Reading Too Deeply into Rebecca Black's Friday

I am a lazy butt. I know that, and I'm sorry. But here it is... Finally. And as the video has been taken down, I am unable to reference anything but the lyrics. Here we go...

This song at its heart is about the constraints and expectations thrust upon every member of society. Rebecca sings "7am, waking up in the morning, Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs, Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal," commenting on not only the regimental and strict schedule that all members of society are forced to endure once old enough to go to school until the time that they retire, but also the strictness of this routine.

>>7am waking up in the morning

The even hour is as good as saying 7:00 sharp, and the manner that she wakes up and immediately begins to sing creates the illusion of the automated person, someone who has no will or choice.

>>Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs

She then goes on to list the requirements of her state of being- she has to be fresh, as do we all, for sloppiness in dress and other such manners give the impression of a vagabond.


>>Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal


Commercialism, plain and simple.

>>Seein’ everything, the time is goin’
>>Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’



She now transcends her restrictive routine, "seeing everything." In the background, everyone is rushing, no time to notice the things around them, no time to relax, no time to stop and consider what they are doing-- just sticking to a regimented schedule, day after day.

>>Gotta get down to the bus stop
>>Gotta catch my bus, I see my friends (My friends)

 More things that she is forced to do, more expectations to uphold. Things that must be done.

>>Kickin’ in the front seat
>>Sittin’ in the back seat
>>Gotta make my mind up
>>Which seat can I take?

Here, the first thing that you will notice when watching the video is the futility of the question. There is only a backseat seat left, sitting in the front would lead to her sitting on the dashboard or other such thing. It is a metaphor for the duties that we all are pushed into due to expectations and social limitations. Which seat to take is as poignant a question as whether or not one should try to help someone in need, or whether to go to college. It is a fight between expectations and limitations.

In the chorus, Friday is the light at the end of the tunnel of futility, or is it? Everyone is looking forward to the weekend because it is an escape from the mundane routine of life, but on another level this desire is also expected, programmed, and the partying is again a simulacrum of life. Fun fun fun? I think not.

I'm going to quit while I'm behind considering how ridiculous this is. And late. *shrug*

Thanks for reading if you did. And sorry for making your brain hurt from the awful of the post. >.<