Analyzing the Empowering Message of "The Man" by Taylor Swift
Known as one of the best music writers of the past decade, continuing to break world records for downloads and sold out arenas, Taylor Swift has been at the forefront of the music industry for quite some time. With seven records under her belt, four Grammy’s, and the youngest artist to ever win album of the year, Taylor is known for breaking barriers. One thing she has been especially known for is her songwriting about her personal life and experiences. With her seventh album debuted in August of 2019, the world saw a different side of her both in her songwriting and opinions. Taylor Swift has been known for keeping quiet about controversial subjects. She does not do a lot of interviews, and keeps her life as private as possible. Since the release of her album in 2019, Taylor has been very vocal about where she stands in her political views, as well as gender discrimination and sterotypes. Enacting petitions for the public to sign, speaking at events and even talking to people of political power. While Swift continues to break barriers in the music industry, she is also breaking them with the power of her voice to stand up for the things she believes in. In her newest album Lover, Swift writes a lot of meaningful songs that include topics about politics, human rights and love . Track number 4 titled “The Man'' sends a message to all of the public, particularly men that if she were a man, she would not have to live through the double standards women face daily. While examining the elements of the audience, tone, purpose, and supporting materials in The Man by Taylor Swift, this essay will shed light on the objective of this artifact.
Taylor Swift has been known in the tabloids for being seen with a new man every other month. The audience for this song is for every male and writer who has dissed her and her career. Taylor Swift has been seen leaving parties and has been caught by paparazzi photographers with a lot of different male celebrities in the past ten years. Within minutes of the photos hitting the internet the world is buzzing with articles claiming “Taylor Swift is dating a new man again.” Would it be crazy to assume that if she were a man seen with a new girl that she would be praised for that? On track four of her new album titled “The Man” the three minute and ten second song written by Taylor Swift and produced by Joel little, Swift takes us on a compelling journey of how the media would react to her if she were a man. The song is looking at her life in the perspective of being a man and what that would be like. The chorus that is repeated three times throughout the duration of the song says “I'm so sick of running as fast as I can, Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man. And I'm so sick of them coming at me again 'Cause if I was a man, then I'd be the man I'd be the man I'd be the man.” This chorus is examining the purpose of the entirety of the song. She explains to the audience that since she is a female, she is running as fast as she can to get to the finish line so she can be the best in the industry while trying to make it to the top. Which means that she is having to work twice as hard for her fame than a man would. She is speaking out to the public that if she were a man, she would not be getting shamed in tabloids and they would not be coming after her for every move she makes. Swift goes on to repeat in her chorus “'Cause if I was a man, then I'd be the man, I'd be the man, I'd be the man”. This line in her chorus is examining the double standards she is facing. Swift would be praised for her work and choices on a greater scale if she were a male. The audience for this song is directed at males and especially males in the entertainment industry. Even though Taylor is famous beyond words there is still a higher ranking of status that she will never be able to achieve. This is not due to her talents and achievements, this is due to the industry faulting her for completely normal actions that would be put on a pedestal if she were a male. The song is also an anthem to women who have felt less than in any type of situation where a male has dominated it, due to thinking he had the power. A lyric that demonstrates that is “They'd paint me out to be bad. So it's okay that I'm mad” Swift is expressing to the audience that it is okay for women to feel this way and we should not feel less than or treated unfairly for something that would be perfectly acceptable if a male were to do it. Women are allowed to feel this way without being criticized. With Taylor Swift having the influence she does over the music industry this song is bound to be one of the best in the entertainment world. The song lyrics are a small step in the right direction by pointing out the double standards men in our society have created.
The tone Swift uses in this song is frustrated and angry. The song “The Man'' Taylor writes a lyric about a particular famous male in Hollywood “And we would toast to me, oh, let the players play I'd be just like Leo, in Saint-Tropez.” While men in Hollywood are out partying in expensive places across the world, Taylor is getting slut shamed for hanging out with a guy. Another lyric that expresses her angry tone is “If I was out flashin' my dollas I'd be a bitch, not a baller. They'd paint me out to be bad. So it's okay that I'm mad” Taylors tone in this lyric states that it is okay to feel the frustration and anger of the double standards but if she feels this feeling too publicly she is deemed as a bitch and too outspoken. This is a feeling I know some women face daily because they feel like they are not allowed to speak up on certain things. Females do not want to give off the impression of being too outspoken or criticized for the way they feel about certain topics. Taylor Swift's voice in the song is to the point and assertive. I can feel the emotion in her voice when hearing it. She is also very passionate about what she is singing in the song because she has had to deal with tabloids and nasty articles written about her through the years.
The purpose of this song is an ode to the public to open up their eyes and see the gender discrimation that is going on around us . Taylor has been known for her long list of lovers. In the beginning of the song she states “They'd say I played the field before I found someone to commit to.” If a man were to have a long list of lovers, he would be high fived across the board. The next line goes onto to talk about the benefits and the titles that males get in our society “I would be complex, I would be cool” and “I'd be a fearless leader i'd be an alpha type.” This line is stating that men are praised for dominating the world and being a leader. It would be impossible for a female to be given these roles because our society has given men the roles of being fearless and alphas over women. The purpose that she is trying to make is to bring awareness to how our society praises men in an unhealthy way. Another point she is trying to bring awareness to is the strong sexist stereotypes that go on, not even in the music industry but the world in general. “They'd say I hustled Put in the work They wouldn't shake their heads And question how much of this I deserve What I was wearing, if I was rude, Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves.” These lyrics in from the song demonstrate more of the double standards women face. For instance, the line “They'd say I hustled Put in the work, They wouldn't shake their heads And question how much of this I deserve.” Taylor Swift has been known in the media to not have as strong of a voice as many other singers. In this particular line she is trying to make it evident that if she were a man she would be praised for all of the hard work she puts in. If she were a male in the industry she is saying that she would not get questioned by the media if she really deserves all the fame she has built up for herself. The line in the song “What I was wearing, if I was rude.” goes to show that women are judged for their outfits. The purpose of her writing this lyric in the song is because women are criticized for too much or even sometimes not enough skin showing. For example, dress codes in some high schools around the United States have banned females from wearing strapless shirts or tank tops because it could distract the males from learning. Females should be not shamed for what they wear. Males are allowed to go around shirtless but females are sent home from school for wearing a tank top. Taylor is trying to show the world that females are discriminated against for so many different things.
In Taylor Swift’s song she uses a lot of metaphors and allusions. In the lyric “When everyone believes ya, What's that like?” We hear stories daily about rapes and sexual harasament cases. If one goes onto the internet there are tweets and articles about females being sexually harassed and even raped. Men are getting away with these violent acts. She alludes in her song that men are always the ones getting out of things because people believe them, even if females are stating they did something horrific like raped or even harassed them. By calling this out she is opening up an entire debate about how our political system has to change and give women a platform to be heard. Another allusion that is mentioned is “I'd be just like Leo, in Saint-Tropez” She is referring to Leonardo Dicaprio one of hollywood's most famous actors. He takes lavish trips around the world with many models. The public has seen these trips but never once was he labeled and or shamed for his actions. Putting his name into this song was beneficial because it lets everyone know the extent of how severe this problem is in our society. Referring to one of the most famous males in hollywood this sheds light on how drastic the double standards are for women. If any famous females were seen taking multiple men on a trip, they would be deemed a slut for doing such a thing. A metaphor that is repeated throughout the entirety of the song is if “I was a man then I would be the man. She is comparing herself to a man throughout the whole song. She is putting herself in the power position of what it would be like if she had her talents and success in a male body. She did this to allude to the fact that men are praised in our society even if they are complete players. An Anaphora in this song that is relevant throughout the duration is the lyric “I’d be the man” it is said nineteen different times. This is used so many times to put the emphasis on the entire song. Taylor is using the same line over and over again to draw attention to it. She feels that if she were a man most of her career and good ideas would never come into question and or debated. Another metaphor that is mentioned “ I'm so sick of running As fast as I can (as fast as I can)” She is not actually running this metaphor examines the feeling of being out breath wondering if she is doing enough. The words “as fast as I can”, can also mean that she is always trying to come up with new songs and create new albums to try and stay relevant in the music industry.
