Initially, I was going to discuss how Bob Dylan has shaped American culture. There were too many television shows to choose from (and too many that I wouldn't bother to watch, no matter how culturally relevant they are), far too many films to choose from, and far too many artists to choose from. Everything that came from this country is essentially reflective of the culture at some point or another. The band Nirvana set out to make music, and in popularizing a genre, also created a fashion craze with plaid and torn jeans. Britney Spears made people feel comfortable enough to bare their stomachs. Bob Dylan not only inspired so many singer-songwriters, but he was socially aware and strove to make changes, two aspects of his fame that have been widespread. I thought him to be the perfect candidate. That was, however, until I saw this:
Christina Aguilera has an amazing voice. She is a great talent. I'm not particularly a fan; I leaned more towards Britney myself. But there is no denying her talent. That's not what I'm going to discuss, though. Let's discuss, instead, how insanely desperate and reused this entire video seems to be.
Aguilera has said numerous times that she is a sexual person and that she doesn't shy away from expressing her sexuality. Cool beans. That would explain her raunchy 2002 video for single "Dirrty." If anything, that video defined Aguilera as the risktaker among her pop star colleagues. But while she is all about the sex, she also has integrity and talent. It makes one wonder why the hell she would make a video that is so quick and bright and glaringly a rehash of several other videos. The white backdrop that the video uses is oddly reminiscent of Lady Gaga's recent epic video for "Bad Romance." As is the fire and the hair and the red lingerie and the sunglasses. Several scenes from Aquilera's video seem to be pulled straight from Madonna's 1989 video for "Express Yourself." Considering that I was born in 1989, I didn't catch the older inspirations, but the more recent ones stuck out like sore thumbs. It was almost comical, considering how Aguilera has publicly denounced the comparisons between her and Lady Gaga.
In addition to the video feeling like a mashup of so many sexually-charged ones before it, it just seemed SO sexually-charged. The making out on the bed was uncomfortable. The product placement was awkward. The ball-and-gag number was, albeit pretty cool, so very forced. Everything about this video seemed forced. Frame 1 was "Look, it's me,"; frame 2 was "Look, it's me again, but sexier"; frame 3 was "Wow, can you believe how incredibly sexual I am?" So many controversial scenes were forced into three minutes and nine seconds and it showed.How does this relate back to American culture, you ask? You don't need to ask, you probably already know. Our culture is made up of recycling trend thieves, sex-obsessed teenagers and desperate attention-havers. Everyone says fashion trends come back every other decade or so. What they mean to say is that one kid will look at his dad's old pictures and start dressing like he did so that he can set himself apart from everyone else. Someone would see him and copy and it would spiral out of control. The clothes worn today are a blend of the styles from the 70s and the 80s. But it has become its own trend. Christina wears shiny leather unitards and odd-patterned leotards, made popular (once again) by Beyoncé. The song itself is an electropop banger, a take on the genre that has consumed the radio for the past two or three years. The sex appeal is an attempt at attracting controversy and attention, which worked. Much like with "Dirrty" in 2002, Christina has been thrown back onto the mat because she knows how to work the system. She usually does so with sex though, not with capitalizing on the popular trends of the moment, that being electropop, leotards, and abstract imagery.
The example above shows just how many images "Not Myself Tonight" has borrowed, and those are just from two of Madonna's videos. This entry doesn't intend to diminish Christina Aguilera's talent or image. I happen to like the video for what it is. It's a pop video. I don't think we'll be talking about it in ten years like we will be with Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" or Beyoncé's "Single Ladies." It is, however, timely enough to serve as a representation of American culture as I know it - a recycling wheel. Sort of.
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