Euro-centric gaze and obsession with the far east.
A form of racial fascination that seems out of place in this day in age. Weird.
"China Girl" by David Bowie (1983--popular release)
David Bowie singing about his "little" Chinese lover in the weirdest terms possible. Example lyric: I stumble into town just like a sacred cow/Visions of swastikas in my head...??? I think someone's getting off on interracial love. Weirdly.
And probably because I view Ziggy Stardust as asexual, this video is even more disturbing than it needs to be.
"Rich Girl" by Gwen Stefani (2005)
Not only is Gwen "I used to be in a legit band" Stefani bastardizing a great song from a great musical, this video features her 4-person Asian entourage, the Harajuku Girls. They're like little dolls to be displayed in the background of the blonde-haired star. Weird, weird, creepy.
"Walking on a Dream" by Empire of the Sun (2008)
This one is less disturbing since it just uses the setting of Shanghai and has Chinese inspired costuming/make-up for the band members. But shirtless-open-jacket guy is super creepy and therefore makes it just as awful.
Questions to ponder:
1. WTF?
Click on the label below for more installments of The Audacity of Rock.
Orientalism is fun!
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha! Thank you for posting the Empire of the Sun video! I can't believe I've spent 21 years of my life ignorant of such ridiculousness... oh my.
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