By Loud Atlas
Let's start this playlist of stereotypes musically, with a musician. Thin Lizzy have a stereotypical musician. Not a harpist, flautist or an organist. The one with the guitar, the mic and the crowd in the palm of their hand. They have The Rocker who likes to rock. Hard. He'll take no lip, but he'll take the girl.
Peggy Lee introduces us to the female stereotype in I Enjoy Being A Girl. Endearing clichés of pearls, honey, flowers and lace abound. It's daintily done with a stereotypically romantic Latin accompaniment. Rodgers and Hammerstein's showtune celebrates the traditional values of womanhood and the stereotype of musicals galore: boy meets girl and love ensues.
Would Peggy Lee's girl fall in love with the boy from The Specials' Stereotype? A beer-guzzling, party-going social creature who embraces the masculinity that goes hand-in-hand with the male stereotype. Peggy wouldn't be impressed. There's a moral to be learnt here: don't embrace your own stereotype too much!
Stereotyping as a perpetual cycle is a theme in Papaoutai ('Dad Where Are You?') by Strombae. Whether physically or emotionally, the stereotypical absent father is evident, but will the child break the cycle when he grows up and becomes a father himself?
En Vogue, rather emphatically, want us to bin all stereotypes in Free Your Mind. “Why oh why must it be this way?'“ they sing, as they fight back against stereotyping.
The stereotype of the Girl In A Country Song is highlighted Country-style by Maddie & Tae. They're more than just their stereotype and the male-dominated genre they're a part of. A terrific video to boot.
A large figure darkens the doorway: six foot two, and four hundred pounds of Wookie-esque male. But don't worry, it's only Matt Andersen. He's here to tell us that big guys aren't stereotypical bad guys in One Size Never Fits.
Music as a way to pinpoint a particular country or way of life is up next. Sylvia Vrethammar looks forward to a Spanish holiday in Y Viva España. Matadors, señoritas and castanets await her. Olé!
Big Bill Broonzy, typically bluesy, discusses the stereotypical experience of working men in Black, Brown and White. Bill doesn't get much luck, but listen to find out how the white folk get on. Sound familiar?
Joni Mitchell presents to us a guitar-twinkling world of stereotypical hippies in Ladies of the Canyon. But is it too good to be true, and can one stay within that seemingly idyllic world? Ben Folds presents a counter argument with The Ascent of Stan. An ageing hippie has turned into the stereotype he was trying to fight against - the mainstream man.
Yours might not be from Mississippi, but a stereotypical family gathering is one we all can relate to. The arguments, the chattering, the nittering and the nattering flood our ears. Bobbie Gentry is having a very raucous Reunion. Listen out for the aunt-like figures gossiping in the background!
Renowned for their songs about love and romance in their early days, The Beatles took a step away from that stereotype by recording Nowhere Man. We hear of a figure who's restrained, indecisive and lost. Lennon asks 'Isn't he a bit like you and me?'. Why, yes, John - he could very well be us. The human race: the biggest pigeonhole there is. Or am I just stereotyping?
Atypical Stereotypical A-List Playlist:
Thin Lizzy - The Rocker (philipphilip99)
Peggy Lee - I Enjoy Being A Girl (severin)
The Specials - Stereotype (Nicko)
Stromae - Papaoutai (swawilg)
En Vogue - Free Your Mind (swawilg)
Maddie & Tae - Girl In A Country Song (SweetHomeAlabama)
Matt Andersen - One Size Never Fits (tincanman2010)
Sylvia Vrethammar - Y Viva España (pejepeine)
Big Bill Broonzy - Black, Brown and White (Nicko)
Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon (amylee)
Ben Folds - The Ascent of Stan (Fred Erickson)
Bobbie Gentry - Reunion (ParaMhor)
The Beatles - Nowhere Man (severin)
Black is Not What It Seems B-List Playlist:
Kool & the Gang - Open Sesame (Part 1) (pejepeine)
Flanders and Swann - A Song of Patriotic Prejudice (severin)
The Whatnauts - Message from a Black Man (SweetHomeAlabama)
Blur - Stereotypes (ParaMhor)
Johnny Cash - The Ballad of Ira Hayes (SweetHomeAlabama)
Monty Python - The Lumberjack Song (Uncleben)
Consolidated - Typical Male (Nicko)
Lord Kitchener - If You're Not White, You're Black (Nicko)
Septic Psychos - Not Racist, Just Bald (Carpgate)
The Jam - Saturday's Kids (Shivsidecar)
The Gourds - Gin and Juice (happyclapper)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden (pejepeine)
Tom Lehrer - National Brotherhood Week (Suzi)
Guru's Wildcard Picks:
Dario G - Carnaval de Paris
Queen Latifah (feat. Monie Love) - Ladies First
Bad Religion - Portrait of Authority
Original Broadway Cast of The Book of Mormon - I Am Africa
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Typecast? Songs about stereotypes. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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