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Jason Lewis

Simon Workman

ENG 1201.539

16 February 2020

Sex & Rock N’ Roll

Times have changed regarding sexual openness in the United States. This is reflected

very much with the history of our music. One example of this is the song, “I Love Rock N’

Roll”. There have been a few versions of this song over the years. The two versions of this song

that we will focus on is released by Joan Jett in 1981 and Britney Spears in 2001. Both songs are

powerfully performed. The version done by Joan Jett reflects the time with a more rebel girl feel.

As formidable as that may have been, it was innocent and mild compared to the version done by

Britney Spears. Britney’s version surpasses Joan’s version in the seductive department. So how

did this happen? Our idea of what is acceptable has changed immensely over the years.

First, lets take at look at each video individually. The first, a version done by Joan Jett

was released in 1980. The dance, hair styles, clothing and conduct are typical of that era. The

story is about a girl playing out a possible scenario in a bar. She peers into an empty bar and the

next thing you know she is in a different outfit with a band and giving a rock performance to a

large engaged audience. She sings about noticing a guy and him noticing her. Eventually they

leave or she suggests they leave together. At the conclusion, she is leaving the once again empty

bar with a man and wearing her original clothing. The next version we will discuss is the video

done by Britney Spears in 2001. The story of this video is that the singer is turned on by Rock N’

Roll music. Britney is the focus and basically the only character for almost the entire video. The
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basis of this entire video is sex and Rock N’ Roll music. It shows how music can be used to

seduce. The reasons provided by the video are many. The singer is dressed in seductive clothing

while dancing in a seductive way. She also incorporates her props well to exaggerate this by

straddling the motorcycle and hold the microphone in a way that could be interpreted as a phallic

symbol.

The song is the same and the words do not change. So how do two identical songs convey

such different messages and what has caused this change? The delivery. One entertainer who is a

great example over the years is Madonna. Her first music video released in 1989 “Express

Yourself”. Although Madonna has always had sex in the forefront of her performances, you can

defiantly see her transform over the years. How the props are used in each video reflect the level

of sex. Joan Jett looks deep into the camera and leans against the jukebox. Britney on the other

hand is in a skimpy outfit, down in the floor, and on her hands and knees crawling. This may not

seem to be significant or a big deal. If we think back to when we were growing up, we may

realize just how much what is deemed acceptable to our society has influenced us today. Other

examples of this are commercials. There was a day when things like underwear, bras, tampons,

and condoms were not allowed to be advertised on television. This is funny to think of today.

Each generation seems to push the envelope more and more. Whether you are happy or unhappy

with this, one thing is for certain, a change of what is accepted has changed.

The relationship between the two videos are strong. They send the same message using

the same allure. The claims are somewhat similar with Joan Jett’s version having more of a

storyline. The video done by Britney Spears is more effective than the one done by Joan Jett.

Britney gives a much more seductive performance and amplifies her sex appeal with wardrobes

and props. Britney also has the focus mainly with herself in the spotlight. Joan uses her talents of
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basic dance and her aggression which is very effective as well. However, Joan does not display

as much sexual appeal or dance moves as Britney. Joan also has many more people in her video

which may serve as a distraction from her. Both versions appeal to the same audiences. Each one

is done at different times and is reflected by the clothing style as well as the level of acceptability

of sexuality in the videos. Possibly a remake was done for Britney to express this with her own

individuality and with much more sexual freedom than Joan was able to. Pathos is the appeal

used in both videos. Both videos are mainly about sexual relationships and emotional influences

of music.

In Joan Jett & the Blackhearts version of “I Love Rock N’ Roll”, sex and rock music are

the complete focus. The setting for her video takes place in the city. It happens in a bar with a

jukebox and musical instruments. Herself, her band and many bar patrons are in this video. The

story of the video takes place during the day and with heavy traffic outside. The target audience

is the younger/adolescent group, “he must’ve been about 17” (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts). In

her video and song, it claims that rock n’ roll music is sexy or can lead to a sexual encounter if in

an opportunist setting. Her musical style is classic rock. Her video is done with a slight dream

like hint that this performance was just a dream. This is suggested by her wearing different

clothes and peering into an all but empty bar. Once inside her word robe changes and the bar is

full of patrons. At the conclusion she leaves an empty bar with only one person with her and her

clothing back to the original.

In Britney Spears version of “I Love Rock N’ Roll”, sex is definitely the focus of the

video. The video takes place entirely on a stage. The characters in the video are Britney Spears

and band members. Props used in her video are a microphone, musical instruments, oversized
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amplifiers, confetti, word robe, and a motorcycle. Her musical style is a combination of Pop and

Rock music. The target audience is younger generation and adolescent. The claim is Rock N’

Roll music is seductive. One obvious difference is how the social atmosphere changed

drastically. This helps prove the point of acceptance change. The earlier video shows a group of

people verses the later with a female the sole focal point. This very thing may reflect

independence verses safety in numbers. I also find it odd that with technology advancing as it

has that Britney Spears needs a microphone to sing into and Joan Jett does not. This is obviously

not because she needs the microphone but rather an opportunity to use a prop and turn it into a

sexual object. Of course, the humping action done by Britney on the motorcycle goes without

saying what she is implying.

The changes that have occurred over the year about what is okay and what is not

is apparent in all areas. Everything from commercials to music videos to movies to television

have been flooded with things not to long ago considered inappropriate. This is just a sample of

how something as simple as comparing two versions of the same song done at different times can

tell us so much about ourselves. The slightest details can have a significant influence on the

messages we are trying to communicate. I fully believe in something that was once said to me,

“What is considered deviant today will be the norm of tomorrow”.

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Works Cited

Britney Spears. “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll.” 2001. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITuOddPeYoc&feature=share

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. “I Love Rock N Roll.” 1980. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBRwZbAKMpU&feature=share