this out there—a few years ago, Tori Amos sang a cover version of Eminem’s thoroughly unpleasant song ”’97 Bonnie & Clyde,” in which the narrator describes murdering his wife and dumping her body in the ocean while his young child looks on. At the time, all sorts of people were decrying the crass and anti-social content of Eminem’s music. I often sort of filter out that familiar moral criticism, but Amos’ cover hit me like a punch in the gut. Like Morissette’s version of “My Humps,” Amos’ version of ”’97 Bonnie & Clyde” removed the thumping rap beat and replaced it with a sad, quiet melody. The result was a very effective condemnation of the song’s message—it stood judged by its own lyrics.
On a lighter note, I’m also reminded of Weird Al’s tradition of taking popular music and setting it to polka music, without changing the lyrics—it’s presumably meant in good fun, but it also has the effect of making the often-offensive original songs sound completely ridiculous. And then there’s Johnny Cash’s covers of songs like Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt”—the original version was haunting and nihilistic, but Cash’s cover infuses it with a powerful and sad Christian spirituality. (I still get weepy-eyed every time I watch that video.) And on the literary front, satirical works like C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters serve much the same purpose.
This form of cultural critique can be quite witty and effective, but except for a few of the above examples, I don’t see it employed much by Christians. Critiquing the message of pop culture by parodying it, or in Cash’s case actually repurposing it, can be profoundly effective and countercultural. The usual Christian response to offensive messages in pop culture is to complain and condemn it. There’s certainly a place for that, but have decades of expressing moral outrage from the sidelines done much to reclaim popular culture? I would love to see more Christians using their own artistic skill to undercut and expose destructive messages in pop culture. We don’t need to start parodying every offensive song out there, but this is a good reminder that one effective way to counter morally destructive art is to counter it with artistic statements of our own.
Does anyone else know of any good examples of this sort of countercultural statement?
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April 27, 2007 at 12:52
In terms of repurposing music for the church, I seem to remember a story of a bar song being given different lyrics and integrated into sacred music, possibly somewhere in the UK. If I remember the story, it happened a hundred years ago or more, so maybe not terribly relevant for today. (And I’m drawing a blank for a reference, so it might just be a figment of my imagination.
The church continuously eschews popular culture even while trying to “redeem” it (that is, copy it trend for trend, albeit usually 5-10 years behind). Like you, I’d be much happier to hear less of the shrill voices decrying the evils of culture; after all, how do we EXPECT unbelievers to behave? Why should they act according to what we believe? However, I’d also be happier to hear about more Christians on the vanguard of that culture, rather than complaining about and/or cashing in on it. Where are the Christians that are doing things like:
Et cetera, et cetera. I have to believe that if more Christians were interested in MAKING culture instead of COMPLAINING about it (or, at least, complaining about it in a witty and creative way), our message would be more effectively communicated.
Ramble mode: off.
April 27, 2007 at 13:17
PCG: great points. Like you, I’d love to see Christians making great art. I hope my post didn’t imply that I want Christians to settle with aping pop culture. I was just impressed with Morissette’s way of critiquing a piece of pop culture, and I wish that Christians employed the same amount of creativity more often.
And I’ve heard about the music of famous hymns being based on popular tavern tunes as well. Not sure how true that is, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all.
April 27, 2007 at 13:59
Great thoughts. Most people’s concern would be that singing lyrics suggests an endorsement of said lyrics. So, while I certainly think it’s a great way to make people think, most Christians would probably be loathe to sing a song like “My Humps.” However, the example of Johnny Cash shows how the impact and meaning of the lyrics can actually change with the musical style.
BTW, has anyone heard the bluegrass version of “Super Freak” by Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby? Disturbing.
April 27, 2007 at 16:58
I looked up the bar song – I had heard it was Martin Luther, but this website has a different story: http://www.apologetix.com/faq/faq-detail.php?faq_q_id=89 and some pretty interesting details.
April 27, 2007 at 17:08
Kfira—interesting link; thanks for tracking it down!
April 27, 2007 at 19:51
Ben Folds did a fantastic parody of a Dr. Dre song entitled “B——- Ain’t S—-,” and Morissette’s parody reminds me a lot of it.
April 28, 2007 at 03:07
In this time of sensory indulgence, I think that Christians should denounce the arts, and return to being spiritual people. But this is an impossibility since most of them are pagans anyway. This may sound extreme, but does anyone else have a better idea for tearing the Church away from it’s adulteress relationship with the world. Blessed is the man whom when the master returns finds him watching. And no, I don’t mean a Christian movie.
April 28, 2007 at 06:55
I’ll second the Ben Folds cover of Dr. Dre – brilliant. Beautifully exposes the lyrics, in much the manner as opening up the top of a septic tank and shining a light in.
April 28, 2007 at 13:14
I was always a big fan of Steve Taylor because of his Christian satire. Though not really parodies (in most cases), and definitely addressed to the church rather than the culture at large, his music made me realize the power of satire.
Unfortunately, it seems that very few Christians “get” satire. As April said above, most Christians see satires & parodies as endorsements of the very things they’re criticizing.
I think there’s something to Bono’s philosophy of “mock the devil and he will flee from you.” Christians should use parodies & satire far more often. I think it would help us in the PR department, too—show the rest of the world that we do have a sense of humor after all.
April 28, 2007 at 14:47
Euuuuuuuewwwww! David! What is UNspiritual about “the arts?” We are CREATED by a CREATOR to be CREATIVE (as a friend of mine said recently.) Art, like every aspect of our being, can be worship. The fact that Satan is as eager to turn our talents to worship of himself is no excuse to turn our backs on God-given gifts.
I love the concept of turning culture back on itself. A sort of mirror image that would allow it to see its ugliness more clearly. I also love satire, parody, and irony as tools for doing so. I once used the lyrics from Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar” in church to the question the point that sinners feel more free to enter a bar than a church. And why is this??
Why do people so often see a suggestion as an all or nothing proposition. New art, old art, remodeled art, parodied art, satirical art…we should be using every tool at our disposal! Whatever we are called to, the most important aspect would be to DO OUR BEST TO THE GLORY OF GOD. My biggest beef would be that so much of “Christian” art, in all media, is so second-rate that we get no respect!
April 28, 2007 at 21:55
David Swink,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Ps 19:1
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Ps 51:15
I’m so grateful that our awesome God is creative…and that He made us in His image. He wants us to offer our creativity back to Him as worship and as a way to reflect Him to the world. David danced and his people rebuked him, but he did it because he knew that is what God wanted from him.
As for watching for the master, I plan to remember the parable in Mt 25. I won’t bury my reward in hopes of keeping it safe. I will share His reward with many others. And if that means singing a song you’re uncomfortable with, I’m sorry, but it’s not really about you; it’s about Him and His glory.
Bless you.
April 29, 2007 at 22:37
Art is beautiful – and the Bible is full of it – full of poetry and song
May 3, 2007 at 03:15
Alanis’s video was nothing more than that intellectual egotism that is so prevalent in the culturaly refined. This is more despicable than the Black Eyed Peas video. This idea that by using irony and satire one is going to awaken the moral filth in other’s actions is a delusion so that while one can receive praise for such an ingenious work of art one can also avoid any possibility for being persecuted. How rewarding it must be to be a Christian artist in this day! You’ve got parents making sure that their children only listen to Christian music, have Christian posters, and to take part in whatever other secular activity has been ordained orothodox. There has now ceased to be any distinction between Christians and non-Christians except one will use up Jesus’s precious name in order to gain for themselves whatever it is that they desire.
p.s- please understand that I am not saying there are no exceptions to the examples I give above, but that I do feel that it will take something radical to shake the modern Christan free from his/her muddled idea of Christianity.
April, I know that it is not about me, I only want all of us to be sure that what we think we are doing for God is really not about ourselves. And, the Lord’s blessing be with you as well!