I Know For A Fact That ‘Blurred Lines’ Is Not Sexist
It has nothing to do with male/female relations. Nor does it have anything to do with unwanted sexual advances.
Robin Thicke’s hit single, “Blurred Lines”, is not sexist. It has nothing to do with male/female relations. Nor does it have anything to do with unwanted sexual advances. Those naked women in the music video were nothing but fodder to attract viewers.
What “Blurred Lines” is really about is a man (Robin Thicke) trying to train his newly adopted dog, but said-dog refuses to behave and obey Thicke as its owner.
Let’s examine the lyrics…
Everybody get up
[Pharrell wants everybody to get up? Why? And who is everybody? Perhaps…the entire dog pound?]
Everybody get up
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
[Verse 1: Robin Thicke]
If you can’t hear what I’m trying to say
If you can’t read from the same page
[dogs can’t read – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #1]
Maybe I’m going deaf,
Maybe I’m going blind
Maybe I’m out of my mind
[Pharrell:] Everybody get up
[ordering the dog to get up]
[Pre-chorus: Robin Thicke]
OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you
[the dog’s past owner had failed at taming the animal, but Thicke refuses to give in]
But you’re an animal, baby, it’s in your nature
[we confirm that he’s speaking to an animal, and he proceeds to excuse its behavior due to its species – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #2]
Just let me liberate you
Hey, hey, hey
You don’t need no papers
[as in newspapers, which need to be set down on the floor to potty train dogs – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #3]
Hey, hey, hey
That man is not your maker
[Chorus: Robin Thicke]
And that’s why I’m gon’ take a good girl
[it is common for an owner to say, ‘good boy’ or ‘good girl’, to their pet when it is behaving well or acting likable. we can infer that the dog, due to its personality and certainly not because of its behavior, is considered a ‘good girl’ by Thicke – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #4]
I know you want it
[a treat?]
I know you want it
[a dog bone?]
I know you want it
[beggin’ strips?]
You’re a good girl
[we further establish that the dog is considered a ‘good girl’ by Thicke – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #5]
Can’t let it get past me
You’re far from plastic
[the dog is not a robot dog – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #6]
Talk about getting blasted
[smacking the dog with a rolled up newspaper? —- TW: ANIMAL ABUSE!!!!!!!!! omg]
I hate these blurred lines
[the animal has possibly urinated in a ‘line’ across Thicke’s furniture]
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
But you’re a good girl
[further proof that the dog is considered a ‘good girl’ by Thicke – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #7]
The way you grab me
[large dogs have been known to stand up on their hind-legs and grab people]
Must wanna get nasty
[Thicke mistakes the dog’s affection as it being in heat]
Go ahead, get at me
[Pharrell:] Everybody get up
[Verse 2: Robin Thicke]
What do they make dreams for
When you got them jeans on [you may be wondering about this line, but think about it – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #8]
What do we need steam for
You the hottest bitch in this place
[This is CONFIRMS everything said thus far, seeing as a ‘bitch’ is a female dog – FACTUAL EVIDENCE #9]
I feel so lucky
Hey, hey, hey
You wanna hug me
Hey, hey, hey
What rhymes with hug me?
Hey, hey, hey
[Pre-chorus: Robin Thicke] [repetition from Thicke]
OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you
But you’re an animal, baby it’s in your nature
Just let me liberate you
Hey, hey, hey
You don’t need no papers
Hey, hey, hey
That man is not your maker
Hey, hey, hey
[Chorus: Robin Thicke] [repetition from Thicke]
And that’s why I’m gon’ take a good girl
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
You’re a good girl
Can’t let it get past me
You’re far from plastic
Talk about getting blasted
[Pharrell:] Everybody get up
I hate these blurred lines [repetition from Thicke]
I know you want it
I hate them lines
I know you want it
I hate them lines
I know you want it
But you’re a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty
Go ahead, get at me
[Verse 3: T.I.]
One thing I ask of you
Let me be the one you back that ass to
Go, from Malibu, to Paris, boo
Yeah, I had a bitch, but she ain’t bad as you
So hit me up when you passing through
I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two
Swag on, even when you dress casual
I mean it’s almost unbearable
In a hundred years not dare, would I
Pull a Pharside let you pass me by
Nothing like your last guy, he too square for you
He don’t smack that ass and pull your hair like that
So I just watch and wait for you to salute
But you didn’t pick
Not many women can refuse this pimpin’
I’m a nice guy, but don’t get it if you get with me
[T.I. is into beastiality]
[Bridge: Robin Thicke]
Shake the vibe, get down, get up
[Thicke demands that the dog get up, much like Pharrell—The Dog Catcher did to the dogs at the pound]
Do it like it hurt, like it hurt
[dog possibly has arthritis and that’s why it won’t get up]
What you don’t like work?
[he thinks the dog is lazy]
[Pre-chorus: Robin Thicke]
Baby can you breathe? I got this from Jamaica
[Thicke has made the mistake of buying low grade dog food from Jamaica when he should’ve bought Pedigree]
It always works for me, Dakota to Decatur, uh huh
[his past dogs, Dakota and Decatur, loved the Jamaican dog food]
No more pretending
Hey, hey, hey
Cause now you winning
[he is beginning to lose the battle. the dog refuses to behave and comply to Thicke’s standards as a pet owner]
Hey, hey, hey
Here’s our beginning
[Chorus: Robin Thicke] [repetition from Thicke]
I always wanted a good girl
(Pharrell: Everybody get up)
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
You’re a good girl
Can’t let it get past me
You’re far from plastic
Talk about getting blasted
I hate these blurred lines
(Pharrell: Everybody get up)
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
But you’re a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty
Go ahead, get at me
[Outro: Pharrell]
Everybody get up
Everybody get up
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
It is evident that the song is about dog ownership and that Thicke is a terrible master. The love is there, but he lacks the ability to tame the animal and acts questionable when it comes to discipline. However, Thicke (not wanting to come off as a shitty dog owner) implements the characters of Pharrell (the dog catcher) and T.I. (the animal pervert) to make himself look better.
We learn, heading toward the song’s conclusion, that the dog may not be disobeying Thicke to deliberately disrespect him, but rather may be doing so due to a lack of physical capability. The dog is a good girl, but refuses to listen to its master—possibly because of arthritis.
We close the song with zero resolution. As Pharrell demands, “Everybody get up,” we learn that this cycle is destined to repeat itself forever.
So there you have it.