"I'm all about that bass, bout that bass, no treble." Easily some of the catchiest lines from easily one of the catchiest singles of 2014 by new mainstream artist, Meghan Trainor. And I must say, I'm about that bass too, but not in how you think. While there are many sexual innuendos and words that dare not proceed from my mouth throughout the song, the overall premise is really what I support.
See, most of the time, our world is hampering us and our youth with what they think we should look like. That you aren't good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, cool enough, hip enough, or fill-in-the-blank enough to fit in. Or they'll say the flip side - you're too good, too smart, too pretty or handsome, etc. They have been forcing a hypersexual, conflicting viewpoint of how we should be for the past half-century. Since the turn of the 60's and 70's, where racism was really the only dividing line, we see a rapid increase in divisions within the body of youth and school children. The development of gangs and cliques grew more and more. Bullying started becoming more and more rampant in schools and suburbs. Finally, people have been making great stands and striving against bullying and hate... but even so, our retailers are pushing "keeping up with Joneses" and pushing materialism as the true source of happiness and acceptance. Clothing brands refusing beautiful women to model their clothes because they are "too fat." (Seriously? I'm pretty sure Victoria Secret made a HUGE mistake not picking up Kate Upton)
That said, I love that particular message from Meghan Trainor. It's refreshing to hear that a musician is finally making a stand, not for some completely liberal or biased cause, but for something that genuinely needs to happen and change: people accepting themselves for who they are. When people begin identifying themselves as themselves, they stop trying to compete for other peoples love and attention. They don't blow thousands of dollars trying to identify with a crowd - they're already their own crowd, and if they meet someone like themselves, they will have found a great friend indeed. They won't be chasing pipe dreams of fitting in with the hip crowd because they don't care what others think anymore.They become more confident in who they are and what they want to become as they mature into beautiful people.
After all, we Christians already know that we are made in God's image (Genesis 1:27) and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). We don't need to blow money to fit into a specific category, because we are reborn and remade when receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We belong to the one group that matters - the Bride of Christ, the Church. God loves each and everyone of us just as we were made. You are made perfect in His love, so what is there to do to try to fit in when you already do?
That's where my affections end for this song. Sure, its super fun, catchy and above all great sounding for its genre, but the rest of it's content reveals the ugly truth - it's all for the glory of sex. Just the vernacular alone is enough for me to say no. And some of the innuendos weren't needed either. "...boys like a little more booty to hold at night..." Really come on, is that you're only reason? Are we nothing more than brainless sex machines that give in to every sexual whim? I think not! And then to go and start slut shaming women that are on the opposite side of the spectrum from your build? Completely dashing a potentially powerful message.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not taking any offense here, just saddened that such a great message and desperately needed message was almost completely ruined by needless Hedonism. I really do love some parts of the song, and the music is really quite good despite it's cyclic sound. I sincerely pray that someday we will get the positive truth out on mainstream radio waves and not have it closeted in Christian circles. It's a message that everyone needs to hear, that you are accepted just the way you are in God's eyes.
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