Is Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ A Rape Song?

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock (Hi Funmie!), Robin Thicke’s song, Blurred Lines is currently America’s number one song. I love the song. But then, I love Robin Thicke, too. I can count on one hand how many albums I have bought with my money, and Robin Thicke’s 2006 album, The Evolution Of Robin Thicke is one of them.

His new hit song, Blurred Lines featuring T.I. and Pharrell is getting played and downloaded like crazy. Unfortunately, there are critics who say that the song celebrates rape. This is based on the line, “I know you want it,” which Thicke says several times. Huh???? Apparently, “I know you want it” is something that rapists say to their victims.

Having watched more episodes of Law & Order SVU than I care to admit, I am aware that “I know you want it” is a line that rapists can and do use, but that doesn’t mean that every time it is said, it’s referring to rape. Keeping it in a sexual context, isn’t this something that a person can say to his/her spouse or partner?

In response to this, Robin Thicke calls it ridiculous. I agree. He adds, “It was about blurring the lines between men and women and how much we’re the same. My wife is as strong as I am, as smart, if not smarter, stronger and she’s an animal too! She doesn’t need a man to define her or to define her existence.”

He was also criticized on having naked women in the video, an argument I find ludicrous. (This video has two versions: one with the girls topless, and the other one not topless). Have you seen rap videos recently? Have you even listened to their lyrics recently? Women are called bitches and hos, and rappers proudly talk about putting people in the ground. I guess it’s much better to be put in the ground than say words than remind people of rape.

To the criticism on the naked women, Robin Thicke apparently insisted that they shoot another video with the women clothed, but his wife, Paula Patton liked the naked version better. “My initial response actually was that I loved the clothed version! I didn’t think we should put out the naked version. And then I showed it to my wife and all of her girlfriends and they said ‘You have to put this out! This is so sexy and so cool'”

So to answer the question that is the title of this post, I say a big, fat NO. It is NOT a rape song. Watch the video below and read the lyrics after it. I got these lyrics from AZ Lyrics, so I cannot verify that they are all right, but we can at least get an idea.