FROM ROCK 'N 'ROLL TO HARD CORE PUNK - UKZN ...

152
He got the shits, then walked out of the room
Said he'd get a better response with a broom
But his friends were told a different story,
Those bitches were looking at me
He was a loverboy, he was a loverboy.
They think they're clever
They're convinced they're smart
They won't face the fact, they're the same at heart
He pushed my ego, he had that charm
But what he tried next, could do me some harm
He was a loverboy , he was a loverboy, he was a
loverboy
That's boys and bitches
Perhaps what is most important about these songs is the extreme
directness of their lyrics. In both cases, they concern the
status of women in relation to men, and in both cases, scathing
criticism is dealt out. 'Underestimator' addresses a presumed
male listener, and condemns the trivialisation of the performer
as a 'toy', as a convenient companion whenever the listener
chooses. Furthermore, the performer asserts herself and threatens
the listener that he can expect the same treatment in future. On
a musical level, the song is sustained by a chord sequence played
on the electric guitar (enhanced by a 'reverb' pedal), with all
the voices forcefully singing the repetitive melody line. The
tone is sarcastic and biting, with the words being clearly
articulated, even spat out.
'Boys and Bitches' is communicated in much the same way as
'Underestimator'. It is a sneering indictment on the dating
expectations of men on women and on the way in which women judge
other women on moral issues. Both these songs reveal an animosity
towards the objectification of women and as such are an important
contribution to the early stages of the feminist movement in
South Africa. Punk provided a convenient outlet for the anger
women felt towards the patriarchal, conservative South African
society which was obviously present, yet unexpressed in music
until the late 1970's. Punk's leaning towards simplicity,
directness and forceful articulation was the perfect medium for
the expression of these issues.