Internationally adored, John Mayer is famous for hits such as “Your Body is a Wonderland,” “Say,” and “Waiting on the World to Change.” But not all of his various pop, rock, and country songs carry lighthearted and positive messages. Personally, I find some of the lyrics in Mayer’s “Daughters” inappropriately suggestive of what a woman’s place should be. Here’s a breakdown of some of the song’s more problematic lines.
• “Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too”
Here’s the thing: Yes, some girls do chose to be lovers, and yes, some also decide to have children. But there is no standardized path that we have to take, just as neither option necessarily depends on the other. It is perfectly okay for a woman to be in a relationship and not desire children, just as it is perfectly okay for a woman to be a single mother.
• “Boys, you can break
You’ll find out how much they can take
Boys will be strong
And boys soldier on
But boys would be gone without the warmth from
A woman’s good, good heart”
Apparently (and in contrast to boys), girls are delicate creatures who people must tiptoe around. Unlike boys, we fall apart once we’ve reached our limits, and we certainly aren’t strong enough to “soldier on.” Luckily for them, boys still have “a woman’s good, good heart” to keep them going. Thanks, John.
• “On behalf of every man
Looking out for every girl
You are the god and the weight of her world”
Possibly intended to come off as avuncular advice for up-and-coming young men, these lines actually sound more like something you’d find on the packaging for a Tamagotchi toy. “WARNING: Product is entirely dependent on user for care and sustenance. Beware of negligence.” Not to mention the fact that comparing men/husbands/boyfriends/friends to deities can’t be too good for their egos.
I’m not going to pretend that I don’t still listen to John Mayer’s music. I do, however, believe that it is important to look out for the kind of language he uses and to recognize similar themes in other pop artists’ songs. Like most songs, books, and other works of art, the interpretation lies in the hands of the audience.
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