“The Girls” Versus “The Boys”
By Colin McNeil
You might remember a tune about a year back called “The Girls” by Scottish singer/songwriter Calvin Harris. If not, I’ll refresh your memory. The chorus goes along the lines of “I get all the girls, I get all girls” repeated ad infinitum. The track was a single, and had a video. Check it out
here.
The video is something isn’t it? About a dozen girls dressed exactly the same, in varying motifs, moving in unison while Calvin Harris sort stands around and muddles through his own song. The obvious question is does the video for “The Girls” marginalize women? Personally, I give Mr. Harris a pass on this one on the grounds that the dancers don’t seem to be objectified so much as they’re part of a stylistic direction the video is shooting for.
Recently, Canadian artist Dragonette released a cover of Harris’s song. She titled hers “The Boys.” I’m sure you can guess what it’s about. Watch fan made promotional video
here.
So, there you have it. Is Dragonette’s reworked cover an appropriate female response to “The Girls?” I’ve been told she has a significant gay following, so maybe it’s more a gay response than a feminist one.
