Examining "Female" by Keith Urban by DarcyPounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso Made with the best of intentions en-us 2017-11-26 17:45:11 UTC 2026-01-15 13:15:05 UTC hello@padlet.com Audio of Keith Urban's Female darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210171597 https://youtu.be/_qSW96a2aKY]]> 2017-11-26 17:48:08 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210171597 Picture & Bio of Keith Urban darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210174809 Keith Urban was born in New Zealand on October 26, 1967 but was raised in Australia. 
He is a Country singer, songwriter,  guitarist, record producer and American Idol judge.  He has won many awards including 4 Grammys and 10 CMAs.
He currently lives in Nashville and is married to Nicole Kidman and has 2 daughters.]]> 2017-11-26 18:06:43 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210174809 Gist of the song "Female" darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210178922 The song "Female" is about the various roles women play.  It questions why women are treated as the lesser sex or as sexual objects.
(image: Dreamstime.com stock image)]]> 2017-11-26 18:30:17 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210178922 Song Credits darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210179660 The song "Female" is  written by Shane McAnally, Nicolle Galyon, and Ross Copperman.  It was released on 8 November 2017.  Urban debuted the song live on the 51st Annual Country Music Association Awards.]]> 2017-11-26 18:34:43 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210179660 Conclusion darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181597 Overall, I think the song is effective in its attempt to call for a change in the way women are treated. With the current admissions by celebrities who have been victimized by powerful men, it is always effective when a powerful male like Keith Urban uses his power and talent to draw attention to the wrongs being done. More power is given to the song because Urban's intent for releasing the song is based on the love and belief in the women in his life. "I am surrounded by females in my life. I grew up in a house with boys, no sisters. Now I am in a house that’s all girls. So this song speaks to me on a lot of levels.”(Urban, 2017)]]> 2017-11-26 18:45:48 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181597 Weaknesses darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181663  I see only minor weaknesses in this song. First,  it does not dive deeply enough into the problem.  It touches on a few points, but it is quite a short song and while the chorus identifies various roles females play in life, it could focus more on the depth of the problem and perhaps even offer some suggestions to fix them. If an actual video had been included, perhaps these issues could have been made obvious visually, but Urban was in a rush to release it due to current events in the media. Perhaps a visual music video is on the way. Another weakness is that some of the lyrics are not overly optimistic.  When the song references women running the world, the idea is followed by "Do you believe it? Will you live to see it?" Suggesting that changes in the treatment of women will be slow.
(image:figtreerevolution.com]]> 2017-11-26 18:46:15 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181663 Aspect #1 of Artist's intent/meaning: Context of words have power darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181746 The expression "hits like a girl" is a common phrase that has negative intentions.  It suggests that the person is weak and not strong like a man.  It is an insult. "When you hear somebody say somebody hits like a girl/How does that hit you?/Is that such a bad thing? (Galyon, Copperman & McAnally, 2017) The song lyrics question  why hitting like a girl is a bad thing. These lyrics bring our attention to a simple, commonly used phrase that is sexist and demeaning to women. The artist's intent is that words have power and these are being used in a negative way. 
(image:runtoyourhappyplace.com

]]> 2017-11-26 18:46:48 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181746 Aspect #2 of Artist intent/meaning: Sexual harassment is wrong darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181819 The next quotation from the song "Female" calls out those who do not take rape or sexual harassment seriously. " When somebody laughs and implies that she asked for it/Just cause she was wearing a skirt/Ah, is that how that works? (Galyon, Copperman & McAnally, 2017) In a time when even the president of the United States is guilty of this, people need to speak out and place the blame where it belongs, and that is not on the victim.
(image: soundgirls.org)
]]> 2017-11-26 18:47:16 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181819 Aspect #3 of Artist Intent/meaning: Sexual Equality darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181873  "When somebody talks about how it was Adam first/Does that make you second best? Or did he save the best for last? (Galyon, Copperman & McAnally, 2017) The above quotation from the song,"Female" suggests that the idea that women are lesser than men is not a new prejudice but has been around since biblical times. The song questions whether there were improvements made when Eve was created. Just because the idea that women are the weaker sex has been around a long time, does not mean it is correct. There are different kinds of strengths.
(image:https://stacyshalom.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/adams-rib.jpg)]]> 2017-11-26 18:47:35 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181873 Overall Argument/Message of the song darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181982 The overall message of the song "Female" is that women should be treated respectfully and equally and not as sexual objects. Urban recorded this song in the wake of Hollywood females demanding that Harvey Weinstein be held accountable for decades of sexual harassment. I think that the song questions how sexist phrases, sexual inequality and
the acceptance of rape and harassment can be seen as acceptable by anyone. The song achieves this, not by lecturing but by questioning the true meaning of words uttered and thoughtless actions.]]> 2017-11-26 18:48:21 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210181982 References darcy_pounder https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210200786 2017-11-26 20:54:03 UTC https://padlet.com/darcy_pounder/pzhng6jhgmso/wish/210200786