Warning- may not be what lyrics are actually about.
It's our third edition of "Dissecting the Lyrics." Now, I'm no Belieber but I have been led to understand that this kid is the Morrissey of today; his lyrics spanning themes as far-reaching as cultural zeitgeists to the decline of the baby-boom generation. So, I thought it'd be a good idea to take out one of his songs and see it means- it's like an English class, only you've chosen to click into this:
"Boyfriend"
If I was your boyfriend, I'd never let you go
I can take you places you ain't never been before
Baby take a chance or you'll never ever ever know
I got money in my hands that I'd really like to blow
Swag swag swag, on you
Chillin by the fire while we eatin' fondue
Bieber claims he is something of the ideal boyfriend, perhaps a bit clingy but promising nevertheless. He can take "you" (and he makes the song universal by not placing in a name) anywhere you would like to go; perhaps Rome, Florence, Paris, San Francisco, Madagascar, Tokyo, Ground Zero- "anywhere." We are asked to take a chance because otherwise we'll never know. Personally, I think he could have provided the details of an ex's experience in his vice-like grip to illustrate the magnitude of these aformentioned promises but maybe he didn't have the time, maybe they're not willing to speak- after all, he is messing about in brothels these days. There must be a reason...
I am getting distracted however- we're just going to have to assume he's a man of his word. He claims he has a lot of money- I think his accountant(s) will back him up on that. He also says he'd like to "blow" it- we know he's not tightfisted (surely, you've read of his lavish ferraris) so maybe, yes, this is the real deal. But for someone who randomly utters "swag swag swag" after... I mean, are we really supposed to trust him as a boyfriend? It sounds like he's desperate for a partner and thinks his monetary gains will entice us. This is a very materialistic and shallow image, compounded by the image of us chilling by the fire eating fondue- "us" being used for convenience of structure rather than out of interest, that is...
Tell me what you like yeah tell me what you don't
I could be your Buzz Lightyear fly across the globe
I don't never wanna fight yeah, you already know
Imma make you shine bright like you're laying in the snow
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What I do like: Good music.
What I don't: Justin Bieber
Now, the real issue begins with the lyric about Buzz Lightyear. Is this being directed towards a child now? I knew the song was getting a bit shallow and "swag" oriented but suddently, we're hit with this pang of darkness? It's not even necessary. And the fact that he doesn't "never" want to fight only serves to confuse and distort our image of this relationship. Maybe he was offering all these things to a child so as to lure them into a false sense of security? When done with them, he will simply dispose of them in the "snow"- like in The Lovely Bones. I don't know about you Bieber but I don't think people "shine" when they're dead. I think that's very morbid, indeed. It seems I have been dreadfully misinformed about your lyrics.
The refrain-line "If i was your boyfriend, I'd never let you go" takes on a much more sinister tone now, devoid of sympathy for the victims of the scandals that have plagued our own country and many more. This is also probably why we can't get any references from his ex-partners; because they're dead... Dissecting the lyrics of Bieber has been a harrowing experience, to say the least.
