There is no doubting the timeless status of Aqua’s Barbie Girl, which never seems to get old and is undoubtedly part of everyone’s party playlist, whether you’re a millennial or Gen Z-er.
Although it seemed like a really harmless song when we were younger, it turns out that the message is very different as an adult.
Even though it was written as a song for children, the 1997 classic’s lyrics reveal a pretty ominous message.
Let’s take a look back at the lyrics…
The song begins after a brief introduction with Ken and Barbie discussing their desire to get in their car and go for a drive.
It starts: “I’m a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world. Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.
“You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere. Imagination, life is your creation.”
Already the lyrics are a little creepy, but that didn’t stop the song from being watched and streamed over a billion times by listeners.
Barbie can then be heard singing: “I’m a blond bimbo girl in a fantasy world.
“Dress me up, make it tight, I’m your dolly. Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky.”
Shockingly, that’s not even the worst bit…
It goes on: “Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please. I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees,” basically implying that Ken can do whatever he wants.
This is followed by Ken saying: “Come jump in, bimbo friend, let us do it again. Hit the town, fool around, let’s go party.”
I think it’s safe to say this was never meant to be a kids song, although I don’t think we ever thought too much into it when we were younger.
Dozens of people have shared their thoughts on the hit track, with one writing: “Why does everything have to have a sinister meaning. It could be that she’s so infatuated with her rich boyfriend and loves her life with him he could be asking her to dress up cause he’s gonna take her to a fancy dinner party. You can spin any lyrics to mean anything why look too deep into them just enjoy.”
While another said: “I was 17 in ‘97, so I knew this song well. And it was NEVER a kids’ song. We all understood it to be cheeky, satirical and, hopefully, even critical. The “undress me everywhere” part was actually a great line, because it drew a parallel between the idea that women were meant to be objectified, and the more literal meaning of little kids carrying around half-dressed Barbies with matted (or hacked off, lol) hair to the grocery store.”
What do you think?
