LogFAQs > #957201133

38. Bikini Kill Rebel Girl (1993)
from the album Pussy Whipped

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0oeqAQ1qE8

Key lyrics:
In her kiss, I taste the revolution

Bikini Kill is about as punk as punk gets. When so many punk acts vaguely raged against authority while speaking largely in universally relatable terms, Kathleen Hanna and company simply did not care if their works connected with people at large. Fully embracing the riot grrrl movement, they made songs for a very specific community and did it well. Rebel Girl is designed to be grating to outsiders, a politically-minded lesbian anthem that finds Hanna literally shrieking to get her point across. This is an effective repellant against ninety percent of straight men.

The enduring success comes down to that sense of specificity. Rebel Girl captures a very unique type of young woman who rarely gets an anthem of her own. Hanna weaves an interesting narrative, not just focusing on the titular rebel girl but having her narrator fall madly in love. This creates a stellar sense of time and place, calling back to an era when queer young women were finally allowed to develop their own communities. Whether or not Hanna herself is queer, Rebel Girl signaled the riot grrrl movement as having open arms.

Purely as a sonic piece, Rebel Girl has a distinct flavor. Opening with a marching rhythm, Bikini Kill suggest a revolutionary takeover. Hannas abrasive delivery lends her a bratty self-assuredness, and several moments find her seemingly trailing off while hypnotized by the subject of her affection. The guitars are insistent in their repetitive tone, centering Hannas vocals while adding a forceful edge. By design, Rebel Girl is not to everyones taste, but it is a prime example of the punk movement as a voice for marginalized communities.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/