Little Rebellion Music

Songwriters: Kyle Jacobs, David Tolliver, Fred Wilhelm

With many of country music’s male stars trying to out-dudebro each other which each new single release, it really was just a matter of time before Jerrod Niemann, and Sea Gayle/Arista, were going to dig a little closer to rock bottom with ‘Donkey.’

First to deserve scorn are the songwriters. There is quite likely a funny song to be written about a guy who resorts to an equine mode of transport when his ride breaks down. This isn’t it.

Instead of leaving it at lighthearted fun, the main character just had to be some PUA out to impress “the ladies.” The second verse especially is ugly and crass. How do you even deal with this?
‘They dig the way I ride that ass, and I do,
you would if you could, too
They all walk funny when they’re done,
riding you know who.’
“The ladies” are not a homogenous group who all feel, think, and act in the same way. Acting like they are means you’re being sexist. If they all “walk funny,” it means you don’t know what you’re doing and should be nowhere near a woman. And not knowing the difference between a donkey and a mule means you fail Biology.

Niemann seems to have decided to pander totally to the dudebro demographic, who no doubt find this totally hilarious. That three writers had, let’s be charitable, a momentary lapse in judgement is one thing, but for Niemann to record this and preserve it forever is quite another.

I can forgive quite a lot in lyrics, and I have no problem with silly, catchy, meaning-free songs that are just meant to make people feel good. But can we please get some songs that manage to do all that without degrading women?

There is nothing wrong with writing a stupid song about an “ass.” But there is a lot wrong with acting like one.

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Liv Carter

Liv is a career coach for creatives, and the people who work with them.
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.

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