Every Inch of You Is Perfect From The Bottom To The Top

Last Updated on July 21, 2019 by Ran

UP’s Dancing in November will be held in the CHK gymnasium around two weeks from now, November 24, 2014.

That’s why all the PE dance classes are busy practicing and polishing their dance routines for the performances. And of course, that includes my class, the Striptease Aerobic Dancers. =)

Our song lineup includes Talk Dirty to Me, Bang Bang, and All About That Bass– which I want to talk about today.

I really, really like the song, and in the few days since I first heard it, I actually memorized the lyrics already! I think it’s a really great feel-good song. However, I don’t get the line, “I’m all about that bass, no treble.”, so I searched it up online and– lo and behold!– I was surprised by all the articles claiming that All About That Bass is not really body-positive and that it’s quite racist, too. Shocking.

I’m not sure if people are just over-thinking it, but I see nothing offensive in the lyrics. That is my honest-to-goodness, personal opinion about this song. I mean, my goodness. Look at the lyrics:

All About That Bass Lyrics

Let’s do a song analysis, shall we? 🙂 My mind is… I don’t know, hahaha, probably over-thinking all of these as well, but, ahh, this is a nice way to procrastinate.

Yeah, it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two
But I can shake it, shake it
Like I’m supposed to do
‘Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places

I ain’t no size two either, haha, but I’ve got no worries about this stanza. According to some articles I’ve read online, it’s body-shaming the skinny people. Hmm.

I see the magazine workin’ that Photoshop
We know that shit ain’t real
C’mon now, make it stop
If you got beauty, beauty, just raise ’em up
‘Cause every inch of you is perfect
From the bottom to the top

Oh, I love this stanza! This is my favorite stanza, lyrics-wise. To me, it simply means that we should stop worrying about our images. Photoshop is often used by magazines to make their already gorgeous models even more gorgeous, and that makes some “average” people think less about themselves. It sounds harsh, but it does happen.

Sometimes, people get too swayed by magazines to think that it’s the real definition of beauty, when it’s not. All of us are beautiful in our own way. No kidding.

Yeah, my mama she told me don’t worry about your size
She says, “Boys like a little more booty to hold at night.”
You know I won’t be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll
So if that’s what you’re into then go ahead and move along

This stanza is so LSS worthy, hahaha. I actually love singing it over and over again.

Anyway, this one got so many negative reactions from the articles I read. Wow. I don’t know why some people think this has a negative message! To me, the message is pretty clear. The singer is saying that she won’t be as skinny as skinny (a stick figure) can be, so if that’s what the guy wants, then he should just go his way, because she won’t change herself for him.

What’s so bad about that? If a guy likes skinny girls, then he’s free to choose skinny girls. If he likes bigger girls, then he’s also free to choose them. But Ms. Singer isn’t a skinny girl, so if her (potential) man only likes skinny girls, then he should just find someone else. Probably so that they’ll both be happy. At least, that’s how I view this stanza.

As for her mom, well, obviously she’s making Ms. Singer feel better about herself.

See those lyrics? Ms. Singer’s mom told her, “Don’t worry about your size. Boys like a little more booty to hold at night.” Someone actually retorted that not all boys like “more booty to hold at night.”

Oh man. Of course not all boys like them. It’s not like this is a sweeping generalization or what. This is what Ms. Singer’s mom told her, because Ms. Singer isn’t skinny and she was probably worried that no boy would like her. It’s a wrong line of thought, but the underlying message in her mom’s words is probably something like, “Accept who you are, because there’s always someone who will accept you for who you are, too.”

At least, something like that.

Hey!
I’m bringing booty back
Go ahead and tell them skinny bitches that
No, I’m just playing. I know you think you’re fat
But I’m here to tell you
Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top

Now, this is the one that received the most negative reactions of them all, and I’m sure you can guess why. The term “skinny bitches” hit so hard for so many that… well, I think that’s one of the reasons why people are saying that this is a body-shaming song.

I’m not sure exactly. I wasn’t offended at all, actually. I’m not skinny girl, but I’m not fat either. I’ve got no “booty”, though, hahaha. Well, it’s there, somewhere, hahaha, but I’m a big-breasted girl, so compared to my upper body, it looks almost non-existent! Did I feel offended by what Ms. Singer said? Naaaaah. So what if boys like a little more booty to hold at night? Then I’ll just have to wait for that one boy who won’t care about that. Hahaha. No problem at all!

Currently, I’m 115 pounds and 5 ft. 6 inches, and last time I checked, I’m 34-26-34. Not your usual definition of skinny, but I know I’m not fat, either. However, I have to admit– quite shamefully, too– that there are times when I think I am fat… and feel bad for it.

“Ridiculous!” my dad says. “Your collar bone is showing; you’re too skinny! Teenagers like you should weight even more!” Hahaha, that’s what my father always tells me, even as I eat 2 pieces of KFC chicken and 2 extra servings of rice. “Eat more,” he says, “so you can gain more weight.”

There are times when I feel more comfortable wearing size 27 jeans, because my legs feel more free, even though I have to tighten my belt up at the waistline because size 27  jeans fall down and end up looking like low-waist pants on my hips. And in those times, I always feel fatter than I am.

Is that bad? No, of course not. There shouldn’t be a negative connotation with the word fat. It’s just a description. An adjective. And so is the word skinny. But, yes, I do admit that I feel fat sometimes. Exactly like the song said.

But what makes this stanza so good to me, is that it says here, “but I’m here to tell you: Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.” Who cares if you’re skinny or fat? (Okay, I know, lots of people care. But my point is…) Nobody should. The song got it right again: every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top, no matter what your size is.

Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.

Okay, I just want to repeat that and let that sink in. Because it’s true! All of us are unique, different, and beautiful in our own little ways! This super catchy song isn’t meant to body-shame anyone. At least, that’s what I honestly think, and that’s what I want to believe. I’d rather focus on the good message, rather than rant about how it shames skinny girls and makes sweeping generalizations about what boys like, or complain that the singer isn’t fat anyway, “so how dare her to suggest that she’s fat!” Naaaah. I won’t focus on that. I’d rather focus on the light-hearted melody, the catchy tune, and the positive lyrics.

Basically, for me, All About That Bass tells us to accept who we are, because every inch of us is perfect, from the bottom to the top. Isn’t that such a positive, feel-good message? 🙂

Oh my, I think, now I’m over-thinking this topic too much! Man, hahaha, I can be such a hypocrite sometimes. Anyway, those are just the thoughts of a 17-year-old girl. Hope to see you guys in the Dancing in November event!

Again, I repeat! Haha, just one last time:

Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.