"Amber Waves" and the Increasing Violence in the Porn Industry
The first song on the album, Amber Waves, finds Scarlet beginning her journey in Los Angeles, California, the pornography capital of the world. Fittingly, she has traveled to L.A. to visit her friend Amber Waves, a fading porn star. Amber has apparently called Scarlet because she is in trouble. Like many girls in the industry, she is no longer a fresh face, and the industry has become bored with her.
An article by Martin Amis that appeared in the U.K. newspaper The Guardian in 2001, details the increasing violence toward women in pornography. In the article, he interviews a number of people in the industry. On the matter of using up young girls, one executive in the business said:
Some girls are used in nine months or a year. An 18-year-old, sweet young thing, signs with an agency, makes five films in her first week. A hundred movies in four months. Shes not a fresh face any more. Her price slips and she stops getting phone calls. The market forces of this industry use them up (Amis 3).
When looking at the lyrics to Amber Waves, it is quite obvious that Amber was once a very hot commodity in the business. In the chorus, Amos sings, Into every young man's bedroom / you gave it up / on DVD and magazine / you gave it up / a private rite of passage / you gave it up / to every boy's sweet dream (Amos). Amber was an object to these young men all around the world. So much so that Scarlet says I dont know you anymore (Amos). She had once surprised Scarlet with this other side of her, and now that she is washed up and no longer a commodity, Scarlet is rediscovering her old friend.
The statistics regarding pornography are stunning:
*Pornography is far bigger than rock music and far bigger than Hollywood
*Americans spend more on strip clubs than they spend on theatre, opera,
ballet, jazz and classical concerts combined.
*In 1975, the total retail value of all the hard-core pornography in America was estimated at $5-10 million. Last year Americans spent $8 billion on mediated sex (Amis 4).
Even though the statistics are definitely interesting, and the subject itself is quite controversial, why would Amos start off her album on the subject of pornography? Well, a big reason centers around the attitudes men in America have toward women. The new element in much of pornography today is violence (Amis 2). With the increasing sales of pornography, this is quite telling of the way in which many men view women.
In the same article by Martin Amis, an executive in the porn business talks about the increasing violent actions of some actors toward women in many of the films currently being produced. He says men have started to spit on girls (Amis 1). Furthermore, there is more of an emphasis on what he calls a strong- male-oriented thing, with women being pushed to their limit (Amis 1). So what does it say that men are buying these movies in ever-increasing amounts?
Nowadays, women are finally starting to take their place in the world among men. The womens rights movements in America have helped women to gain a place to work and study among their male colleagues. Women become more and more independent with each passing day, and they are starting to get the respect they deserve for it.
However, some men feel threatened by this. With each gain for a woman, a man seemingly gets nervous, unsettled, and maybe even jealous. Could this be the reason for the increased violence toward women in the pornography industry? Amos doesnt necessarily answer this question directly, she just brings it to the fore for her audience to consider.
Still, it is not just pornography that has been increasing in its violence toward women. Current artists in the music industry have been writing lyrics many people have found offensive in this way. For example, Eminem has written more than one song about beating and/or killing his wife. Yet, he is one of the most popular artists in rap today. What does this say about mens views on women in America?
With the questions and issues she brings up, Amos would argue that it says a lot, and so would her alter ego Scarlet; and rightfully so. Like many minorities in America, women have had to overcome so many obstacles to get where they are, and still have a long way to go. However, the irony of it is that they are not a minority at all. This is a fact that is quite telling of the patriarchal society that Americans live in.
On a different note, there is another reason for the journey to start off with a visit to Scarlet's porn star friend. Her name is Amber Waves, which is also part of a line in the song America the Beautiful. On an album revolving around America, this is not just a coincidence. Amos is using Amber Waves as a metaphor for America. As she puts it, She's America personified into our sweet porn star. [She has] made some choices that she's got to pay for now. She's chosen to maybe turn her back on some information. She's chosen to align herself with certain characters and therere consequences to that (Amos). In many ways, the American government has not taken responsibility for some of the actions and injustices that it has incurred on certain people. On some level, the purpose of Scarlet's journey is to visit the places, peoples, and times in which these injustices occurred in order to reclaim America's soul, long lost among the ghetto pimps and presidents (Amos, Virginia) that have taken over.
The refrain in Amber Waves is very upbeat and catchy in comparison to the verses of the song, giving the song a feel of inconsistency. It is almost as if Amos intended this in order to let the listener feel the ups and downs of Ambers fading career. The song ends slowly, but the lyrics, that the Northern Lights are waving back to her, is an uplifting message to the listener that there is hope for Amber Waves yet.
An article by Martin Amis that appeared in the U.K. newspaper The Guardian in 2001, details the increasing violence toward women in pornography. In the article, he interviews a number of people in the industry. On the matter of using up young girls, one executive in the business said:
Some girls are used in nine months or a year. An 18-year-old, sweet young thing, signs with an agency, makes five films in her first week. A hundred movies in four months. Shes not a fresh face any more. Her price slips and she stops getting phone calls. The market forces of this industry use them up (Amis 3).
When looking at the lyrics to Amber Waves, it is quite obvious that Amber was once a very hot commodity in the business. In the chorus, Amos sings, Into every young man's bedroom / you gave it up / on DVD and magazine / you gave it up / a private rite of passage / you gave it up / to every boy's sweet dream (Amos). Amber was an object to these young men all around the world. So much so that Scarlet says I dont know you anymore (Amos). She had once surprised Scarlet with this other side of her, and now that she is washed up and no longer a commodity, Scarlet is rediscovering her old friend.
The statistics regarding pornography are stunning:
*Pornography is far bigger than rock music and far bigger than Hollywood
*Americans spend more on strip clubs than they spend on theatre, opera,
ballet, jazz and classical concerts combined.
*In 1975, the total retail value of all the hard-core pornography in America was estimated at $5-10 million. Last year Americans spent $8 billion on mediated sex (Amis 4).
Even though the statistics are definitely interesting, and the subject itself is quite controversial, why would Amos start off her album on the subject of pornography? Well, a big reason centers around the attitudes men in America have toward women. The new element in much of pornography today is violence (Amis 2). With the increasing sales of pornography, this is quite telling of the way in which many men view women.
In the same article by Martin Amis, an executive in the porn business talks about the increasing violent actions of some actors toward women in many of the films currently being produced. He says men have started to spit on girls (Amis 1). Furthermore, there is more of an emphasis on what he calls a strong- male-oriented thing, with women being pushed to their limit (Amis 1). So what does it say that men are buying these movies in ever-increasing amounts?
Nowadays, women are finally starting to take their place in the world among men. The womens rights movements in America have helped women to gain a place to work and study among their male colleagues. Women become more and more independent with each passing day, and they are starting to get the respect they deserve for it.
However, some men feel threatened by this. With each gain for a woman, a man seemingly gets nervous, unsettled, and maybe even jealous. Could this be the reason for the increased violence toward women in the pornography industry? Amos doesnt necessarily answer this question directly, she just brings it to the fore for her audience to consider.
Still, it is not just pornography that has been increasing in its violence toward women. Current artists in the music industry have been writing lyrics many people have found offensive in this way. For example, Eminem has written more than one song about beating and/or killing his wife. Yet, he is one of the most popular artists in rap today. What does this say about mens views on women in America?
With the questions and issues she brings up, Amos would argue that it says a lot, and so would her alter ego Scarlet; and rightfully so. Like many minorities in America, women have had to overcome so many obstacles to get where they are, and still have a long way to go. However, the irony of it is that they are not a minority at all. This is a fact that is quite telling of the patriarchal society that Americans live in.
On a different note, there is another reason for the journey to start off with a visit to Scarlet's porn star friend. Her name is Amber Waves, which is also part of a line in the song America the Beautiful. On an album revolving around America, this is not just a coincidence. Amos is using Amber Waves as a metaphor for America. As she puts it, She's America personified into our sweet porn star. [She has] made some choices that she's got to pay for now. She's chosen to maybe turn her back on some information. She's chosen to align herself with certain characters and therere consequences to that (Amos). In many ways, the American government has not taken responsibility for some of the actions and injustices that it has incurred on certain people. On some level, the purpose of Scarlet's journey is to visit the places, peoples, and times in which these injustices occurred in order to reclaim America's soul, long lost among the ghetto pimps and presidents (Amos, Virginia) that have taken over.
The refrain in Amber Waves is very upbeat and catchy in comparison to the verses of the song, giving the song a feel of inconsistency. It is almost as if Amos intended this in order to let the listener feel the ups and downs of Ambers fading career. The song ends slowly, but the lyrics, that the Northern Lights are waving back to her, is an uplifting message to the listener that there is hope for Amber Waves yet.
