Hannah Ackeral
Nothing is more satisfying than an amazing cover – more than a simple re-recording of a song , a good cover should add new depth and meaning. For example, the song “That’s The Way Boys Are,” originally recorded by Lesley Gore in 1964. It’s a song about the fickle nature of men in relationships. In Gore’s version, the tempo is upbeat and the lyrics are accompanied by catchy harmonies.
If, as McLuhan says, the medium is the message, than the message of this song is that men can mistreat women and that is not only alright, but is to be expected. The lighthearted feel of the song – the jangly piano, Gore’s cutesy vocals – laughs off the implication of domestic abuse, both emotional and physical.
The theme of a submissive girlfriend, who has clearly found a laundry list of faults in her boyfriend but loves him none the less, “voice[s] the era’s acceptance of sexual double standards,” (Aquila). Gore’s version of the song not only acknowledges but enforces the dominant discourse of the times – one of patriarchy in which men had the upper hand in almost every social situation.
Lyrically, the song acknowledges patriarchy, but if not for the accompanying music there would be no feeling of support or affection. Similarly, apply this message through another media and a new meaning emerges. Such is the case with the cover by Y Pants – the No Wave band’s take on the song is nothing short of terrifying. The vocals are monotonous, droning, and oddly paced. The harmonies of the original are replaced by an eerie chant which, combined with the a capella performance, creates a feeling of unease. And then the screaming starts.
A loop of a women’s muffled scream is played over and over a disjointed percussion section. The tension mounts, leaving the listener imagining what the singer really meant when she said her boyfriend was “mean.” Gone is all playfulness – Gore’s moody guy is replaced by a man who is manipulative and cruel. The love-struck girl becomes a victim, left with no choice but to suffer. After all, that’s just the way boys are.
Sources:
Aquila, R. That old-time rock & roll: a chronicle of an era. University of Illinois Pres. 2000.
Straw, Will, Sandra Fabriele and Ira Wagman, ed. Intersections of Media and Communications. 2011.
Communication Breakdown 