To Be or not to Be, thats My Prerogative

     Bobby Brown the Whitney Houston proclaimed king of R&B performed the song “My Prerogative” first in 1988. “ They say I’m crazy” is the first line, followed by a whole description of how he gets girls and spreads his self around, but he doesn’t give a damn because it his prerogative he’ll make his own decisions.
      Britney Spears did a cover of the song in 2004, and while musicians cover each other’s music all the time this reproduction was a big deal. Critics were concerned because the thought Britney was not only going to copy his song, but also Bobby Brown’s bad boy antics.
    The song “My prerogative” sends the message its my life and I’ll do what I please, because it’s my right! Its singers were also performing this song’s statement in their lives.
    Britney released this song towards the beginnings of her crazy life stints. She went to Vegas and married a friend then had it annulled quickly. Afterwards she turned around and married her background dancer Kevin Frederline. All the while she is performing these antics, the public is watching and judging her for what they considered thoughtless life choices. This song was a statement to all those who thought their opinion’s mattered in her life, declaring she doesn’t care about their judgments.
     Bobby brown similarly does the same thing but the tone is different. He was always known for his bad boy image, so his professions of being bad in his song didn’t surprise people. His off stage actions clearly matched his songs and on stage performances. He was voted out of his boy band and replaced by Johnny Gill, and was known for constantly being late to appointments, with a little bit of drugs and drinking thrown in, all the actions of a ‘bad boy’. He made it clear he knew of people’s disapproval and he didn’t care because it was his choice to act this way.
     A bad boy image was the norm for Bobby but not for America’s pop star princess. Britney took on the persona of a ‘bad boy’ from his song lyrics but also in her life, a drastic change in her image. The expectations of her were to sing, dance, sell out concerts and do what she told. These new bad girl actions of being sexual off stage, partying, and drinking were not typical of her off stage sweet southern girl persona.
  As she was coming of age she wanted to take control of her life, and she was demonstrating it in destructive ways. Her cover and imitation a bad boy of the 80s was a conflict of interest for her pop star image.