I work in a hospital in Canada and you’d be horrified if you knew how many kids turn up with opiate and benzo related overdoses. They listen to music that glorifies that drug culture
@@bowches that’s ok. little girls should probably be wary of males, not have patriarchal gender roles shoved down their throats. the spice girls presented a form of fake, materialistic feminism that was nothing more than marketing hype
Call me naive, but I always thought the lyric 'got to get with my friends' meant 'got to get on with my friends' rather than 'got to have sex with all my friends'. I think you're being a bit over the top in your analysis of the lyrics. Agree with your points about inappropriate songs aimed at young children though. Spice girls were tame compared to modern artists like ariana grande. When they know their fan base is mostly very young kids they should tone it right down in my opinion. Ditch the f-words etc.
@@tommyc322 sounds great in theory, however in reality they'd be screaming at each other like in the song. I guess hearing protection might solve that problem.
Ah I'm not too sure on this one. Isn't the whole point of innuendo that it will go over the head of anyone that isn't mature enough to understand it? I imagine most kids would just parrot the words and not think about them too much! Besides it's hardly a new thing. I mean what do you think The Beatles were singing about when they sang "when I'm home, feeling you holding me tight! Tight yeah!" ?
‘If you wana be my lover, you better get with my friends’… this means ‘if you want to get with me you better get on with my friends’. They were saying if you don’t get on with my friends then you can’t date me. It’s pretty obvious and the Spice Girls have confirmed this.
@@Zenhumanist Bit of a lame attempt at reverse psychology there. Pointing out the sexual manipulation of children does not equal a mind that infact harbours the same ill intent. However, defending it does. Try again.
Makes me appreciate artists like Sandy Denny and Patti Smith even more. Speaking of the Gallagher brothers' upbringing, could you do one on Liam choking his girlfriend (on camera) in a restaurant in 2018? I remember reading Noel was up for a Oasis reunion until this incident. Noel wondered why Liam hadn't learned from their father's abusive ways towards the family when they were growing up? I hope you would elaborate on this. Whenever I see Liam perform or be interviewed I have that asterisk in my mind.
@@soaribb32 i have to disagree. For the sake of argument, nature or nurture dictates our outcomes, but it is a choice for most people. I can fully say i am not like my parents in that respect.
As a young boy growing up in the 90s I loved Oasis and the Spice Girls🤣. From 2 become one to WAP now, childrens minds are being highly sexualised at a rapid rate. These songs should maybe be treated as you would an 18 movie?
Oasis Up in the Sky "how does it feel, when you're inside me." 😉 You should look into Liam's current songwriters and if they are doing any of this with other artists.
Think it is more about taking Drugs Shredder If you look at the Lyrics in the bridge almost somebody trying Acid for the first time I've always thought the Tree/Sky lyrics in this song were a nod to Lennon's Strawberry Fields/Lucy In The Sky You'll need assistance with the things that you Have never ever seen It's just a case of never breathing out Before you breathe it in How does it feel When you're inside? I can feel you Can you feel me?
Oasis were definitely better influences and they had reason for their behaviour as they didn’t have the best upbringings and wrote about that which (like D’You Know What I Mean) were wrote to relate to/help others in the same situations but the Spice Girls songs were full with sex and, as I’m always tell my friends at school, I want to be one of the rock bands who bring rock ‘n’ roll back to the charts which is why I spend so much of my time perfecting little parts of songs that I’ve wrote for my band, so we can get rock back in the charts and back on the radios (also, the reason I’m so confident that my band will succeed is because I often write songs like James has mentioned Noel doing, writing non-sensical lyrics to fill space and then later changing them to make sense so, thank you James)!
Pop music has always been raunchy and packed with innuendo since it's began. I also remember a few of my mates (I was about 16/17 at Spice Girls height) listened to em as well (in private) so it wasn't just young girls. I do agree that there are raunchy lyrics, as a child I thought Grace Jones' song "Pull Up To The Bumper" was about cars.
There were major differences between the Spice Girls and Avril Lavigne, which was the way they were marketed. The Spice Girls were marketed to young girls whilst Avril was more or less just some generic 2000s american pop punk act. Which is clear by the fact she didn't have any barbie dolls or branded hair dryers. Another difference was that Avril writes her songs, and she wasn't chosen by some panel of managers. "Things I'll never say" (the example you used) was co-written by Avril herself and Lauren Christy, a woman(who helped her write her other hits on the album). I'm just mentioning as you said at 3:35 that this was "all planned by the songwriters", yes she was underaged in the US at the time, but she co-wrote most of her songs especially in this period of her career and there's still the possibility she wrote those lines herself.
As I said, he should stick to the Oasis-nerd content - because he clearly knows less than nothing about either of the artists he mentioned. As for Avril, yes, she did write the lyrics for “Things I’ll Never Say.” In fact, one of the things the industry reps *didn’t* want her to do was participate in the writing of her material, which she was intent on doing. So much for merely being the face of big-bad-social-engineering record executives. 🤷🏻 As for the Spice Girls, he seems to have the notion that some cabal at Virgin Records plucked out five women and used them for their diabolical goal of selling sex to kids. Of course, none of that is true. Chris Herbert’s idea was to create a band that appealed to guys - unlike Boy Bands that only appealed to teenage girls. Of course, the girls also left Herbert high and dry after the recording of ‘Wannabe’ and ‘2 Become 1’ - again, so much for simply being the pretty faces meant to sell a “sinister” agenda. 🤣 And the lyrics of the song came from the girls, involving inside jokes and phrases they came up with themselves. Even when he goes on about the Spice Girls being dressed up like kids whilst showing the ‘Wannabe’ video - all wrong. They were wearing their own (rather cheap) clothes in that video shoot, that they chose. At the end of the day, people only know what they know, and unfortunately are given to positing absurdist conspiracy theories to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. Even the Peter O’Toole clip, where he’s comically reading the lyrics of ‘Wannabe’ which is used to show how “sinister” the lyrics are - has he ever watched the Peter Sellers version of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, where Peter does the same thing, with similarly (especially for that time) cheeky and salacious lyrics? I suppose the Beatles were “sinister” as well. We all get it, the popularity of the Spice Girls coincided with the decline of Britpop - and *that* is what really motivates the animus here.
Really well-written and presented essay & i agree! Just wanted to note that "skirting as close to the line and getting away with it" was extremely popular with kids in the 90s. Lisa/Janey did it in the Simpsons "cut her big fat as... ...k me no more questions", and South Park did too with Wendy's Audition. Obvs selling sex to kids is absolutely wrong, and the taboo nature of the songs only made Spice Girls have greater appeal. Pretty hilarious to see 'Girl Power' being promoted with ladette culture. Clumsy at best!
I remember our end of (primary) school disco, when the DJ stopped the salt n pepa record at "let's talk about"...and an entire year group of kids scream "sex!". The 90s were a different time.
and that's why I love Oasis....honest lyrics, no hidden meanings, no sexual innuendos, no trash skimpy girls in their music videos....just pure rock n roll and attitude!
Haha, have you ever seen ‘Walk Hard (the story of Duey Cox)”? This reminds me of a song called “Let’s Duet” where he does the innuendo/disclaimer thing.
I personally don’t have an issue with it, do you really think young girls were analysing the lyrics the way you do on this video? No! They were dancing in their bedrooms singing along completely unaware of any innuendos! By the time anyone can understand the lyrics you are most likely grown up by then. It’s a bit like adult jokes hidden in kids films, it’s to entertain the adults as kids are too young to understand!
As a young girl myself many moons ago let me be clear: we DID analyze and write down the words to songs. We may not have understood all the words and meanings but we knew them.
I loved your breakdown of DO You Know What I Mean? I wonder what Noel thinks of it. This was good too. I grew up in the 90s, so I remember the Spice Girls hey day. I thought the lyrics to wanna be were sus, me and my friends would laugh about it, but I never looked any deeper to see how truly depraved it all was.
I'm curious what you think of the band BLACK MIDI. I totally agree with you on your final comments regarding a general decline of music around 1998 when all the manufactured stuff started to come in. As a music fan though, black midi give me hope. Their new album Hellfire is beyond belief. It would never make it with a mainstream audience but it is undoubtedly great music.
Black midi are absolutely immense, try and see them live if you ever get the chance. Plenty of other great bands around at the moment too though: black Country, new road, squid, jockstrap, Enola Gay, wu-lu, sorry, famous, parquet courts and plenty more.
Great video as aways! And what about All Saints? I really would like you tô Make a video about the relationship between Liam Gallagher andNicole Appleton and the influencies in Liam’s carreer with Beady Eye! You’re the best!
Avril Lavigne wrote that song, to be fair. And she was of age at the time, in Canada, where she wrote it. It's very light-hearted and it could just as easily be as innocent as it seems on the surface. I was 16 in 2008. Good... Lord... The things I got up to. The things I said. The things I got up to, the things I said, things I heard, the things I'd seen in real life BEFORE I was 16... I hope my parents never find out.
A very well in depth video James. This type of behaviour made me think of the gross inspiration of a song called Young Girl by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. That was a big hit when it came out and besides other 60's songs had been blamed for controversial topics like sex, drugs, prostitution etc... it's absolutely baffling that this type of song was played and loved by many without actually thinking on the lyrics with its hidden actual meaning.
If you listen to Young Girl always struck me it was about a Girl who lied about her age he finds out and sends her back to her mama before he goes to far. Think that song trope has been written by countless artists Travis with U16 Girls Abba Does Your Mother Now The Police Don't Stand So Close To Me Think the term is 'Jailbait' songs
@@simontunnicliffe2107 With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock - George Formby definitely innuendo song 🤣 I think the word 'Rock" in any song title is code for 'Fxxk' Didn't Def Leppard cheesily bring that back in a few songs That line in Raining Men about "Go out and get yourself absolutely soaking wet" always makes me smile ..
The line "Gotta get with my friends" was always interpreted by me and my 14 year old school mates as being about sex, we thought it a bit funny, like it was a mistake. Two Become One is so obviously about sex it's unreal. Emma actually says in the official book that came out when they were at the height of their success that "put in on" was a safe sex reference. The book is a pretty remarkable thing to have marketed at young children too. If you ever a see a copy you'll know what I mean.
Now we have bunch of those genuine bands that you mention at the end: Parquet Courts, Fontaines D. C., Bob Vylan, Big Thief, Shame, Iceage, Porridge Radio, IDLES, Yard Act, Courtney Barnett... Do you like what they are doing? Thanks James!
I couldn't stand all the Spice Girls phenomenon and nostalgia of my youth hasn't made them better. All of a sudden this manufactured pop act was everywhere. I was more into Bis' "Teen C Power" than into "girl power", and there were countless current good bands I could, and did,listen to rather than this lot.
Liam uses very accomplished pop songwriters these days. Noel hired and fired musicians at will, both have bands they assembled together. Spice Girls are obviously not technically the best singers, but the same could be said about so many bands and singers. Sometimes they’re personalities are what connect with an audience. It’s easy to be concerned about lyrical subject matter as you get older but I grew up listening to Eminem and other music that probably wouldn’t even get released now. Pretty sure I was listening to Oasis at a young age at the same time as my sisters listened to the Spice Girls, I think any more adult themes went over our heads just as they did with things like the Simpsons or films. The beauty of music is anyone can draw their own conclusions from the lyrics, just as you do. You can interpret them as positively or negatively as you like. You’ve said you overlook parts of Oasis lyrics you don’t like. Unless you want to believe everything is an elaborate coverup, history has told us that the lyrics were generally acceptable for radio and wider audiences and certainly no worse than anything before or since. Lots of songs have double entendres and more adult themes behind simpler metaphors. If you’re an adult, it’s much easier to write genuine lyrics about your own experiences rather than trying to just write filler for your “target audience”. I’d actually suggest learning some of the Spice Girls songs on guitar - there’s some clever songwriting and great melodies and chord structures. And Wannabe (as much as I never want to hear it again) is pretty unconventional for a pop song I think convincing yourself lyrics like these are a serious problem is only going to lead to going a bit mental and paranoid.
@@ryanname2503 I personally like oasis more but it’s comparing apples and cheese. Ultimately they both had very famous songs in the 90’s that were very successful.
I think the problem with pop music is the people taking the lyrics serious which a lot of people do. I thought they were funny at first until I started to realise how serious the lyrics can be and how some people were taking them very serious. I never took Eminem that serious, liked him till I got sick of him. Probably part due to him being over popularised even when his music continued to get worse over the years in a creative sense. Some people take sexualised and violent music and movies very seriously and that's a serious concern for their mental state of well being.
I don‘t remember anyone suggesting the Spice Girls or Oasis were bad influences (except for the usual fuckwits in the Murdoch press), the main culprits for „corrupting the youth“ at that time were rave culture, New Age travellers, and then later on various gangsta rap acts and Marilyn Manson. I’m not really convinced about the innuendo in the „Wannabe“ lyrics, because the Daily Mirror is not the most reliable source, to put it mildly - they were looking for sensationalist sex scandals on a daily basis. And to be honest, even if the lyrics had sexual innuendo in them, they were pretty mild to some of the pop stuff released in the 1960s/1970s. I think the really sinister stuff regarding the Spice Girls were the things happening behind the scenes. I saw an interview with Mel C recently, and it was quite shocking what they had to go through to fulfil the image their management wanted.
It wasn't just The Spice Girls. Almost all the boy/girl bands in the 90's sang over sexual lyrics to an underage audience. Plus, how can you condemn The Spice Girls when you had bands like Limp Bizkit and Blink 182 swearing in every single line and singing about having sex with animals [for example]. Huge difference. I was into my pop music back in the early 90's and I had no idea what any of them were singing about until many many years later.
I never really noticed it until my (then about 10 year old) niece was singing along to Rhianna's "whips and chains excite me" but the music industry is as sick as it gets and always has been.
I think that Limps & others from that scene are out of the pocket here - they were certainly not promoted as music for underaged part of society. At the very least because their every release came with that “Parental Advisory” sticker on the artwork. Did they attracted younger audience? - sure, they did, myself included, while I was 13 at the time of “Chocolate Starfish & Hot Dog” Limp Bizkit’s LP was released. And younger dudes reacted mostly to the heavy guitars and never-before-heard level of production rather than lyrics, as per my reminiscences - banger riffs, chorus melody lines, etc. But even with this in mind, it was by most parts music for elder audience - 17-30yrs or somewhere close. btw last year I was revisiting this particular LP just because of my memories of it that mostly were associated with tons of fun, but to my surprise, it was a solid musical experience often accompanied with thoughtful lyrics - with exceptions in form of a couple of tracks - one that you brought up, containing the line “I wanna fuck you like an animal” named Hot Dog (which is not about fucking an animal of course lol), and the second one maybe being Rollin’ yet not ‘cause of its offensiveness but ‘cause it’s just a head-banger-heavy-riff type of song with no particular message in it. But yo, it’s 2 songs out of 15, where other 13 are definitely not something to be ashamed of for the guys while looking back at their musical output. I can say that I am able to appreciate their lyrical content more now, listening to it with consciousness, than I was back then - i mean, it’s heavy - often comes from a darker place of human mentality (I assume mostly fairly reflecting on the ongoing reality from subjective perspective) - just like the music itself, but it’s not empty by any means. And remember - “Parental Advisory” was everywhere, not to mention the fact of absence of any kind of children-targeted pieces of commercial merch - no dolls, not even skateboards or special series Marten’s shoes, etc.
@@kowloonbroadcast I wasn't on about the song Hot Dog, I was more referring to Blink 182 who had a song on one of their albums [a 'bonus' track I think] called I Wanna Fuck A Dog Up The Ass. Something like that. I'm not sure totally what your point is, because for a start, it wasn't just 2 songs with swearing in on that Limp Bizkit album. The whole album and indeed many of their songs full stop are full of expletives. Kids bought their albums regardless of the Parental Advisory thing on the front. Who exactly in record stores back then was bothered?? Maybe they should have been and stricter measures applied to younger people buying these albums, but kids grow up fast, sometimes too fast for their own good and curiosity and the need to look good overrides anything else, let's be honest. I enjoyed some of that music myself back then, but I wasn't a child by that stage, I was a late teen. If anything, the people behind The Spice Girls were the sinister ones. They were mere money making puppets for the top record producers, etc. I wouldn't say Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst ever wrote anything special lyrically, although I did love their song Take A Look Around for example, and sang along wholeheartedly many a time. But he must surely have known who was going to buy his music, and knew many wouldn't really be old enough to digest his often overtly sexual, misogynistic and homophobic lyrics. Or maybe he didn't realise that. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the box let's be honest. To summarise, you have a collection of songs with more than a hint of misogyny and homophobia [even the title Chocolate Starfish .... was a reference to it!] Vs The Spice Girls with a few songs about sex, but actually done in a much more subtle way to the likes of Limp Bizkit and Blink 182. I would say the latter were worse influences on society in general.
Thing is some genres benefit from some sexualisation, being more true and down to earth, the blues being the primary example or songs like champagne and reefer by muddy waters highlighting the use of alcohol and weed in normal people and musicians alike and how normal people deal with troubles in their life. However that wasn't the only fkn topic they sang about in the blues, modern songwriters seem to think all people do is snort coke, take e and shag all day and its everywhere to the point where its just normal, so that when literally anyone sings about anything else, its not as popular. This modern obsession with over sexualised lyric and iconography is to put it blunty to appeal not only to the lowest common denominator...thick brainlets but to sell products...simple.
Blimey, this is heavy. The songs the Spice Girls sang were harmless enough. Kids don't worry about the lyrical content of trashy pop songs. As for 'Wannabe' it is a ridiculously catchy ditty that has caused no noticeable damage to society!
@DnB and Psy Production I don't see how the spice girls were harmless. I was listening to gangster rap back in the 90's, knowing the lyrics were sexualy explicit and violent. Girls my age mostly found that disgusting. Yet once the spice girls came out who was their target demographic and then other artists like Allanis Morissette in my time got away with throwing in swear words and sexual inuendo into their music all of which mainstream radio and public places played continuesly for everyone to hear. The world has only gotten worse with songs like WAP demonstrating female entitlement.
Man this is a bit true but after releasing their first album they never thought their public would be teenagers and kids. They mellowed a lot after their first album when spiceworld was released their songs were not about sex.
The real girl power bands were the likes of Katherine Hanna and Bikini Kill of the Riot Girl scene. Check out The Punk Singer documentary. Also Courtney Love and Hole also the Breeders. The Spice Girls image was the idea of their male manager so it was a Lads idea in the first place.
Great content as usual James. Look how bad it got post spice girls . I was at knebworth 2nd night. Could you feature the B'N'H Oasis box set that I was gifted from my mam in the 90's. Champagne supernova gotta be my favourite but the 90's and my 20s were influenced so much by Oasis.
With that said, James, may I suggest Ren! I happened upon him a few weeks ago; a true artist if ever I saw one. Might not be your cup of tea but, the spirit is there, the soul is there. Cheers! I reckon me and thee are probably the same age and went to a lot of the same gigs etc. I'm 40 from Leeds.
I'm from Ireland and me and a few others noticed there was a bit of a benny hill and 'carry on' element to British culture up to a certain point. It's probably gone since page 3 disappeared, though.
I'm not really convinced by this. I was one of the biggest Spice Girls fans in my school when I was about 8, but I can't say they influenced how I presented my sexuality at all. As soon as I hit puberty I started to feel and dress more masculine, so I wasn't about to start dressing like my former idols. I think sexuality in music can influence how young people present themselves, but the image being presented has to somewhat be in line with their actual nascent feelings. I bet loads of young men were influenced by Liam Gallagher's sexuality and masculinity and wanted to be like him, but not if they were more shy and sensitive by nature. They would pick another role model. And kids under 12 or so either don't even notice sexual references or only in a 'hee hee, they said [x]' way. The danger is if an adult with bad intentions uses material to target and groom.
In my opinion, you are completely right. It’s easy to see what kind of damage it did. Our kids should be protected. Sex sells. It’s grossly irresponsible.
I worked as a steward at Wembley stadium and worked the 2 concerts in 1998, we were advised to keep a watch on single men as it was a nonces heaven. The concert was mainly made of mums and their under 10yo daughters. I took my work very seriously those nights.
Great points James. And as for your closing statement dw, ill have put the rock back on top of the hill soon take my word. It'll just need the lightest push
Dua lipa and billy eilish are two of the biggest current pop stars among young girls, and they both have very positive messages about sex and drugs. They say "you dont HAVE to do it" rather than you should or shouldnt do it. They lean toward abstinence for your own benefit rather than a Jesus-y perspective. I think the youth today is in a better condition than it was in the late 90s.
Billie is edgy, and it's the norm these days. Not the worst things as long as you realise how teenagers are like. Dua is thrash and only sounds decent because of her producers. Growing up on 50 Cent and Britney, I could at least tell the difference since it wasn't meant for me in a lyrical way. Basically grown-up music. When child idols do that stuff ... including Britney at one point, menaces it disgusting.
Exactly. You never noticed it. Just like a small kid doesn’t notice it. Just like small kids won’t know what it means to sing: “You can wait for a lifetime, to spend your days in the sunshine, you might as well do a white line.” But that’s different - somehow - because there weren’t Oasis action figures. 🤣
I already had hated this song . But you made my heart grow just to make room for this newly contained vitriol . As a grassroots musician/songwriter I couldn't agree more about corporate music industry and it's influence. One of the major problems modern music esp pop(not all pop) is the over formulaic, over produced the industry has taken. Music or better the selling and marketing of music has always been about money and that's not bad. The key difference here is now it seems is became their main driving focus all about profit any concern they had for quirky who would never sell big buy would loyally or great songwriters who is never gonna be the effusive charmer i.e Tom Waits, another example is a great songwriter who doesn't have much of a range and a tendency to miss pitches someone like Dylan or Cohen . These and their very rare I'll could never cut a major label esp when you consider the politics of Dylan you may could put N. Young here. They found thier formula, it's proven itself over time and repeatedly return profit which in capitalism is the purpose. It works so well that there's no reason to change unless a revolution occurs. A lot of reasons could be get power by the corporate masters. Producers is a bit of the problem (not all by no means)most if not the vast vast majority used to care about what they help craft even if it was crap they did what they could to enhance it , but not thier content lyes like a cheap hooker after a pop of H , cash not craft is thier fuel. There's still hope as long as Rick Rubin is still us. Sorry for the he length but one other gripe songwriting. This is not particular to one era or another the target audiences for most major label are young, and female and that's who thier songwriters target the who can make mommy and daddy spends loads of money on ephemeral merch bullshit and repeat event attendees. So you get a assembly line process to songwriting most not sounding much diff with drab , vapid lyrics or lyrics meant to shock. Rock has become fangless in the most turbulent rock has nothing to say , which is damn ironic since it's stated mission was challenge authority and shock the status quo. These are just a few problems. We've exchanged eccentricity for conformity , authenticity for famehungered, and art for spectacle.
I never liked the Spice Girls and I’ve never bought the argument they were significant or empowering in any way, they were just awful manufactured pop music . I was a teenager then and in that pre internet era the music industry and television had more power and had way more influence over what we could listen to. For me the Spice Girls ushered in that dark post Britpop era when chart music was all about boy bands and tv talent shows. It was only really in the early 2000s that bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes and a bit later The Killers were acknowledged by mainstream media and became popular and you could hear decent music on the radio or on tv. Now of course we can listen to what we want but back then it was a different era.
I always remember a party in the park in the mid nineties at Cofton park, The spice girls were the final act, before them was OCS, local boys, riding high on the Riverboat song. Once OCS finished the majority of the crowd buggered off, happy days
Good tune tho 👌🏼 suppose its like my generation growing up idolising eminem when he rapped about so much dark shit, at that age i wouldn’t of understood at all. Anyway great video as always mate. Take it easy
Great video as always. They have always give me the creeps. Read The Tavistock Institute: Social Engineering the Masses. It’s been going on for years with Brit Pop. Remember the Beetles song. I saw her standing there. The lyrics…..Well she was just 17, you know what I mean. One of the first songs released in the states conveniently.
If you like the Peter O'Toole bit, you have to watch 'Dead Parrot youtube reconstruction #1' on youtube. It ironically deals with the same things in this video. ie Young girls dangerous obsession with manufactured bands/music targeted at young girls. One of the funniest things on this site.
Okay guys... listen, I'll admit... as a 10 year old, I was heavily influenced by all pop music at the time of 1996... Oasis were my favourite.. I thank my older brother for that. What's the story literally developed me as a young boy. But.... and here's a big but....I also liked the spice girls. I was very impressionable and quite easily swayed by the huge influence the spice girls had on everyone it seemed. I was ten. Remember that. But I also liked pop songs. I still do. I appreciate all music as long as it makes me feel good. As a young boy I did like the pop tunes by the spice girls as they were quite catchy and fun. But also their songs were being pumped out by the radio constantly! How could I avoid them? And this was way before downloads or ipods. THE RADIO WAS OUR GOD BACK THEN. James I am shocked by the lyrics ... quite frankly I was under the impression that it was all just fun and girl power or whatever. I can only imagine what these songs did to the young girls at the time. My peers. Alot of my girl peers were heavily sexualised. Way more than us boys. Alot turned lesbian too a few years later.. I guess the girl power psychology really got to their minds. We see now this feminist movement taking over. Makes me wonder if the spice girls were just put their to influence the future minds of little girls... sickening to imagine. But I believe music has been a weapon. A psychological weapon to shape the minds of the public. Towards a set agenda laid out by the elites. Music is so powerful. It's hypnosis. Religion uses it too. I was raised mormon and the hymns were quite breath taking that I believe actually grew my faith. Thankfully I'm no longer in that cult. And I can see music for what it is. The beatles were used to bring in the sex and drugs. Quite a shame really. Check out the beatles conspiracy. Apparently lots of session musicians have come forward over the years saying they recorded the beatles.... and even wrote their songs. THE BEATLES WERE MANUFACTURED FRAUDS ....GUTTED
“The radio was our god back then” interesting you say that because Ra-Dio.. Dio literally means god in Italian derived from Latin of course and have you ever heard of the Egyptian sun god Ra? Maybe you were listening to the sun god..
At the end we needed an explanation why all this frustration about Spice Girls? You can interpret every song however you want, we do it with every single song in the world. I don't want to minimize the artistic work of the other bands, but people need some otpimistic and songs that lightens our mood up, not every person is depressed and wants to listen only songs singing about pathetic stuff.
Well as a 10-12 year old in the spice girls era I can only thank them. Kids don’t really understand secret lyrics. “girl power!” Was very real for me in a traditional and misogynistic society. I’m so grateful that I had something to hang onto. I was an assertive woman; and I had an excuse why: I’m a spice girl like Geri. Thank god for the spice girls - they did so much for me as a child
They certainly are sinister. Btw, can you look at how Married with Children sounds like Lithium from Nirvana? Unsure if there is an original that Cobain perhaps copied?
C'mon Steph he's making a valid point, maybe it was more sinister before (that doesn't change what was supplanted in SG ditties by adult men song writers to make big money for label execs) James has covered for example oasis lyrics aside from drug references none are overly sxually cryptic/sinister AND weren't marketed to kids. You didn't get underage kids listening to Suede-Animal Nitrate, MSP-Holy Bible, Prodigy-SMBUp, Slipknot for example (slipknot look is essentially a child/pop lover stay away filter which is helpful) :D
They were tabloid fodder a la Price and Katona. A barometer for how easily led the public are. I remember when Beckham tried to launch a solo career and appeared with a nose ring for a 'live' performance then caused the obligatory outrage headlines when she next appeared confessing it was just a clip-on and it transpired that women had actually gone out and got their nose pierced as they thought it was the next fashion trend "coz Posh 'as one".
Alright James I know I’m not a member but I still think maybe you should do an iceberg theory on oasis throughout their career from controversy and success to famous interviews because it would be really interesting to watch, would get loads of repeat views and a lot of people who are starting to get into the band through the years will come across the video it would be a great insight into what an oasis fans opinion is
Great video and well done for posting it. I remember the whole zigga ziggar had it's own meaning aswell. Hopefully the manufactured bollox will disappear one day!
Perhaps as importantly, Oasis and the other bands from the era inspired us (I was 25 in 1996) to form bands, write songs and have a go which is a hugely positive influence. The Spice Girls (and the people behind them), well it's exactly what you so eloquently put, sinister doesn't even come close to how dark they were.
Lot of the Spice Girls biggest hits were co-written by Richard Stannard who i believe is Gay He'd been late 20s in 1994 Think the Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller was the son of a Headmaster. I wouldn't class either off them as sinister or dark. Headshrinker by Oasis seems to be about passing around a mentally challenged or drug addled Girl for Sex "The Birds Don't Sing In Her Tree" "Whatever is going down is coming around" first I thought maybe it was about popping pills But then you have the "Treated Like A Dog" . The Headshrinkers were a wrestling Tag Team
Billie Eilish is the modern version of this read the lyrics in "Bad Guy" "So you're a tough guy Like it really rough guy Just can't get enough guy Chest always so puffed guy I'm that bad type Make your mama sad type Make your girlfriend mad tight Might seduce your dad type I'm the bad guy Duh" Another "industry plant" artist marketed to young girls. or Lil Nas X, just look at that dudes music videos lol, also marketed to young kids after his hit "Old Town Road" kinda weird man..
It used to be the blues that was "the devil's music". Admittedly not targetted at young girls though. Here's a taster from Sonny Bill Williamson: You talk about your woman I wish you could see mine You talk about your woman I wish you could see mine Every time she starts to lovin' She brings eyesight to the blind You know her daddy gave her magic I can tell by the way she walks Her daddy gave her magic, I can tell by the way she walks Every time she start to shakin' The dumb begin to talk She's got the power to heal you, never fear! She's got the power to heal you, never fear! Just a word from her lips And the deaf begin to hear
I agree with everything you said and I'd say the best example of this is Britney Spears. Also a lot of kids who grew up listening to those songs by Spice Girls, Vengaboys, Spears etc didn't actually know what the lyrics meant they were just singing along cos they liked their music.
I recall Big Breakfast before school in the mornings, which was full of innuendo. The 90s was cocky like that, a wink wink nudge nudge cheekiness seemed to be part of communication and I think it wasn’t harmful in general. The PC culture of the following years and an inability to even discern what a woman is currently, I think is far worse.
Anybody remember Max Power? The interview section where they would ask some poor 18 year Girl "Spit or Swallow" "Pink or Brown" Also didn't come to light Mel B & Geri were in a casual relationship whilst living together at the start of the Spice Girls I'm sure if Noel was boning Bonehead those Oasis lyrics might've got a little fruity 🤣
Spice or Spiche James.......................Great channel mate, I can be your favourite groupie.......probably not. Keep shining, smiling, n posting😂👌🎶
It's good to be back, good to be back! There's a lot of dodgy shit in a lot of the entertainment industry & media, if you want to look far enough. You could argue that grooming people to want to be famous is a bit sick also?! It's all pretty dark, hypnotic type stuff designed to brainwash, influence, etc. I think everyone has their function in the mainstream entertainment industry. That's why they are THERE. Noel once commented on how he thought he'd kept the British economy going for a while. If he was talking about encouraging British and other folks to continue drinking copious amounts of alcohol, I think he may have had a pint. Sorry, I mean point! :-) Excellent video again James! POP MUSIC IS FILTH.
Do you know of Mark Devlins work? The music industry is sinister AF!! He was a DJ in the 90's that seen an agenda with the advent of gangsta rap that suddenly appeared in the late 90's. He has investigated the music industry since. Check him out.
What's going on with the Beatles album cover Yesterday and Today? And the picture of Paul and John you used with Paul's eye covered by the guitar. You'll find music has been used to spread all sorts of things going way back!
Excellent video with some very good points. As it is though, Spice Girls we’re by no means the first and seem almost quaint compared to what is marketed to the same demographics now. Comparing it with Oasis is a huge false equivalence though, IMO and I certainly wouldn’t describe Britpop as “wholesome”, even in relative terms. That said, I always found that era and it’s faux 60s nostalgia trappings bit naff tbh and when it came to 90s alternative music, I much preferred what the American bands of the time were doing, but that’s just me.
I never payed attention to there songs anyway. Never believed they could sing and factory made. But what you have brought to light is shocking. There is some twisted people in this world .
Tbf when they recorded that album with the tracks mentioned they weren't anything. When they came I don't think they were marketed towards kids either, they were just a girl band that I heard in the pub. As far as Avril Lavigne, she wrote her own lyrics.
what's also worrying is how many years people give steve Tyler a pass, even after the truth came out about him. Axel Rose is another one! its a sick industry.
I think maybe them and Madonna can be blamed for paving the way for Britney, Christina, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus...etc, who have all been overtly sexual in their lyrics and then of course in their image, and yet a younger generation look to them as role models. Also one day when I was at work, I overheard this little girl singing that chorus of My Humps by Black Eyed Peas. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I felt sick to the stomach, luckily her parents told her off for it.
id say Madonna is in a league of her own, she is not manufactured or has anyone pulling the strings. Her sexual lyrics are written by her & she is not strategically targeting young girls. In 1985, the late, great Whitney said that " Madonna's songs are sexual, im a Christian & i hope to be around longer than her". Bearing in my her first song was about an adulterous affair and well, we all know the rest. It cant be said Madonna is victimising herself, she owns it lol!! Madonna is in charge of herself & i think these young girls getting famous but not there in talent or merit. ie Spice Girls. Nowadays, its just vulgar, imho. There's talent out there of course, but im super stuck in the 80s, so....lol!
While I appreciate your thoughts on the subject matter, using Avril Lavigne as your manufactured pop artist example was a bad example. You could have easily used a group like the Backstreet Boys who were manufactured and who did none of their own writing in the early days. And if you want to go there with inappropriate songs / lyrics - targeted to young pop audiences…that’s been going on since forever - I can go back to the 60’s and find dozens of lyrics by John/Paul that were filled with double entendres. There are other non-US based manufactured groups like Five, One Direction, Girls Aloud, Take That…look through their songs and you can find a long list of inappropriate lyrics. It just feels like this is a bit on the sexist side. NSYNC, BSB, a ton of other boy bands also had “Barbie” like dolls that were made in their likeness and played with by little girls and boys all over the world.
The Beatles used this exact same trick although with drugs rather than sex. 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' (1964) contains the line "I get high" recorded underneath the official lyric "I can't hide", just slightly buried in the mix. This was to act as a subliminal precursory trigger for the drug agenda unleashed on public 3 years later in 1967.
Spice Girls were rather tame compared to the garbage minors are exposed to today.
That is very true ! And some have an extremely anti male agenda
@@bowches some of them also have anti female agenda too btw.
I work in a hospital in Canada and you’d be horrified if you knew how many kids turn up with opiate and benzo related overdoses. They listen to music that glorifies that drug culture
Right. Absolutely right. All the romance is gone from what you hear today. Just salacious lyrics and videos.
@@bowches that’s ok. little girls should probably be wary of males, not have patriarchal gender roles shoved down their throats. the spice girls presented a form of fake, materialistic feminism that was nothing more than marketing hype
Call me naive, but I always thought the lyric 'got to get with my friends' meant 'got to get on with my friends' rather than 'got to have sex with all my friends'. I think you're being a bit over the top in your analysis of the lyrics. Agree with your points about inappropriate songs aimed at young children though. Spice girls were tame compared to modern artists like ariana grande. When they know their fan base is mostly very young kids they should tone it right down in my opinion. Ditch the f-words etc.
Yes you are indeed very naive.
@Lil' Pumpkin And you are a groomer of the young and innocent. You should seek help.
However it seems to me like a great deal, I can get whit your friends, no problem.
@@tommyc322 sounds great in theory, however in reality they'd be screaming at each other like in the song. I guess hearing protection might solve that problem.
yeh wannabe was written in couple hours. really isnt that deep
Ah I'm not too sure on this one. Isn't the whole point of innuendo that it will go over the head of anyone that isn't mature enough to understand it? I imagine most kids would just parrot the words and not think about them too much! Besides it's hardly a new thing. I mean what do you think The Beatles were singing about when they sang "when I'm home, feeling you holding me tight! Tight yeah!" ?
@@hinkhall5291 Even the video has a section where a newspaper reveals the secret meaning suggesting that it went over most people's heads at the time.
See the difference is that the Beatles weren't aimed at people underage per say but the Spice Girls were actively marketed with toys for kids
The Beatles didn’t target pre pubescent girls.
‘If you wana be my lover, you better get with my friends’… this means ‘if you want to get with me you better get on with my friends’. They were saying if you don’t get on with my friends then you can’t date me.
It’s pretty obvious and the Spice Girls have confirmed this.
Nah, they were trying sexualise the young. That's what's obvious.
Yep, the phrase 'friendship never ends' appears in the next sentence.
@@Zenhumanist You guys are like naive little children.
@@watermusic4381 Then you’re sinister.
@@Zenhumanist Bit of a lame attempt at reverse psychology there. Pointing out the sexual manipulation of children does not equal a mind that infact harbours the same ill intent. However, defending it does. Try again.
Makes me appreciate artists like Sandy Denny and Patti Smith even more. Speaking of the Gallagher brothers' upbringing, could you do one on Liam choking his girlfriend (on camera) in a restaurant in 2018? I remember reading Noel was up for a Oasis reunion until this incident. Noel wondered why Liam hadn't learned from their father's abusive ways towards the family when they were growing up? I hope you would elaborate on this. Whenever I see Liam perform or be interviewed I have that asterisk in my mind.
thats dark.....i can see why Noel was reticent. Theres no way it was in jest, do you think? im just curious as i hadn't heard of it.
@@Camille_Anderson Google it and you can be the judge. The authorities gave him a "Caution" after they investigated the incident.
We usually don't do better than our parents cuz our subconsciousness absorbs things before we can racionalize them.
@@michaelwilson2340 thanks, i just watched it. They say a picture says a thousand words....
@@soaribb32 i have to disagree. For the sake of argument, nature or nurture dictates our outcomes, but it is a choice for most people. I can fully say i am not like my parents in that respect.
As a young boy growing up in the 90s I loved Oasis and the Spice Girls🤣. From 2 become one to WAP now, childrens minds are being highly sexualised at a rapid rate. These songs should maybe be treated as you would an 18 movie?
Oasis Up in the Sky "how does it feel, when you're inside me." 😉 You should look into Liam's current songwriters and if they are doing any of this with other artists.
Think it is more about taking Drugs Shredder If you look at the Lyrics in the bridge almost somebody trying Acid for the first time
I've always thought the Tree/Sky lyrics in this song were a nod to Lennon's Strawberry Fields/Lucy In The Sky
You'll need assistance with the things that you
Have never ever seen
It's just a case of never breathing out
Before you breathe it in
How does it feel
When you're inside?
I can feel you
Can you feel me?
Oasis were definitely better influences and they had reason for their behaviour as they didn’t have the best upbringings and wrote about that which (like D’You Know What I Mean) were wrote to relate to/help others in the same situations but the Spice Girls songs were full with sex and, as I’m always tell my friends at school, I want to be one of the rock bands who bring rock ‘n’ roll back to the charts which is why I spend so much of my time perfecting little parts of songs that I’ve wrote for my band, so we can get rock back in the charts and back on the radios (also, the reason I’m so confident that my band will succeed is because I often write songs like James has mentioned Noel doing, writing non-sensical lyrics to fill space and then later changing them to make sense so, thank you James)!
You got any demos of your music?
Keep writing & keep believing mate & YOU'S can become the next Oasis 👌
@@M.Studios. I have some on my phone but that’s it
@@tortoisetamer486 thank you for the support
From one aspiring rocker to another, best of luck, kick some ass. \m/
Pop music has always been raunchy and packed with innuendo since it's began. I also remember a few of my mates (I was about 16/17 at Spice Girls height) listened to em as well (in private) so it wasn't just young girls. I do agree that there are raunchy lyrics, as a child I thought Grace Jones' song "Pull Up To The Bumper" was about cars.
There were major differences between the Spice Girls and Avril Lavigne, which was the way they were marketed. The Spice Girls were marketed to young girls whilst Avril was more or less just some generic 2000s american pop punk act. Which is clear by the fact she didn't have any barbie dolls or branded hair dryers. Another difference was that Avril writes her songs, and she wasn't chosen by some panel of managers. "Things I'll never say" (the example you used) was co-written by Avril herself and Lauren Christy, a woman(who helped her write her other hits on the album).
I'm just mentioning as you said at 3:35 that this was "all planned by the songwriters", yes she was underaged in the US at the time, but she co-wrote most of her songs especially in this period of her career and there's still the possibility she wrote those lines herself.
As I said, he should stick to the Oasis-nerd content - because he clearly knows less than nothing about either of the artists he mentioned.
As for Avril, yes, she did write the lyrics for “Things I’ll Never Say.” In fact, one of the things the industry reps *didn’t* want her to do was participate in the writing of her material, which she was intent on doing. So much for merely being the face of big-bad-social-engineering record executives. 🤷🏻
As for the Spice Girls, he seems to have the notion that some cabal at Virgin Records plucked out five women and used them for their diabolical goal of selling sex to kids. Of course, none of that is true. Chris Herbert’s idea was to create a band that appealed to guys - unlike Boy Bands that only appealed to teenage girls. Of course, the girls also left Herbert high and dry after the recording of ‘Wannabe’ and ‘2 Become 1’ - again, so much for simply being the pretty faces meant to sell a “sinister” agenda. 🤣 And the lyrics of the song came from the girls, involving inside jokes and phrases they came up with themselves.
Even when he goes on about the Spice Girls being dressed up like kids whilst showing the ‘Wannabe’ video - all wrong. They were wearing their own (rather cheap) clothes in that video shoot, that they chose.
At the end of the day, people only know what they know, and unfortunately are given to positing absurdist conspiracy theories to fill in the gaps in their knowledge.
Even the Peter O’Toole clip, where he’s comically reading the lyrics of ‘Wannabe’ which is used to show how “sinister” the lyrics are - has he ever watched the Peter Sellers version of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, where Peter does the same thing, with similarly (especially for that time) cheeky and salacious lyrics? I suppose the Beatles were “sinister” as well.
We all get it, the popularity of the Spice Girls coincided with the decline of Britpop - and *that* is what really motivates the animus here.
It's not a difference about songwriting. The Spices Girls co-wrote their own songs.
4:37 according to my dad, Mel C was the only one out of the group that had a powerful singing voice.
Ecstasy Pill Head from Widnes who used to get off her face ever weekend in club 4 then appeared whiter than white a month later
@@johnclarke7940 what's that got to do with her singing voice numb nuts 🤣🤣
Emma was a pretty good one too btw.
@@fomofud9479 everything
Explain the Oasis song My Sister Lover with the lyrics 'Your my lover, I'm your brother. ' lol
Really well-written and presented essay & i agree! Just wanted to note that "skirting as close to the line and getting away with it" was extremely popular with kids in the 90s. Lisa/Janey did it in the Simpsons "cut her big fat as...
...k me no more questions", and South Park did too with Wendy's Audition.
Obvs selling sex to kids is absolutely wrong, and the taboo nature of the songs only made Spice Girls have greater appeal. Pretty hilarious to see 'Girl Power' being promoted with ladette culture. Clumsy at best!
I remember our end of (primary) school disco, when the DJ stopped the salt n pepa record at "let's talk about"...and an entire year group of kids scream "sex!". The 90s were a different time.
it's not like its any different today, female pop artists songs are full of sexual stuff while complaining about being sexualized
...wait until he finds out I was 6 n listening to Appetite For Destruction... LOL
🤣🤣🤣
and that's why I love Oasis....honest lyrics, no hidden meanings, no sexual innuendos, no trash skimpy girls in their music videos....just pure rock n roll and attitude!
To quote Madonna "and a lot of avaliable drugs"
They were stale from the get-go. Don't get me wrong, Liam's talent was there, for sure. What's the story is a good song.
Haha, have you ever seen ‘Walk Hard (the story of Duey Cox)”? This reminds me of a song called “Let’s Duet” where he does the innuendo/disclaimer thing.
Hi James. Search The Tavistock Institute and the music industry. Something about it popped on my computer earlier.
The plot thickens...
James, it is called grooming and the entire entertainment industry is involved. Take a look into Disney!
You're lucky your comment wasn't deleted as you can't even say the word grooming on reddit anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if yt follows suite.
@@VodkaSelekta Any proof of this? I'm IP banned from reddit.
If so that's rediculous but not unexpected.
This is true.
@@VodkaSelekta well then I guess we just say "sexually conditioning "..
.
Definitely
I personally don’t have an issue with it, do you really think young girls were analysing the lyrics the way you do on this video? No! They were dancing in their bedrooms singing along completely unaware of any innuendos! By the time anyone can understand the lyrics you are most likely grown up by then. It’s a bit like adult jokes hidden in kids films, it’s to entertain the adults as kids are too young to understand!
Exactly.
Thats the point its subliminal
@@modernchampionmusic81 - Preach brother, preach! ruclips.net/video/mfbO56rlD5A/видео.html
As a young girl myself many moons ago let me be clear: we DID analyze and write down the words to songs. We may not have understood all the words and meanings but we knew them.
I loved your breakdown of DO You Know What I Mean? I wonder what Noel thinks of it.
This was good too. I grew up in the 90s, so I remember the Spice Girls hey day. I thought the lyrics to wanna be were sus, me and my friends would laugh about it, but I never looked any deeper to see how truly depraved it all was.
I'm curious what you think of the band BLACK MIDI. I totally agree with you on your final comments regarding a general decline of music around 1998 when all the manufactured stuff started to come in. As a music fan though, black midi give me hope. Their new album Hellfire is beyond belief. It would never make it with a mainstream audience but it is undoubtedly great music.
Black midi are absolutely immense, try and see them live if you ever get the chance. Plenty of other great bands around at the moment too though: black Country, new road, squid, jockstrap, Enola Gay, wu-lu, sorry, famous, parquet courts and plenty more.
Wait till he finds out that the term "rock and roll' is slang for f*cking. (Clutch pearls much?)
Great video as aways! And what about All Saints? I really would like you tô Make a video about the relationship between Liam Gallagher andNicole Appleton and the influencies in Liam’s carreer with Beady Eye! You’re the best!
Avril Lavigne wrote that song, to be fair. And she was of age at the time, in Canada, where she wrote it. It's very light-hearted and it could just as easily be as innocent as it seems on the surface.
I was 16 in 2008. Good... Lord... The things I got up to. The things I said.
The things I got up to, the things I said, things I heard, the things I'd seen in real life BEFORE I was 16... I hope my parents never find out.
A very well in depth video James. This type of behaviour made me think of the gross inspiration of a song called Young Girl by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. That was a big hit when it came out and besides other 60's songs had been blamed for controversial topics like sex, drugs, prostitution etc... it's absolutely baffling that this type of song was played and loved by many without actually thinking on the lyrics with its hidden actual meaning.
If you listen to Young Girl always struck me it was about a Girl who lied about her age he finds out and sends her back to her mama before he goes to far.
Think that song trope has been written by countless artists Travis with U16 Girls Abba Does Your Mother Now The Police Don't Stand So Close To Me Think the term is 'Jailbait' songs
Gary Puckett & the Union Gap and Sean Williamson (Barry from Eastenders) does it well.
Well the most obvious one that springs to mind is U16 Girls by Travis.
@@simontunnicliffe2107 With My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock - George Formby definitely innuendo song 🤣
I think the word 'Rock" in any song title is code for 'Fxxk'
Didn't Def Leppard cheesily bring that back in a few songs
That line in Raining Men about "Go out and get yourself absolutely soaking wet" always makes me smile ..
The line "Gotta get with my friends" was always interpreted by me and my 14 year old school mates as being about sex, we thought it a bit funny, like it was a mistake. Two Become One is so obviously about sex it's unreal. Emma actually says in the official book that came out when they were at the height of their success that "put in on" was a safe sex reference. The book is a pretty remarkable thing to have marketed at young children too. If you ever a see a copy you'll know what I mean.
Now we have bunch of those genuine bands that you mention at the end: Parquet Courts, Fontaines D. C., Bob Vylan, Big Thief, Shame, Iceage, Porridge Radio, IDLES, Yard Act, Courtney Barnett... Do you like what they are doing? Thanks James!
I couldn't stand all the Spice Girls phenomenon and nostalgia of my youth hasn't made them better. All of a sudden this manufactured pop act was everywhere. I was more into Bis' "Teen C Power" than into "girl power", and there were countless current good bands I could, and did,listen to rather than this lot.
About that Avril Lavigne thing, what you call a “massive pause” is actually only an 8th note. I’ve told you a million times not too exaggerate.
Liam uses very accomplished pop songwriters these days. Noel hired and fired musicians at will, both have bands they assembled together.
Spice Girls are obviously not technically the best singers, but the same could be said about so many bands and singers. Sometimes they’re personalities are what connect with an audience.
It’s easy to be concerned about lyrical subject matter as you get older but I grew up listening to Eminem and other music that probably wouldn’t even get released now. Pretty sure I was listening to Oasis at a young age at the same time as my sisters listened to the Spice Girls, I think any more adult themes went over our heads just as they did with things like the Simpsons or films.
The beauty of music is anyone can draw their own conclusions from the lyrics, just as you do. You can interpret them as positively or negatively as you like. You’ve said you overlook parts of Oasis lyrics you don’t like.
Unless you want to believe everything is an elaborate coverup, history has told us that the lyrics were generally acceptable for radio and wider audiences and certainly no worse than anything before or since. Lots of songs have double entendres and more adult themes behind simpler metaphors.
If you’re an adult, it’s much easier to write genuine lyrics about your own experiences rather than trying to just write filler for your “target audience”.
I’d actually suggest learning some of the Spice Girls songs on guitar - there’s some clever songwriting and great melodies and chord structures. And Wannabe (as much as I never want to hear it again) is pretty unconventional for a pop song
I think convincing yourself lyrics like these are a serious problem is only going to lead to going a bit mental and paranoid.
There's no comparison between oasis and spice girls, that's disrespectful to oasis
@@ryanname2503 I personally like oasis more but it’s comparing apples and cheese. Ultimately they both had very famous songs in the 90’s that were very successful.
I think the problem with pop music is the people taking the lyrics serious which a lot of people do. I thought they were funny at first until I started to realise how serious the lyrics can be and how some people were taking them very serious. I never took Eminem that serious, liked him till I got sick of him. Probably part due to him being over popularised even when his music continued to get worse over the years in a creative sense. Some people take sexualised and violent music and movies very seriously and that's a serious concern for their mental state of well being.
I don‘t remember anyone suggesting the Spice Girls or Oasis were bad influences (except for the usual fuckwits in the Murdoch press), the main culprits for „corrupting the youth“ at that time were rave culture, New Age travellers, and then later on various gangsta rap acts and Marilyn Manson. I’m not really convinced about the innuendo in the „Wannabe“ lyrics, because the Daily Mirror is not the most reliable source, to put it mildly - they were looking for sensationalist sex scandals on a daily basis. And to be honest, even if the lyrics had sexual innuendo in them, they were pretty mild to some of the pop stuff released in the 1960s/1970s. I think the really sinister stuff regarding the Spice Girls were the things happening behind the scenes. I saw an interview with Mel C recently, and it was quite shocking what they had to go through to fulfil the image their management wanted.
It wasn't just The Spice Girls. Almost all the boy/girl bands in the 90's sang over sexual lyrics to an underage audience. Plus, how can you condemn The Spice Girls when you had bands like Limp Bizkit and Blink 182 swearing in every single line and singing about having sex with animals [for example]. Huge difference.
I was into my pop music back in the early 90's and I had no idea what any of them were singing about until many many years later.
I never really noticed it until my (then about 10 year old) niece was singing along to Rhianna's "whips and chains excite me" but the music industry is as sick as it gets and always has been.
I think that Limps & others from that scene are out of the pocket here - they were certainly not promoted as music for underaged part of society. At the very least because their every release came with that “Parental Advisory” sticker on the artwork.
Did they attracted younger audience? - sure, they did, myself included, while I was 13 at the time of “Chocolate Starfish & Hot Dog” Limp Bizkit’s LP was released.
And younger dudes reacted mostly to the heavy guitars and never-before-heard level of production rather than lyrics, as per my reminiscences - banger riffs, chorus melody lines, etc.
But even with this in mind, it was by most parts music for elder audience - 17-30yrs or somewhere close.
btw last year I was revisiting this particular LP just because of my memories of it that mostly were associated with tons of fun, but to my surprise, it was a solid musical experience often accompanied with thoughtful lyrics - with exceptions in form of a couple of tracks - one that you brought up, containing the line “I wanna fuck you like an animal” named Hot Dog (which is not about fucking an animal of course lol), and the second one maybe being Rollin’ yet not ‘cause of its offensiveness but ‘cause it’s just a head-banger-heavy-riff type of song with no particular message in it. But yo, it’s 2 songs out of 15, where other 13 are definitely not something to be ashamed of for the guys while looking back at their musical output. I can say that I am able to appreciate their lyrical content more now, listening to it with consciousness, than I was back then - i mean, it’s heavy - often comes from a darker place of human mentality (I assume mostly fairly reflecting on the ongoing reality from subjective perspective) - just like the music itself, but it’s not empty by any means.
And remember - “Parental Advisory” was everywhere, not to mention the fact of absence of any kind of children-targeted pieces of commercial merch - no dolls, not even skateboards or special series Marten’s shoes, etc.
@@kowloonbroadcast I wasn't on about the song Hot Dog, I was more referring to Blink 182 who had a song on one of their albums [a 'bonus' track I think] called I Wanna Fuck A Dog Up The Ass. Something like that.
I'm not sure totally what your point is, because for a start, it wasn't just 2 songs with swearing in on that Limp Bizkit album. The whole album and indeed many of their songs full stop are full of expletives. Kids bought their albums regardless of the Parental Advisory thing on the front. Who exactly in record stores back then was bothered?? Maybe they should have been and stricter measures applied to younger people buying these albums, but kids grow up fast, sometimes too fast for their own good and curiosity and the need to look good overrides anything else, let's be honest. I enjoyed some of that music myself back then, but I wasn't a child by that stage, I was a late teen.
If anything, the people behind The Spice Girls were the sinister ones. They were mere money making puppets for the top record producers, etc. I wouldn't say Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst ever wrote anything special lyrically, although I did love their song Take A Look Around for example, and sang along wholeheartedly many a time. But he must surely have known who was going to buy his music, and knew many wouldn't really be old enough to digest his often overtly sexual, misogynistic and homophobic lyrics. Or maybe he didn't realise that. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the box let's be honest.
To summarise, you have a collection of songs with more than a hint of misogyny and homophobia [even the title Chocolate Starfish .... was a reference to it!] Vs The Spice Girls with a few songs about sex, but actually done in a much more subtle way to the likes of Limp Bizkit and Blink 182. I would say the latter were worse influences on society in general.
lmao
Great video. In the end sex always sells directly or indirectly and in any generation
That Avril Lavigne song is some Bo Burnham level shit 🤷🏼
Thing is some genres benefit from some sexualisation, being more true and down to earth, the blues being the primary example or songs like champagne and reefer by muddy waters highlighting the use of alcohol and weed in normal people and musicians alike and how normal people deal with troubles in their life.
However that wasn't the only fkn topic they sang about in the blues, modern songwriters seem to think all people do is snort coke, take e and shag all day and its everywhere to the point where its just normal, so that when literally anyone sings about anything else, its not as popular.
This modern obsession with over sexualised lyric and iconography is to put it blunty to appeal not only to the lowest common denominator...thick brainlets but to sell products...simple.
Fantastic work man! You have hit the nail on the head with this one!
Blimey, this is heavy. The songs the Spice Girls sang were harmless enough. Kids don't worry about the lyrical content of trashy pop songs. As for 'Wannabe' it is a ridiculously catchy ditty that has caused no noticeable damage to society!
Surely you're being sarcastic?
@DnB and Psy Production I don't see how the spice girls were harmless. I was listening to gangster rap back in the 90's, knowing the lyrics were sexualy explicit and violent. Girls my age mostly found that disgusting. Yet once the spice girls came out who was their target demographic and then other artists like Allanis Morissette in my time got away with throwing in swear words and sexual inuendo into their music all of which mainstream radio and public places played continuesly for everyone to hear. The world has only gotten worse with songs like WAP demonstrating female entitlement.
Man this is a bit true but after releasing their first album they never thought their public would be teenagers and kids. They mellowed a lot after their first album when spiceworld was released their songs were not about sex.
Take a day aff mate.
Said they guy with no job.
Happily Retired.
The real girl power bands were the likes of Katherine Hanna and Bikini Kill of the Riot Girl scene. Check out The Punk Singer documentary. Also Courtney Love and Hole also the Breeders. The Spice Girls image was the idea of their male manager so it was a Lads idea in the first place.
James - These videos are freaking gold. Thanks for constantly putting out incredible content. Cheers from Iowa, USA!!!
Great content as usual James. Look how bad it got post spice girls . I was at knebworth 2nd night. Could you feature the B'N'H Oasis box set that I was gifted from my mam in the 90's. Champagne supernova gotta be my favourite but the 90's and my 20s were influenced so much by Oasis.
With that said, James, may I suggest Ren! I happened upon him a few weeks ago; a true artist if ever I saw one. Might not be your cup of tea but, the spirit is there, the soul is there. Cheers!
I reckon me and thee are probably the same age and went to a lot of the same gigs etc. I'm 40 from Leeds.
Just followed you on RUclips and Spotify James, you're music isn't bad but I just love you're RUclips channel, absolutely class 👏
Great video. I think Wonderwall is still more popular today than most 90s songs
Good lord, what did these girls do to you to take a shot from you two and a half decades later?!
😂😂😂
6:28 I read that the “zig-a-zig-ah” part is actually “shit and cigars” just a bit obscured.
I'm from Ireland and me and a few others noticed there was a bit of a benny hill and 'carry on' element to British culture up to a certain point. It's probably gone since page 3 disappeared, though.
I'm not really convinced by this. I was one of the biggest Spice Girls fans in my school when I was about 8, but I can't say they influenced how I presented my sexuality at all. As soon as I hit puberty I started to feel and dress more masculine, so I wasn't about to start dressing like my former idols. I think sexuality in music can influence how young people present themselves, but the image being presented has to somewhat be in line with their actual nascent feelings. I bet loads of young men were influenced by Liam Gallagher's sexuality and masculinity and wanted to be like him, but not if they were more shy and sensitive by nature. They would pick another role model. And kids under 12 or so either don't even notice sexual references or only in a 'hee hee, they said [x]' way. The danger is if an adult with bad intentions uses material to target and groom.
Beatles have worst sexual innuendos than spice girls WTF "Well she was just seventeen.." is the first thing you hear of a Beatles record
In my opinion, you are completely right. It’s easy to see what kind of damage it did. Our kids should be protected. Sex sells. It’s grossly irresponsible.
I worked as a steward at Wembley stadium and worked the 2 concerts in 1998, we were advised to keep a watch on single men as it was a nonces heaven. The concert was mainly made of mums and their under 10yo daughters. I took my work very seriously those nights.
Great points James. And as for your closing statement dw, ill have put the rock back on top of the hill soon take my word. It'll just need the lightest push
Dua lipa and billy eilish are two of the biggest current pop stars among young girls, and they both have very positive messages about sex and drugs.
They say "you dont HAVE to do it" rather than you should or shouldnt do it.
They lean toward abstinence for your own benefit rather than a Jesus-y perspective.
I think the youth today is in a better condition than it was in the late 90s.
Billie is edgy, and it's the norm these days.
Not the worst things as long as you realise how teenagers are like.
Dua is thrash and only sounds decent because of her producers.
Growing up on 50 Cent and Britney, I could at least tell the difference since it wasn't meant for me in a lyrical way.
Basically grown-up music.
When child idols do that stuff ... including Britney at one point, menaces it disgusting.
yikes, I've never noticed the " put it on, put it on " lyric
Exactly. You never noticed it. Just like a small kid doesn’t notice it.
Just like small kids won’t know what it means to sing: “You can wait for a lifetime, to spend your days in the sunshine, you might as well do a white line.”
But that’s different - somehow - because there weren’t Oasis action figures. 🤣
I love how we went from this being the "new low" to WAP existing
The only problem with this video is calling them a band
Im from 1990 and listened alot to spice girls as a kid, BUT I'm from Denmark and back then I didnt even understand the words I was singing... 🤷♀️
I already had hated this song . But you made my heart grow just to make room for this newly contained vitriol . As a grassroots musician/songwriter I couldn't agree more about corporate music industry and it's influence. One of the major problems modern music esp pop(not all pop) is the over formulaic, over produced the industry has taken. Music or better the selling and marketing of music has always been about money and that's not bad. The key difference here is now it seems is became their main driving focus all about profit any concern they had for quirky who would never sell big buy would loyally or great songwriters who is never gonna be the effusive charmer i.e Tom Waits, another example is a great songwriter who doesn't have much of a range and a tendency to miss pitches someone like Dylan or Cohen . These and their very rare I'll could never cut a major label esp when you consider the politics of Dylan you may could put N. Young here. They found thier formula, it's proven itself over time and repeatedly return profit which in capitalism is the purpose. It works so well that there's no reason to change unless a revolution occurs.
A lot of reasons could be get power by the corporate masters.
Producers is a bit of the problem (not all by no means)most if not the vast vast majority used to care about what they help craft even if it was crap they did what they could to enhance it , but not thier content lyes like a cheap hooker after a pop of H , cash not craft is thier fuel. There's still hope as long as Rick Rubin is still us. Sorry for the he length but one other gripe songwriting. This is not particular to one era or another the target audiences for most major label are young, and female and that's who thier songwriters target the who can make mommy and daddy spends loads of money on ephemeral merch bullshit and repeat event attendees. So you get a assembly line process to songwriting most not sounding much diff with drab , vapid lyrics or lyrics meant to shock. Rock has become fangless in the most turbulent rock has nothing to say , which is damn ironic since it's stated mission was challenge authority and shock the status quo. These are just a few problems. We've exchanged eccentricity for conformity , authenticity for famehungered, and art for spectacle.
I never liked the Spice Girls and I’ve never bought the argument they were significant or empowering in any way, they were just awful manufactured pop music . I was a teenager then and in that pre internet era the music industry and television had more power and had way more influence over what we could listen to. For me the Spice Girls ushered in that dark post Britpop era when chart music was all about boy bands and tv talent shows. It was only really in the early 2000s that bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes and a bit later The Killers were acknowledged by mainstream media and became popular and you could hear decent music on the radio or on tv. Now of course we can listen to what we want but back then it was a different era.
I love your stuff… but I laughed out loud at the Mirror quote!!! Good ole reliable reporters.
I always remember a party in the park in the mid nineties at Cofton park, The spice girls were the final act, before them was OCS, local boys, riding high on the Riverboat song. Once OCS finished the majority of the crowd buggered off, happy days
Good tune tho 👌🏼 suppose its like my generation growing up idolising eminem when he rapped about so much dark shit, at that age i wouldn’t of understood at all. Anyway great video as always mate. Take it easy
I’m 1.26 in and already I want to draw your attention to what kids are learning about today lol. Already spot on
Great video as always.
They have always give me the creeps.
Read The Tavistock Institute: Social Engineering the Masses. It’s been going on for years with Brit Pop. Remember the Beetles song. I saw her standing there.
The lyrics…..Well she was just 17, you know what I mean. One of the first songs released in the states conveniently.
The music industry shouldn't sexualize children in any form point blank.
If you think those lyrics are bad, "Cest La Vie" by B*Witched is complete and utter filth from start to finish.
If you like the Peter O'Toole bit, you have to watch 'Dead Parrot youtube reconstruction #1' on youtube. It ironically deals with the same things in this video. ie Young girls dangerous obsession with manufactured bands/music targeted at young girls. One of the funniest things on this site.
Okay guys... listen, I'll admit... as a 10 year old, I was heavily influenced by all pop music at the time of 1996...
Oasis were my favourite.. I thank my older brother for that. What's the story literally developed me as a young boy. But.... and here's a big but....I also liked the spice girls. I was very impressionable and quite easily swayed by the huge influence the spice girls had on everyone it seemed. I was ten. Remember that. But I also liked pop songs. I still do. I appreciate all music as long as it makes me feel good. As a young boy I did like the pop tunes by the spice girls as they were quite catchy and fun. But also their songs were being pumped out by the radio constantly! How could I avoid them? And this was way before downloads or ipods.
THE RADIO WAS OUR GOD BACK THEN.
James I am shocked by the lyrics ... quite frankly I was under the impression that it was all just fun and girl power or whatever. I can only imagine what these songs did to the young girls at the time. My peers. Alot of my girl peers were heavily sexualised. Way more than us boys. Alot turned lesbian too a few years later.. I guess the girl power psychology really got to their minds.
We see now this feminist movement taking over. Makes me wonder if the spice girls were just put their to influence the future minds of little girls... sickening to imagine. But I believe music has been a weapon. A psychological weapon to shape the minds of the public. Towards a set agenda laid out by the elites. Music is so powerful. It's hypnosis. Religion uses it too. I was raised mormon and the hymns were quite breath taking that I believe actually grew my faith. Thankfully I'm no longer in that cult. And I can see music for what it is. The beatles were used to bring in the sex and drugs. Quite a shame really. Check out the beatles conspiracy. Apparently lots of session musicians have come forward over the years saying they recorded the beatles.... and even wrote their songs.
THE BEATLES WERE MANUFACTURED FRAUDS ....GUTTED
“The radio was our god back then” interesting you say that because Ra-Dio.. Dio literally means god in Italian derived from Latin of course and have you ever heard of the Egyptian sun god Ra? Maybe you were listening to the sun god..
@@WavesCrashLoudly I guess Ronnie James was a god then?
social engineering via music. concious lyrics are suppressed.
At the end we needed an explanation why all this frustration about Spice Girls? You can interpret every song however you want, we do it with every single song in the world. I don't want to minimize the artistic work of the other bands, but people need some otpimistic and songs that lightens our mood up, not every person is depressed and wants to listen only songs singing about pathetic stuff.
Well as a 10-12 year old in the spice girls era I can only thank them. Kids don’t really understand secret lyrics. “girl power!” Was very real for me in a traditional and misogynistic society. I’m so grateful that I had something to hang onto. I was an assertive woman; and I had an excuse why: I’m a spice girl like Geri. Thank god for the spice girls - they did so much for me as a child
Do a video on Oasis and Blur songs with similar song titles/lyrics!
They both did a song called Swamp Song
They certainly are sinister. Btw, can you look at how Married with Children sounds like Lithium from Nirvana? Unsure if there is an original that Cobain perhaps copied?
C'mon James : we all know plenty of those "bands" were even more sinister in every way, and way before
C'mon Steph he's making a valid point, maybe it was more sinister before (that doesn't change what was supplanted in SG ditties by adult men song writers to make big money for label execs) James has covered for example oasis lyrics aside from drug references none are overly sxually cryptic/sinister AND weren't marketed to kids. You didn't get underage kids listening to Suede-Animal Nitrate, MSP-Holy Bible, Prodigy-SMBUp, Slipknot for example (slipknot look is essentially a child/pop lover stay away filter which is helpful) :D
@@alloallo1977 gépalu
@DnB and Psy Production amyl nitrate. and most ppl dont know what that is. wow big deal poppers.
They were tabloid fodder a la Price and Katona. A barometer for how easily led the public are. I remember when Beckham tried to launch a solo career and appeared with a nose ring for a 'live' performance then caused the obligatory outrage headlines when she next appeared confessing it was just a clip-on and it transpired that women had actually gone out and got their nose pierced as they thought it was the next fashion trend "coz Posh 'as one".
More fool them
Alright James I know I’m not a member but I still think maybe you should do an iceberg theory on oasis throughout their career from controversy and success to famous interviews because it would be really interesting to watch, would get loads of repeat views and a lot of people who are starting to get into the band through the years will come across the video it would be a great insight into what an oasis fans opinion is
Great video and well done for posting it. I remember the whole zigga ziggar had it's own meaning aswell. Hopefully the manufactured bollox will disappear one day!
Perhaps as importantly, Oasis and the other bands from the era inspired us (I was 25 in 1996) to form bands, write songs and have a go which is a hugely positive influence. The Spice Girls (and the people behind them), well it's exactly what you so eloquently put, sinister doesn't even come close to how dark they were.
Lot of the Spice Girls biggest hits were co-written by Richard Stannard who i believe is Gay He'd been late 20s in 1994 Think the Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller was the son of a Headmaster. I wouldn't class either off them as sinister or dark.
Headshrinker by Oasis seems to be about passing around a mentally challenged or drug addled Girl for Sex "The Birds Don't Sing In Her Tree" "Whatever is going down is coming around" first I thought maybe it was about popping pills But then you have the "Treated Like A Dog" . The Headshrinkers were a wrestling Tag Team
Billie Eilish is the modern version of this read the lyrics in "Bad Guy"
"So you're a tough guy
Like it really rough guy
Just can't get enough guy
Chest always so puffed guy
I'm that bad type
Make your mama sad type
Make your girlfriend mad tight
Might seduce your dad type
I'm the bad guy
Duh"
Another "industry plant" artist marketed to young girls.
or Lil Nas X, just look at that dudes music videos lol, also marketed to young kids after his hit "Old Town Road" kinda weird man..
It used to be the blues that was "the devil's music". Admittedly not targetted at young girls though. Here's a taster from Sonny Bill Williamson:
You talk about your woman
I wish you could see mine
You talk about your woman
I wish you could see mine
Every time she starts to lovin'
She brings eyesight to the blind
You know her daddy gave her magic
I can tell by the way she walks
Her daddy gave her magic,
I can tell by the way she walks
Every time she start to shakin'
The dumb begin to talk
She's got the power to heal you, never fear!
She's got the power to heal you, never fear!
Just a word from her lips
And the deaf begin to hear
James. Really enjoy your content. And although, I really like Oasis, like the other themes u go into.
I agree with everything you said and I'd say the best example of this is Britney Spears. Also a lot of kids who grew up listening to those songs by Spice Girls, Vengaboys, Spears etc didn't actually know what the lyrics meant they were just singing along cos they liked their music.
Sadly unlike the Girl's, Britney WAS underage and was told what to sing
I recall Big Breakfast before school in the mornings, which was full of innuendo. The 90s was cocky like that, a wink wink nudge nudge cheekiness seemed to be part of communication and I think it wasn’t harmful in general. The PC culture of the following years and an inability to even discern what a woman is currently, I think is far worse.
In another Video James applauds 'Lad Culture' in the 90s. I think his issue is with Women .Maybe, one broke his heart?
Anybody remember Max Power? The interview section where they would ask some poor 18 year Girl "Spit or Swallow" "Pink or Brown" Also didn't come to light Mel B & Geri were in a casual relationship whilst living together at the start of the Spice Girls I'm sure if Noel was boning Bonehead those Oasis lyrics might've got a little fruity 🤣
Spice or Spiche James.......................Great channel mate, I can be your favourite groupie.......probably not. Keep shining, smiling, n posting😂👌🎶
It's good to be back, good to be back! There's a lot of dodgy shit in a lot of the entertainment industry & media, if you want to look far enough.
You could argue that grooming people to want to be famous is a bit sick also?! It's all pretty dark, hypnotic type stuff designed to brainwash, influence, etc. I think everyone has their function in the mainstream entertainment industry. That's why they are THERE. Noel once commented on how he thought he'd kept the British economy going for a while. If he was talking about encouraging British and other folks to continue drinking copious amounts of alcohol, I think he may have had a pint. Sorry, I mean point! :-) Excellent video again James! POP MUSIC IS FILTH.
"I want to hold your hand" 🤔
If you think this is bad, go and research Hollywood and Disney…
Do you know of Mark Devlins work?
The music industry is sinister AF!!
He was a DJ in the 90's that seen an agenda with the advent of gangsta rap that suddenly appeared in the late 90's. He has investigated the music industry since. Check him out.
What's going on with the Beatles album cover Yesterday and Today? And the picture of Paul and John you used with Paul's eye covered by the guitar. You'll find music has been used to spread all sorts of things going way back!
Excellent video with some very good points. As it is though, Spice Girls we’re by no means the first and seem almost quaint compared to what is marketed to the same demographics now.
Comparing it with Oasis is a huge false equivalence though, IMO and I certainly wouldn’t describe Britpop as “wholesome”, even in relative terms. That said, I always found that era and it’s faux 60s nostalgia trappings bit naff tbh and when it came to 90s alternative music, I much preferred what the American bands of the time were doing, but that’s just me.
I never payed attention to there songs anyway. Never believed they could sing and factory made. But what you have brought to light is shocking. There is some twisted people in this world .
Tbf when they recorded that album with the tracks mentioned they weren't anything. When they came I don't think they were marketed towards kids either, they were just a girl band that I heard in the pub. As far as Avril Lavigne, she wrote her own lyrics.
what's also worrying is how many years people give steve Tyler a pass, even after the truth came out about him. Axel Rose is another one! its a sick industry.
I think maybe them and Madonna can be blamed for paving the way for Britney, Christina, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus...etc, who have all been overtly sexual in their lyrics and then of course in their image, and yet a younger generation look to them as role models. Also one day when I was at work, I overheard this little girl singing that chorus of My Humps by Black Eyed Peas. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I felt sick to the stomach, luckily her parents told her off for it.
id say Madonna is in a league of her own, she is not manufactured or has anyone pulling the strings. Her sexual lyrics are written by her & she is not strategically targeting young girls. In 1985, the late, great Whitney said that " Madonna's songs are sexual, im a Christian & i hope to be around longer than her". Bearing in my her first song was about an adulterous affair and well, we all know the rest. It cant be said Madonna is victimising herself, she owns it lol!! Madonna is in charge of herself & i think these young girls getting famous but not there in talent or merit. ie Spice Girls. Nowadays, its just vulgar, imho. There's talent out there of course, but im super stuck in the 80s, so....lol!
While I appreciate your thoughts on the subject matter, using Avril Lavigne as your manufactured pop artist example was a bad example. You could have easily used a group like the Backstreet Boys who were manufactured and who did none of their own writing in the early days.
And if you want to go there with inappropriate songs / lyrics - targeted
to young pop audiences…that’s been going on since forever - I can go back to the 60’s and find dozens of lyrics by John/Paul that were filled with double entendres.
There are other non-US based manufactured groups like Five, One Direction, Girls Aloud, Take That…look through their songs and you can find a long list of inappropriate lyrics.
It just feels like this is a bit on the sexist side. NSYNC, BSB, a ton of other boy bands also had “Barbie” like dolls that were made in their likeness and played with by little girls and boys all over the world.
The music industry is done for today I'm afraid. It's all about image and the image seems to be all about glorifying gang culture and portraying sex.
The Beatles used this exact same trick although with drugs rather than sex. 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' (1964) contains the line "I get high" recorded underneath the official lyric "I can't hide", just slightly buried in the mix. This was to act as a subliminal precursory trigger for the drug agenda unleashed on public 3 years later in 1967.