God Help the Singles
Lyrics by Tiffany Gibbons
Ukulele by Gaby Griggs
I don't know if you can hear me
or if you even care
I don't know if you would listen
to a loner's prayer
Yes I know I'm disappointing
I shouldn't speak to you
Still I go to school and wonder
What is up at BYU??
God help the singles
the touch starved and scared
Tell them they're someone
don't need to be shared
God help the white men
who think they're all that
Who gives them the right to
tell girls they're fat?
I ask for nothing
the bar is so low
I just wanna be respected
and be able to say no
God help the singles
who want something more
I am not only
an incubator
I chose to remix God Help the Outcasts from the Hunchback of Notre Dame (which came out in 1996), including the album title seen in the music video from the musical (admittedly newer but the remix is of the original song, sort of a remix of a reboot (video found
here)). As we just passed Valentine's day, the identity of being a single person has been on my mind a lot. Here at BYU, we are told often that we need to be doing more and putting ourselves out there, and every single day there are multiple people around us getting engaged (sometimes to people they haven't known for very long). I have often felt like an outcast for being so hopelessly single at my age (22, oh my goodness *so old*). This song obviously is talking about such a real issue, coming from a vulnerable and oppressed group, and putting my silly perspective and lyrics into such a heavy song was both entertaining and enlightening. On a deeper level, though, I have recently had many experiences in which I have been reduced to a body with reproductive/pleasure-giving potential because I am a woman (sometimes even outrightly to my face). This is a silly remix on the surface, but the product of a lot of hurt and shame that I experience on a daily basis as a woman. Unfortunately, I can only joke about it because getting too real or actually complaining usually gets judged to be 'shrill', 'dramatic', or 'hysterical'. The arts have become a sanctuary for me, where I can express both the lightness and laughter as well as the genuine pain from things I experience. This project gave me an opportunity to try a new medium (I often sing in church but tend to stay away from recording my voice for fear of major cringing) as well as exploring on a deeper level some of the struggles I've been having with my identity recently. I would like to do a similar project with my own students, inviting them to re-write lyrics to explore an identity of their own. This allows them to steer these conversations and explorations rather than me telling them what they should be feeling.
Tiffany, this is awesome and so topical to our culture. I converted at 22 and was so thrown off and quite frankly offended by the constant badgering of why I wasn't married yet, or the assumption that because I am not married it must have been because I just served a mission and now I will get married right away. I am so, SO sorry that some people have reduced you to nothing but your body, rather than the beautiful soul you are. I loved how topical this is to BYU and LDS culture and how much so many can connect to it. Love you.
ReplyDeleteI love this so much!! Not only is it funny, it offers brutal commentary on the unfortunate culture here at BYU. So relatable. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this, not only because I adore that movie and that song, but because I think it is such a fitting prayer for our day and situation at BYU. Though I can't talk much, as I am married, I have seen this culture of shaming those who are not married early at BYU and know that there have been very real prayers similar to this, asking for help and feeling disappointed over something you can't control. I thought this was a brilliant commentary on a skewed system and how you showed that your identity was not, in fact, wanting to just get married but wanting to be equal, accepted, and loved for who you are.
ReplyDeleteI’m so impressed with the time and work you put in to create such incredible lyrics and sound! It turned out really great. I love the comical relief and commentary about true and honest feelings that are created from a specific culture and location at BYU.
ReplyDeleteThis is both hilarious and depressing. I think the form of the text made it especially relatable to the audience because, being from a Disney movie, it's a text that most people in Provo are familiar with! I feel like more people need to hear this song. Both to laugh in relating and also pondering how they can better help improve the negative dating culture.
ReplyDelete