Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball (Music Video)
I know there has been a lot of talk and hatred against Miley Cyrus within the past year for her seemingly “outrageous” new image but, I particularly felt the need to share my thoughts on what I think is a beautiful new song and video.
Before any of you expect me to defend my stance on Miley herself, I’m only going to talk about her song and video here–because my respect for Miley is perhaps another post for another time!
Now, I’m not quite sure why so many people are bangin’ Miley for this video–especially for such nit-picky little parts and things that take the entire song and video out of context! There’s such a great level of depth to this song and video that should be recognized.
First off, the amount of heart in the song itself is something to be recognized. Although it does have the sound of a lot of today’s mainstream pop, its lyrics and Miley’s vocals are still put in the forefront. Miley’s transition from pop-country-rock to a more dance-pop is almost seamless, as her voicing in this song still reveals a lot of heart and emotion through what she’s singing (i.e., she hasn’t entirely strayed away from that connection to her music). The song starts as a slow build-up telling her story of a rocky relationship and sincere approach to love, accompanied by some sort of bouncing electronic rhythm, which eventually switches into a drop and strong chorus, signifying a sort of purge of pent-up anger and emotion as she yells, “I came in like a wrecking ball.”
Now, the video matches pretty perfectly with what Miley is trying to say. As a friend pointed out to me, the cinematography is absolutely beautiful, as each shot looks as if it could have come out of an editorial/magazine.
For those of you who may have cringed before you even considered the video’s significance, there’s a lot to see and connect in her video. The walls surrounding her in the video are almost like the walls that were up in her relationship with her lover (as with any new love) and, as she literally comes in swinging on a wrecking ball, it signifies how hard it was she fell in and for love. She fell so hard that the eventual pursuit to break down the walls of her lover also broke her down. Hence, her lyrics of the chorus being:
“I came in like a wrecking ball
I never hit so hard in love
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me”
Also, the nudity that accompanies Miley seems to say a lot of how bare she was in her relationship–perhaps she had given so much and “bared her all” for love. And she literally shows that as well.
The lack of color in the video, with only her bright blue and vibrant eyes seeming to be the only significant color in the video, pretty much captures the sadness of lost love. As eyes are commonly seen as the “windows to the soul,” she’s letting us all see her soul.
And her approach to interacting with the objects in the video, such as the ball, walls, and sledgehammer, seems to be as if she’s caressing them. Many of you may find this as the most outrageous part but, I feel that that was kind of her approach to love. These were the objects that signified her hard fall and approach to love, as caressing them only seems to be the way to find what was lost. (I may have pushed it a bit here, but, hey… I feel like that’s what I would do if I lost a love and these were the objects that were symbolizing it…)
I’m sorry to sound as if I’m over-analyzing this video, but, there’s just so much symbolism throughout each frame that it’s so beautiful not to write about. And I feel that Miley’s intentions have gone so askew with people having particular images and ideas of Miley without really seeing her for who she truly is.
At least we can all admit that Miley feels strong and confident in doing what she does and being who she is. Sure, some of the things she may do can seem outrageous but, she has no shame. And that draws people to her. She seems rebellious only because people never really gave her the chance to express who she really is. She’s gained my respect because she’s never really tried to make people believe she was one thing when she really was another–she totally owns who she is and isn’t afraid to flaunt it. And, when it comes to her heart and the things in her life? Well, she knows when to keep it private, but also when to feed it to entertainment.
You gotta love her. And if you don’t, know that I do. (Note: Love as in mad respect.)
You’re reading this post from a girl whose always been called sweet and a “goody two-shoes.” And I admit that I still love Miley. Does that say something?
beauty within 
Everything you said was valid. You had great observations about the significance of the lyrics and the imagery in her video. Well said.
But for the sake of your argument, this isn’t the real argument. This overlooks the greater issue.
What people are disturbed about is the fact that the heart of her message can be communicated without the pornography. Think about it. Do you strip yourself to bare skin and exploit your body to the entire mainstream world while singing a song that is close to your heart?
The bulk of our society has become so desensitized to things that are in fact, perverse. Perverse in the way that exploits who or what something is without actually going about it the correct way. And yes, there is a correct way. But liberalism states that “Everyone is right,” and “As long as you’re not killing anyone,” you are doing it right. Wrong. Just because a murderer has good intentions doesn’t make murder OK.
We cannot continue to say that there is nothing wrong about someone’s behavior simply by coming up with justifications for it. We can justify everything but does that make things right? Moral relativism is invalid. To insist that the very word, “Moral” should be part of the term neutralizes its definition. It becomes an oxymoron. Morality is objective, and we know this based on the laws that God has not only engraved in stone, but deep within our hearts.
The point I’m trying to make here is a bigger issue. A bigger picture. And this is the bigger picture–We are being fed ideas and emotions that are perfectly human and relatable by perverted means. The bigger picture is that we live in a hypersexualized society and people are getting used to it when we shouldn’t be.
The ideas of modesty, chaste love, and sanctity still exist, albeit in those who value the preservation of their souls, morals, and values and resist the temptation to continuously “see just how far they can get before falling off.” We can’t keep redefining what is good and what is evil, and especially what is OK. Language evolves, but Truth doesn’t.
I want to leave you with one important message: Love isn’t adoration. Love isn’t admiration. And love certainly isn’t acting on behalf of ourselves.
Love is simply, “Willing the good of the other,” as defined by St. Thomas Aquinas. I challenge you to ask yourself, “Do I really love Miley Cyrus? Do I really want goodness for her soul? Do I really care if she reaches heaven or not? Or do I just like what she expresses because I understand where she’s coming from?”
If you truly love her, I encourage you to reach out to her and help her seek validation in the one who has true love for her–our Father–rather than seeking validation in media, society, men, and her own image.
Thank you for your thoughts. You’ve definitely touched on an even greater and deeper meaning beyond all of the entertainment and massive consumer society we find ourselves in.
Perhaps I forget to notice the deeper issue rooted throughout this. Yes, the way we find the good and the bad throughout something as silly as entertainment itself often distracts us from realizing what actually matters. Of the truth, like you say. Like the truth we can find in faith.
I have to be honest, I appreciate your comment very much. It definitely allowed me to take a step back and ground myself again–to what it is that truly matters to me. I can defend Miley all I want, but, let’s face it–I’m just a distant fan preaching on about her.
The way that society has gotten used to a hypersexualized kind of society is gravely depressing. But I’ve always kind of lived by accepting we can’t really change all things in the world, as much as we feel things in our hearts to be “right” or “wrong.” All we can really do is live by good intention and by the goodness of our hearts. That’s what I try to strive for in my life.
But, we are flawed souls and people. And temptations will sometimes haunt us. It is the entertainment industry, and any industry or any real manmade corporation or business or anything that humankind has made really doesn’t run on a “goodness” of heart. It’s reality and the real world we’re dealing with, and corporations, i.e. big money, is what rules our daily lives.
The deeper meaning and message that you convey is what grounds us, and hopefully, keeps humanity going and alive. It’s a tough issue to draw out and live by, but, it’s natural in life.
Thank you for your comment though. Appreciate it!
And as for your comment on love, I apologize for so lazily throwing around as strong a word as love. I guess what I truly meant by it, or should’ve said, was respect–but I find that my respect for her lies more in the confidence she finds in herself.
Putting aside all of the entertainment and music and societal ideals, I can see that she has drifted from seeking the real, true goodness of her heart. But then again, I’m afraid that’s what the entertainment industry can do to one. You can get so wrapped up in the industry that you suddenly become a pawn to the industry, trying and finding any way possible to find validation in it. Your own validation from the people you work for, or the world who’s watching you.
Perhaps I’ve just come to like her moreso than others because she’s shown a strength in character more than many other mainstream artists I’ve seen. And perhaps I respect that confidence. But, that’s only when I’m comparing her to those artists.
Also, as a side note, I think I just tend to see the good in people too much. I strongly believe that all humans have a good intention and a good heart–for they just have that inner feeling in the heart. I guess the hardest part, for people, is to discover that feeling and goodness. But, I know it’s there….. It just can get lost a little sometimes!
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