Artist: Patti Smith/Patti Smith Group
Song: Gloria Lyrics
Overview:
This analysis explores female-fronted punk/alternative rock bands and how their top song expresses emotions. I will be using The Sex-Role Perspective to examine what it means to be a woman according to women in a male-dominated genre. To best explore the Sex-Role Perspective, my analysis will consist of highlighting emotions that fall under stereotypically female and counter-stereotypical emotions pulled from Hyde (1995, p. 134).
Stereotypical emotions conveyed:
Contersterotypical emotions conveyed:
“Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine”
- Independence/feeling like a loner
“Thick, heart of stone my sins my own”
- isolation
“Oh I’ll put my spell on her here she comes”
- Aggression
Conclusion:
This song takes a classic Christmas carol and has heavily aggressive lyrics coupled with a lighter more bluesy song the lyrics can get lost in the rhythm and tempo and almost come as an afterthought. This song is also a rework of a Van Morrison song, which could be where the masculine themes come from.
Shared by: Zoe Green
Image Credit: https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/patti-smith-is-always-going-to-be-a-worker