Let me start off by pouring out my everlasting admiration for the band Paramore, but more specifically, front woman, Hayley Williams, as she’s been one of my role models and icons since my angsty misunderstood middle school days. Although it’s not 2007 anymore, and so many things have changed, my admiration (as well as my angst) still remains.
Hayley Williams was my icon for so many reasons. For starters, she was this completely bad ass, can’t-be-ignored, ORANGE haired confident woman. She supported To Write Love On Her Arms, “a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.” (Mission statement taken from their website.) Because TWLOHA meant (and still means) so much to me, having someone I admired support the cause was something very respectable. Hayley Williams helped me be conformable with who I was, not feel intimidated or afraid to be bold and proud.
In honor of the 10 year anniversary, Williams took to her personal twitter to share.
She was sort of making fun of the bands song and how maybe the lyrics within the popular hit have some negative messages and themes that don’t stand true to her feelings today. Let’s break down “Misery Business” and look to what Williams was potentially referring to!
“Second chances, they don’t ever matter people never change. Once a whore, you’re nothing more, I’m sorry that’ll never change.”
OUCH! I full heartedly believe that second chances matter. I think that if someone hurts you, screws you over, or maybe just makes a bad first impression, that doesn’t necessarily make them a bad person. I think everyone deserves a second chance to change things, or show their true colors. As Williams mentioned, true change can most definitely occur, but that’s a personal choice. It really does start and come from within. Moving on to the “whore” comment, that’s a loaded line. You first have to dive into what is a “whore?” A woman who is open about her sexuality? Who makes the conscious decision to use her body how she pleases? Unfortunately, 10 years later, this is still a huge issue in society. Men somehow are excused from the negative social repercussions of promiscuity and leave all the slut shaming to the women.
“Well there’s a million other girls who do it just like you. Looking as innocent as possible to get to who, They want and what they like, it’s easy if you do it right. Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!”
This again, contributes to the “whore” theme. The million other girls who do “it” is most likely referencing that promiscuity and the use of sex appeal and flirtatious behavior to get who they want. And clearly, Williams refused to use that method to get anyones attention. Guess what? BOTH methods are ACCEPTABLE and OKAY. So long as you’re in control of your own body, feel empowered by your choices and are happy, that’s LITERALLY all that matters.
I love the song. I love the band. I love that Hayley Williams not only realizes but beautifully acknowledges the “backward-minded” themes of the song. People definitely CAN change, and maybe, just maybe, Hayley Williams did some of that changing herself! I have so much respect for Hayley Williams and all of her learned life lessons she’s willing to share with the world.
TruVibesTV 