Miley Cyrus’s “Can’t Be Tamed” is a pop/EDM-type song released in 2010. “Can’t Be Tamed” came out just as Miley Cyrus’s time playing Hannah Montana was coming to an end. This song is “wild” to me, not only because of the message in the music but because of the implications that its release had on the artist. At the time, it was the topic of some controversy, primarily from parents or people who were overly attached to her Disney Channel character. Cyrus used this song (and the subsequent music video) as an opportunity to try to break free from the restrictive expectations that she feels others have put on her. In the music video, she is trapped in a restrictive cage on display for the masses until she literally breaks free. This is a concept that I believe most people can relate to because expectations are everywhere. Expectations of others are placed on us, our expectations are implicitly or explicitly placed on others, and sometimes we even place expectations on ourselves.
As we have discussed in this course previously, one possible way to define “wild” is as something that is unexpected. This song not only depicts the act of being this definition of “wild” but it embraces and celebrates this form of wildness. It depicts wildness as a natural evolution of a growing person. In turn, Cyrus posits that the “taming” of wildness is the unwanted or wrong element in this scenario. In the first pre-chorus, Miley characterizes herself as immutably wild because “they try to change [her] but they realize they can’t.” Later in the next pre-chorus, she exclaims, “I wanna fly, I wanna drive, I wanna go, I wanna be a part of something I don’t know.” This implies that not only does she accept her own wildness, but she also desires or enjoys the wildness rather than being ashamed of it. This is an especially powerful message for young people who are insecure or have been told that they should be ashamed of something that they feel is intrinsic to their character.
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjSG6z_13-Q
– Tsion Teffera
I like how you talk about how the song itself is wild in the way that it relates to the singer. Its interesting to read your take on how the song relates to Miley’s fame and her public image. The song itself not only is wild in it’s lyrics but also in how it applies to the singer herself.
-Stephanie Wilhite
I agree that this song is “wild,” because I remember when it came out and how it was a huge deal at the time. This song was such a strong statement that Miley was making to the world that she is done being controlled by others and that she is breaking free and letting her wild side loose.