1980’s pop star Prince Rogers Nelson, better known by his pseudonym, ‘Prince’ is a recording artist whose image and songs are perceived as provocative and explicit. Prince’s songs, such as ‘Kiss’, ‘Soft and Wet’ and ‘Head’ were viewed with controversy, as the topic of sex in the 80s was not as openly accepted and direct as it is in present day media. Released in 1983, ‘Little Red Corvette’ was Prince’s first song to make Top 10 charts in the US. It can be argued that the song’s denotation describes an overly sexualized woman whom Prince feels is ruining her life with her promiscuity. The topic of sex is softened and disguises the explicit nature of the song, making it subjective to the individual listener so people are able to interpret the song in their own way based on existing knowledge. The lyrics can be interpreted differently according to age of the listener, for instance, a mother between the ages of 30-50 years old and her daughter around the age of 10-15 years old, both living in the USA during the 1980s. Both mother and daughter will have opposing thoughts on the sexual metaphors and euphemisms that raise the topic of sexual influence, awareness and knowledge, and the effect they actually have on the listener.
In circa 1980s USA, attitudes towards sex were mixed. Two decades earlier the sexual revolution and women’s rights movement, fueling sexual freedom, lead to the 70s where casual sex was widely accepted. As a result, the 80s brought increased teen pregnancy rates and most significantly, the AIDS pandemic that sparked realization of the consequences of sex, and prompted safer sex. In ‘Little Red Corvette’, Prince warns the woman, “baby you’re much too fast” and that she might “run your little red corvette right to t...
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...the lyrics’ meaning and interpret them differently; she may just be attracted to the song and its musical components, Prince as an artist or because her peers like it. However, if she were to be influenced by the lyrics, Prince and his image, with emphasis from peers becoming more sexually aware, the sexual references may start becoming apparent. This may promote her in maturing faster, thereby missing out on important childhood experiences that ensure a stable adulthood. The mother should be aware of these changes in attitudes toward sex, be open and accepting enough to guide her daughter so she does not grow up too naïve or mature too fast.
Works Cited
Sternheimer, K. (2009, October 19). Everyday Sociology Blog. Everyday Sociology Blog. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http://nortonbooks.typepad.com/everydaysociology/2009/10/sex-its-not-what-it-used-to-be.html
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Wouters, C. "Balancing Sex and Love since the 1960s Sexual Revolution." Theory, Culture & Society 15.3 (1998): 187-214. Print.
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White, Valerie. "Sex talk." The Humanist Sept.-Oct. 2012: 5. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
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Milstein, Susan A. Taking Sides Clashing Views in Human Sexuality. Ed. William J. Taverner and Ryan W. McKee. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
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Kendal, Diana. "Sex and Gender." Sociology in Our Times 3.Ed. Joanna Cotton. Scarborough: Nelson Thomson, 2004. 339-367
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