What Was I Made For

Here I am again - obsessed with yet another song. There have been more than a few but I rarely fall for one that doesn’t deserve falling for.

I choked on a piece of popcorn when I heard “What Was I Made For,” a gorgeous, vulnerable, masterpiece in the Barbie movie. The song plays during a scene where Barbie meets her creator. She has a moment of dreamy introspection — Where is my place in a patriarchy of Kens? Many female humans in the audience had to be wondering the same thing.

Director Greta Gerwig could have chosen a funnier song or a poppier song or a song that propelled us to the dance floor. Other directors would have. Instead she tapped the right writers and got “What Was I Made For.” I applaud Billie Eilish (and her talented sibling who’s dating a girl who looks just like Billie⬇️⬇️ 😳 ) for the melancholy approach and Greta for not trying to steer them in a safer happier direction.

Am I wrong? (Claudia Sulewski and Finneas)

I used to be luke-warm on Billie Eilish. She could have been another flavor of the year. I ask myself if she’ll still be around in a decade. I Dunno. But if WWIMF is the only track she ever wrote and released I’d be satisfied with her contribution to music.

My friend Lindy (love you Lind) hates how Billie dresses. I disagree. While the clownish buttoned-up look may be the antithesis of pop-star couture at least she doesn’t rely on lingerie for streams (with the exception of that spread in British Vogue). I’m expecting some backlash for that comment such as “Empowered women can dress however they want.“ Ok. But then they can’t wonder if they’d sell as much music if they were dressed. (But when you’re an algorithm creator instead of a follower you can dress however you want.)

Eager to hear what she had to say about the attention the song is getting I tuned in recently to an interview on my L.A. station of choice, KCRW. Every third word from her mouth was “like,” as in I was like. He was like. It was like. It drives me crazy. The lyric on the song — so eloquent. Not a ‘like’ in sight. What if we used ‘like’ for every third word in a song? (I guess ‘like’ is the new ‘Um.”) It used to be ‘she goes,’ ‘he goes.'’ Often the ‘like’ or the ‘goes’ indicate someone said something. So why don’t we just say “she ‘said’”?

‘Like’ can be filler when we can’t quite commit. “She was like…” Well, what was she like? So mad? Then just say … “she was so mad.”

Fans don’t care about Billie’s likes. They don’t even hear them. They’re saying ‘like’ too. I’m doing it. We’re all doing it. We’re desensitized. It’s contagious.

I’ll give Billie a pass though because she gifted me this masterpiece.

The ubiquitousness of the Barbie movie got me thinking of something I did when I was a kid: See, I had a slew of Barbie dolls. The whole entourage. Barbies, Kens, Midges, Alans, Skippers, Scooters, The Dream House … that convertible. But when I was 16 I gave them all away to the younger sister of a boyfriend whose parents I wanted to win favor with. What I had forgotten is that once, a number of years prior, I had taken a black and a red Sharpie and added anatomy (on the actual dolls) that Mattel had not included (perhaps for good reason) — red circles on the tips of Barbie’s breasts, a little black dot in the middle of her (and Ken’s) butts. I’ll spare you what I scribbled between their legs. My boyfriend had brought this to my attention the day after I gifted the dolls to his sister. I doubt I had won favor with his parents. 😳😳😳

I never lived that down. (And I sure wish I hadn’t given away those dolls.) But at least now when I see a Barbie billboard or an Oscar Promo on TV it’s this stunning song that comes to mind instead of my childhood faux pas.

I have opinions as to why Greta didn’t receive a best director nod and why Margot didn’t receive one for best actress but these were enough opinions for one blog. Billie and Finneas will win the GRAMMY for Best Song and an Oscar for Best Song Written For a Film. If they don’t the voters simply got it wrong.

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