
This is so easy to criticize. Put your SO in a box, and shut the key. Tell them who they are, make them be who you want to be. Maybe I should be the one writing lyrics.
Bruno Mars reached five number one hits faster than any male artist since Elvis Presley. I started listening to him when he featured in B.o.B.’s “Nothin’ on You.” That was pretty much my high school anthem; my boyfriend at the time would even sing it to me when it came on the radio. Then, Bruno Mars started coming out with his own songs. And man, were they catchy. So catchy that they kind of got on my nerves after a while. “Grenade,” “Just the Way You Are,” “The Lazy Song” — NO MORE.
Lately, though, the music scene has been shifting. There’s a more retro feel to the songs you hear on the radio now. Take, for example, Justin Timberlake’s “Take Back the Night” (which is also controversial). I’d like to attribute Mars’ retro tunes to Daft Punk’s newest album, “Random Access Memories,” but I can’t, because “Treasure” song was released before that album. However, there’s no denying that it has a very ’70s feel, and it was so hyped up that it became popular instantly. Whether you like it or not, it’s being played on all the pop stations, and making my friends say things like, “I’m so proud they put this on the radio!”
Bruno Mars tried to emulate that style in his newest hit, “Treasure.” Once again it’s catchy, melody-driven and repetitive. But, unlike these other songs I mentioned, I don’t like it. And it’s not the music that’s the problem, really; I listen to pop music on the radio all the time, despite the chord similarities between most songs. No, the lyrics are what make me want to switch the dial.
Over the years, I’ve become a feminist. Or, really, I’ve realized that believing in equality makes you a feminist, whether you’re male or female. Before we start, it’s clear that this song is from the male point of view (because it’s Bruno Mars) and is talking about a female (“Pretty girl, pretty girl.”) This song rubbed me the wrong way, and soon enough I realized it’s because of the message Bruno Mars is sending with his lyrics. Here are some that stood out to me:
DISCLAIMER: Do I need to state that this is just my opinion? Or that I’ve never taken a Women’s Studies course in my life? I guess it’s safe to do so.
“I gotta tell you a little something about yourself.”
Because a woman needs a man to tell her about herself; obviously, she couldn’t figure that out first. A woman absolutely craves it when a man tells her who she should become. No. Bruno Mars is telling men that they can just approach women and say, “Let me tell you who I want you to be, and that is who you will become.” Here’s a saying oft-repeated in good ‘ole relationship advice: Don’t try to change the one you’re with. It’s often addressed to people who try to “fix” their significant others. News flash: it also applies to people who want to “improve” their SOs. If they’re not for you, don’t try to morph them into someone who is. Don’t tell them about themselves; they know who they are. Bruno Mars disagrees, though: “Treasure, that is what you are.”
“You’re a sexy lady, but you walk around here like you wanna be someone else.”
So what if I’m sexy? Maybe I’m not “walking around” in heels or showing cleavage, but that doesn’t mean I want to be someone else; that doesn’t mean I even want to be considered “sexy” at all. This lyric reinforces the stereotype that women don’t know who they want to be, and that it’s important for men to tell them. A repeat of the sentiment above, with a twist involving looks. Here’s the reasoning: “Why wouldn’t you want to be sexy? (under my parameters and in the way that I decide)?” No. Instead, ask: Why wouldn’t you want to be sexy for yourself? Why not let women decide what “sexy” means for them? (P.S. For me it means being fierce, confident, inspirational and caring. What’s your sexy?)
“I know that you don’t know it, but you’re fine, so fine”
I am SO tired of this trope in music of “girls who don’t know they’re pretty.” One Direction start it, with lyrics like “You don’t know you’re beautiful,” and then, to make it worse, “That’s what makes you beautiful.” This teaches young women listening – and yes, there are a lot of them – that it’s hot to be insecure and have low self-esteem. NO! First of all, you shouldn’t be modifying yourself for anyone. And secondly, there’s a logical flaw here: what happens when he tells you you’re beautiful, and then you realize you are, and your self-esteem skyrockets? Will he stop thinking you’re attractive? No, you have to choose: confidence, or the guy. Here are some things that actually make you beautiful. Bruno Mars’ lyrics just add to the trope, but instead of saying that she’s beautiful because she doesn’t know she’s fine, he’s saying that she can become his possession because she doesn’t know she’s fine. Not OK.

Ariel’s Grotto. There’s only “stuff” in here, but if there were a person, it’d be very, very creepy. Also if you weren’t a mermaid, you’d be doomed. Just sayin.
“I’m gonna show you when you’re mine all mine”
If you’ve ever been in a relationship, you’ve probably secretly thought to yourself, “He/she is finally mine! Muahahahah” in a totally hilarious, ironic way because I know you guys are all hilarious. However, you’re not dumb; vocalizing that thought, even as a joke, could be polarizing, making both parties cringe. Bruno Mars doesn’t care, though. He even using the possessive pronoun “mine,” like the seagulls in “Finding Nemo.” He wants to add this girl to his possessions, to his treasure trove. Remember Ariel’s Grotto? Look at this stuff; isn’t it neat? He’ll show you how neat you are once you’re inside that grotto. And you can’t swim out. (OK this metaphor lasted too long, but you get the picture, right?) Men and women: the people you date are not possessions, they are PEOPLE. You should treasure them, but they shouldn’t become treasures.
“You should be smiling. A girl like you should never look so blue.”
And lastly, the lyric that bugs me the most. I struggled to create an optimistic persona because I love making people happy, but every so often I do fall into a stump, and I become a bit gloomy. It does not make me feel better when people tell me I shouldn’t be. I should be allowed to feel my feelings however the hell I want, thank you very much. Unfortunately, classic gender roles magnify the pressure on women to put others at ease with their smile. In the same vein, men are pressured to be “dark and mysterious” and to brood, because that’s apparently sexy, too. My message: Do whatever you want. Here’s an awesome sweatshirt you can wear instead of smiling all the time. The description says: “Smile, girl. You’re too pretty to let your own feelings interfere with my viewing pleasure. Want to dissuade the creepy dude at the gas station from telling you that you’re too pretty to scowl like that? This is the sweatshirt for you.” Of course, some men who see you wear this sweatshirt might call you a “bitch.” At least you’re not asking for it by wearing a tube top, though. (SARCASM ALERT.)
Long story short: It’s songs like these that make me sad for all the people out there who think they should change themselves in order to attract someone and for all the people who actually treat others right.
NOTE: I debated writing this article, but then something happened. I was walking on a sidewalk in Providence after work on a hot day and some creeper beeped at me. This was the first time that had ever happened to me. The guy gave me a dumb, cute-sy wave and drove on. I was insulted. I tried to brush it off – hey, he thinks I’m hot! – but then realized that my self-esteem isn’t so low that I needed that kind of encouragement, and that the type of person who would do that – objectify women to their faces – isn’t the type of person I want to attract. I also fell into the trap, when describing the event to a friend, of explaining what I was wearing. He said, “It doesn’t matter what you wore. Objectification is objectification. That guy was just an asshole.” Something like that. Ever since then, Feminist Allie roared up, so here’s an article about Bruno Mars I’m actually extremely surprised nobody else has written (that’s a link to a Google search of “bruno mars treasure feminism”). We’re all so mad at T Swift, but there are some serious other perpetrators out in the music mix.
LASTLY: If someone decided to make a Feminist Bruno Mars, I wouldn’t mind.
What songs make you want to rant about them online? What do you consider sexy about yourself? Did you make it this far? Are you OK? I hope you’re OK. I love you.
Edit: An earlier version of this post speculated that Daft Punk influenced Bruno Mars’ retro style. In fact, “Treasure” was released last year, and “Random Access Memories” was released this year. Thanks to Mary for finding this flaw!
I won’t debate with you the meaning of Bruno’s lyrics. Every one is entitled to their own interpretation. Just wanted to make one thing clear: Bruno isn’t emulating Daft Punk. Treasure came out last year. Daft Punk released their album this year. If anyone is emulating it’s clearly DP.
Oof. Simple fact-checking would’ve helped me on that one, but I was way too excited to rant! I’ll make an edit; thanks, Mary!
Preaching to the choir here. Bruno Mars isn’t the only one who commits atrocities through the form of terrible lyrics with a scientifically hypnotizing beat. Lucky for me I haven’t listened to a “Top 20″s radio station in months. Great article! Keep it up girl!
No, he certainly isn’t! I usually listen to an ’80s-til-now station because there’s a better mix and I love the ’80s and ’90s, but sometimes a pop artist like Bruno Mars will… pop up. Thanks Elise!
wow talk about taking things way out of context…I wonder if it’s a cultural thing…something to ponder when I have way more time perhaps?
I guess I’ll have to strongly disagree in general here — you have wonderful self esteem great but saying that someone who would enjoy being admired has low self esteem is a tad extreme no?
No more specifically my issues with your grievance with his comment about “you walk around here like you want to be someone one else” might have NOTHING to do with “dressing or acting sexy” — there are plenty of people but for the sake of this song who are sexy JUST being them but they try to act a certain way because they think THAT is sexy and he’s saying “STOP you are sexy just being who you are”
You never heard old school guys in movies/ tvs/ books/archived radio or video clips say things like “you’re too pretty to be crying all the time?” or something to that effect? It’s a doo wop era compliment — which is pretty much his style period it’s very old school and dramatic with the romantic overtones but in my opinion he’s anything but patronizing or misogynistic
Hi Kelz,
I’m going to approach each of your points, but I want to start by saying that this post is just my opinion, and never once do I say that Bruno Mars is explicitly trying to be misogynistic. As I start out, these are just lyrics that bother me, and I certainly don’t expect them to bother everyone, and I’m certainly not saying that everyone should hate the song and you’re not a feminist if you don’t. This was just a close reading of the lyrics as I heard them, and my reading of them has to do with my own experiences.
That being said, I never say that someone who enjoys being admired has low self-esteem. I’m saying that in the song, the woman does not have high self-esteem in the way that she’s represented; she doesn’t know she’s sexy, or fine, or whatever. I don’t even know if she knows she’s being admired, to be honest. What I was saying is that the wording in these lyrics, and in One Direction’s, imply that a woman is beautiful because she doesn’t know she’s beautiful. The jump here, which maybe I shouldn’t have made, is that she doesn’t know she’s beautiful because she has low self-esteem, and that’s where the lyrics keep her.
I totally agree with your next point. To be honest, I took that lyric as an opportunity to unpack the word “sexy” in popular culture. However, Bruno Mars does seem to say that she shouldn’t want to not be sexy, “You’re a sexy lady, but you walk around here like you wanna be someone else,” implying a binary: you must be sexy, or not. In retrospect, maybe I am looking too much into this, but as an English major, this is how my mind works!
I really don’t care if guys in popular culture have used the phrase, “You’re too pretty to be crying;” in fact that actually helps my point that this idea pervades pop culture. And the doo wop era, which I’m going to assume is the ‘50s, was rife with men telling women how to behave. It still annoys me, although others obviously won’t have the same reaction.
I tried to write the above post in a kind of whimsical, yet critical, way, and I’m glad you brought up the points that you did. As always, thanks for reading and probing my thought processes a bit more!
Thank you for writing this, in the post-Cyrus firestorm mildly sexist songs like these fly under the radar, and that’s the part that kills me the most. I know just what my nominally feminist but charmingly naive mother would say about this song: that it is positive towards women because it advocates cherishing and valuing them. From the first time I heard it on the radio, I was struck by its retro stylings and its completely overt, unabashed sexism. Sorry to echo you, but from my perspective the two themes of the song are: 1) You don’t know who you are, I do and you need me to tell you; and 2) Object [bweet doo-doo], that is what you are [bweet doo-doo]. At least the televised bump-and-grind had an appealingly simple abandon to it. That strain of pop culture is rapidly approaching complete disinhibition, and while it is accomplished within a decidedly sexist framework, it’s got a lot of honesty to it: people just want to fuck. The more directly we can express that the more we pull out the Puritanical underpinnings of so many sexist perspectives. “Treasure,” on the other hand, is insidious in its sexism, because it is arguably (and you yourself have had to refute these arguments, I can see) just a song about “appreciating” women. It is exactly sexist enough to get away with it, and I can’t help but feel that that is no accident; whether by careful calculation or just by intuitively adhering to current norms, BM delicately trod *just* on the wrong side of the line, and that’s why I thank you, again, for calling it out.
You’re very welcome, and I totally agree with you. I especially like this comment: “‘Treasure’ is insidious in its sexism, because it is arguable just a song about ‘appreciating’ women.” I think we can sum up the song nicely in the way you follow: It’s exactly sexist enough to get away with it. But then, so are SO MANY pop songs on the radio today, sadly. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Glad to know my thoughts are resonating with some~
You need to lighten up, babe. 😉
Well articulated thoughts about the lyrics of this song. It is what I call “candy coated sexism”. But Bruno is capable of so much more, how about his promoting rape culture along with propaganda that women enjoy, deserve and really want to be treated in abusive, degrading and rough ways – and in case a woman doesn’ t like to be submissive to being raped (how dare she) he throws in a few threats into his lyrics . Bruno=sexism celebrated at it’s worst Lyrics to Gorilla :
A sampling…
“Baby squirrel, you’s a sexy motherf@$!#%&”
“Well, I’m digging a ditch
For this gold-digging b#! $@%”
Or…Gorilla
“Ooh I got a body full of liquor
With a cocaine kicker
And I’m feeling like I’m thirty feet tall. So lay it down, lay it down
You got your legs up in the sky
With the devil in your eyes
Let me hear you say you want it all
Say it now, say it now
Look what you’re doing, look what you’ve done
But in this jungle you can’t run
‘Cause what I got for you
I promise it’s a killer,
You’ll be banging on my chest
Bang bang, gorilla
Ooh, yeah
You and me baby making love like gorillas
Ooh, yeah
You and me baby making love like gorillas
Yeah, I got a fistful of your hair
But you don’t look like you’re scared
You just smile and tell me, “Daddy, it’s yours.”
‘Cause you know how I like it,
You’s a dirty little lover
If the neighbors call the cops,
Call the sheriff, call the SWAT ‒ we don’t stop,
We keep rocking while they’re knocking on our door
And you’re screaming, “Give it to like you wanna.
Give it to me mother#! $@&$”
Oh, look what you’re doing, look what you’ve done
But in this jungle you can’t run
‘Cause what I got for you
I promise it’s a killer,
You’ll be banging on my chest
Bang bang, gorilla
Ooh, yeah
You and me baby making love like gorillas
Ooh, yeah
You and me baby making love like gorillas
I bet you never ever felt so good, so good
I got your body trembling like it should, it should
You’ll never be the same baby once I’m done with you
You [x3]
Oh, you with me baby making love like gorillas
Ooh, yeah
You and me baby we’ll be f#! $@#$ like gorillas
Ooh, yeah (Yeah, yeah, baby, baby, oh yeah, yeah)
You and me baby making love like gorillas”
HOW IN THE WORLD DO WE THINK THIS IS OK???
Wow, I’d never heard this song. The lyrics are gross. My least favorite part? “Let me hear you say you want it all – Say it now, say it now.” It’s almost like he’s trying to hypnotize her into submission. Thanks for reading the post! It looks like you could write a whole blog post on this song, too!
Hi Allie, Superb review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I teach a Media English / Pop Culture class at a university in South Korea and I’d love to share your criticism with my class this semester. Do you mind? Thanks!
Hi Paul! Thanks so much for reading, and I’m honored you’re considering sharing with your class – which sounds awesome, by the way. Go ahead! Let me know what the students think!
Just wow…..it’s just a song I mean I may be a guy and agree with a lot of that but it’s a song what’s the point of getting annoyed at a song? Let’s put it simply this way if someone drops the n word it’s pointless to get mad it didn’t drastically change your life but if the kill gets involved get mad if someone whistles at you why get mad? Guys bulk up to get girls attention girls pretty up for guys attention seriously if you weren’t trying to attract someone weather it be your bf husband crush Idc who there wouldn’t me mascara and lip stick and all kinds of exersice for great abs look at media it’s all to show that now that’s no reason to complain rape throw that mfer weather man or woman in jail there’s small and large to everything why complain about small? I mean I know I’m doing that right now but I just don’t get it
This is a little silly. It’s just a fun song that you took way out of context in my opinion. Perhaps you’re right though, I just don’t see it as that offensive. Especially the your mine part, I highly doubt a man would consider me his object when he says that in this context.
I fully agree and could not figure out why I disliked Bruno so much after hearing his entire album. I’m not surprised also that he tends to have a lot of problems with women, as he writes about a lot in his music. While I never really dissected “Treasure” that much, there was another song that just felt icky to me. Kinda like “Blurred Lines” video. Tell me what you think about the following lyrics:
“Young Girls”
I spent all my money, bought a big old fancy car
For these bright-eyed honies
Oh, yeah, you know who you are
Keep me up ’til the sun is high
‘Til the birds start calling my name
I’m addicted and I don’t know why
Guess I’ve always been this way
[PRE-CHORUS]
All these roads steer me wrong
But I still drive them all night long, all night long
[CHORUS]
All you young wild girls
You make a mess of me
Yeah, you young wild girls
You’ll be the death for me, the death for me
All you young wild girls
No matter what you do
Yeah, you young wild girls
I’ll always come back to you, come back to you
I get lost under these lights
I get lost in the words I say
Start believing my own lies
Like “Everything will be okay”
Oh, I still dream of a simple life
Boy meets girl, makes her his wife
But love don’t exist
When you live like this
That much I know, yes I know
[PRE-CHORUS]
All these roads steer me wrong
But I still drive them all night long, all night long
[CHORUS]
All you young wild girls
You make a mess of me
Yeah, you young wild girls
You’ll be the death for me, the death for me
All you young wild girls
No matter what you do
Yeah, you young wild girls
I’ll always come back to you, come back to you
You, you, you,
You, you, you
Yeah, you, you, you
You, you, you, you
All you young wild girls
You make a mess of me
Yeah, you young wild girls
You’ll be the death for me, the death for me
All you young wild girls
No matter what you do
Yeah, you young wild girls
I’ll always come back to you, come back to you
Apparently he likes them young and blames their sexuality for his addiction. Makes me a little sick and also leads me to believe he has a sex addiction and is possibly a little pervy. His entire album fluctuates between female adoration (objectification) and disgust.
I don’t think you have a valid argument when you’ve taken a lot of the lyrics out of context to what the rest of the song says.. And even have gone as far as leaving words out of quotes. This song is nothing but flawless because he is 100% telling this woman that she is fine as hell and should be nothing but happy and confident. Take all the sexism you want out of this song.. But if you follow each point he makes within the lyrics.. He isn’t even close to being sexist. So nice try.. But go shit on someone in the music industry WITHOUT talent.. And leave him alone. Thanks.
Im sorry but you are a sad person. It’s a song. Do you realize the era this song pertains to? Obviously hes not literally telling you about yourself. Its idiots like you that make articles about common sense things that sicken me.
So a girl being humble (not insecure) makes her beautiful to some guys. That’s what one direction is saying. Jesus christ
Love how a bunch of men in the comments are trying to tell the author (and those of us who agree) that what we’re feeling about these songs isn’t valid. Thanks for your super helpful insights! Thank god there are some men around to tell us we’re wrong/sad/overreacting. Fuck off.
Thank you for your insight — I’m actually a songwriter and understand how important music is in everyone’s lives. People hear this music over and over in their car driving to and from work and school. People sing it to themselves in the shower and dance to it in clubs. The messages follow us wherever we go. What we choose to listen to has a huge impact on how we think and act in the world. More important than my music which is not well known- these big names really need to be careful with messages they have in their songs, especially when they’re disguised or candy coated because impressionable youth and teenagers are listening. Songs can reflect norms or they can change them. I’d prefer to change them and be progressive instead of insisting on the same old sexist BS we always get over the radio.
The above article is a full load of crap talking. I hope the author (who is a so-called feminist or simply just call yourself nuts) of the above article read more carefully into the lyrics. Treasure is such a great song to listen to and dancing with. The lyrics are fine and encouraging girls to be themselves and be realizing the beauty in themselves, and letting their loved ones to treasure them. It’s a beautiful love song and truth-telling too. Nothing offensive to women. I speak as a woman myself. It’s a beautiful feeling to be treasured by your loved ones. Bruno Mars rocks.
everyone had different perspectives different ways of approaching things and different ways of living life different everything, Bruno is fairly central in most his ideas. This woman is just way off center, but that is ok, just her way of interpreting the world. nothing wrong with having a minority point of view… fortunately for me its a minority point of view though 🙂
Hey, cool page you have. I completely agree that, though they are catchy, many songs have backwards lyrics that are too often overlooked. Another Bruno Mars example (no I’m not against him) is grenade which is basically him saying that the girl should just give him all her love and has no choice. Also the lyric ‘eyes were open. Why were they open?’ Are contradictory.
Omg you’re stupid 😂 I’m a feminist too, a female one. And Treasure is amazing and touching. He didn’t say “hey girl let me force you to become who I want you to become.” Like, what? Where the hell did you hear that?? He said “Let me tell you about yourself, you’re wonderful, flawless, you’re a sexy lady.” And later he says “I know that you don’t know it, but you’re fine, so fine.” He was trying to let this girl know that she’s an amazing, beautiful, flawless women. And later he mentions that she’s walking around like she wants to be someone else. He’s trying to get her to realize that she’s perfect the way she is. And he was telling her she should perk up and not be so sad, telling someone that they’re an amazing person who doesn’t deserve sadness in their life is great. Imagine my boyfriend wrote that song for me, I would die of flattery and from so much blood rushing to my face cause of how hard I’d be blushing. Seeing how incredibly pissed this song made you, makes me feel like your boyfriend doesn’t give you enough love to make you realize how a man should treat a woman (like she’s a beautiful and amazing person the way she is and that she shouldn’t change to fit what society wants her to be). Maybe you should look for a new boyfriend.
Wow, quite the feminist argument you have there. “You’re stupid and you need a man to fix you.” Nice.