LISTEN:

Artist: Marina Diamandis, better known as Marina and the Diamonds (the diamonds being her fan) is a British alt-pop singer/ songwriter. Marina released her debut album, “The Family Jewels” in 2010 to rave reviews from critics. In 2012, playing the character of a satirical 60’s home-wrecking housewife, Marina released her sophomore album “Electra Heart”, an album that rightfully mocked American pop culture and the stereotypes of the average American archetypal woman. The album spawned that American hit “Primadonna” and was Marina’s first Top 40 album in the United States.

Misconception: At first listen, you’d think Marina and the Diamonds is your average pop star. Her catchy hooks and slick production would lead most people to think she pays no attention to lyrical content. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Marina has tackled several modern day issues and stereotypes in her songs, mocking the public’s obsession with pop culture and the role women are forced to play in society. Ultimately, Marina is a lyrical genius. Her song “Sex Yeah” is the perfect example of genius.

Song: “Sex Yeah”

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
Yeah
Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
(La la la)

The song immediately begins by mocking modern day pop culture. Just about every song you hear on pop radio is about sex. Marina repeats the word “sex” as a way to lead the listener into thinking it’s another overly-sexualized, shallow pop song. However, this first line is pure satire and takes a direct jab at the shallow tendencies of today’s music.

Nothing is provocative anymore
Even for kids.

Nowadays, kids see everything. With the ability to search for any picture, video, or website via the internet, it’s almost impossible to monitor the things children see. This being said, nothing seems to phase anyone anymore. Watching people have sex on television, for instance, is not as big a deal now as it would’ve been 50 years ago.

No room for imagining
‘Cause everyone’s seen everything.

The overly-sexualized character of modern day pop culture leaves little to the imagination. Few pop stars can put on a performance without stripping down to their underwear.

“Question what the TV tells you
Question what a pop star sells you.”

In this line, Marina is taking the role of the paranoid parent. She is telling us to always question right from wrong. Just because a popular icon says or does something, does not necessarily make it right. Marina is telling us to think for ourselves. Pop culture is powerful and it is often used as a way to manipulate and brainwash people’s minds.

Question mom and question dad
Question good and question bad.

By telling us to “question” our own parents, Marina is proving that she is not being biased towards pop culture by saying it is the only thing that can be manipulative. Even our own parents may try to enforce certain values or beliefs on us that aren’t right. It is a parent’s job to steer their children in the “right direction”, but Marina is telling us that we still need to analyze things on our own and make our own decisions about right and wrong.

(Chorus):
If history could set you free (from who you were supposed to be).
If sex in our society (didn’t tell a girl who she would be).

In the first variation of the song’s chorus, Marina explains that it’s because of society’s past that women feel the need to “express themselves” by being provocative. Marina is saying that if society treated women with the same importance as men, that they wouldn’t have to go to such extremes to be noticed.

‘Cause all my life I’ve tried to fight what history has given me.

All her life, Marina has tried to fight the stigma given to her for being a woman. She doesn’t agree with the role women are told to play in society.

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
Yeah
Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
(La la la)

If women were religiously
Recognized sexually
We wouldn’t have to feel the need to show our ass (-ets),
To feel free.

As I mentioned above, Marina believes that women are not respected as much as they should be when it comes to their role in a sexual relationship. In this line, Marina is saying that if women were always considered equal to men (on or off the bed), they wouldn’t have to rebel by stripping butt naked. Here, Marina delivers a clever use of words. She separates the word “assets” into two separate parts, “ass” and “ets” so that it sounds like she is saying “Show our ass, it’s to feel free.” Both variations mean the same thing.

Been there, done that
Got the t-shirt.

This line could potentially refer to how actively Marina supports women’s rights. When someone buys “the t-shirt” for a certain cause, they usually strongly support it.

Sold my soul
And yeah the truth hurts.

Here, Marina taunts those who believe in “The Illuminati” and have said Marina is part of it. This line also expresses how strongly Marina supports the rights of women. She is so devoted to getting her rights that she “sold her soul” to the cause. She’s devoted every last bit of herself to become a liberated woman.

Tired image of a star,
Acting naughtier than we really are.

Pop stars often “act naughty” as a way to sell their product, whether that be a record or a movie. Here, Marina lumps herself in with the crowd of “stars”, confessing that she is not free of guilt. This is another example of how women feel the need to act out as a way to be recognized because society does not treat them the way we should.

If history could set you free (from who you were supposed to be)
If sex in our society (didn’t tell a guy who he should be).

In the second variation of the chorus, Marina tells us that men are often told what role they should play (much like women) in society. Men in society are told that they should provide for women and that, in return, they rule over women. Marina says that this is wrong and that, just like women, men should think for themselves.

‘Cause all my life I’ve tried to fight what history has given me.

Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
Yeah
Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex, sex
(La la la)

All my life I’ve felt it deep inside of me
All this time was fighting for what I believe
All my life I’ve tried to hide what history has given me.

Marina, as she says in the chorus, has always felt like she was treated inferior to men. She never considered this right or natural. Marina firmly believes that just because she is a woman does not mean she is less important or capable of accomplishment than men are.

(Chorus 1 & 2 repeat)

Conclusion: Marina believes that if people were not so heavily influenced by pop culture and the way the history of pop culture depicts the role of genders, that women and men would be treated equally, both in the work force and in sex. Don’t allow others to think for you. Think for yourself. If Marina hadn’t steered away from the common mindset of society, she never would’ve understood how important a person she is.