Research Paper

Patricia Magana

Kim

English III AP

29 October 2013

Love Hurts

Music videos talk about domestic violence, but in such way that the viewers don't really see the message behind all the lyrics. In Eminem's and Rihanna's music video "Love The Way You Lie" love is the main focus of the song, but the relationship in the song is also surrounded by domestic violence. Both Rihanna and Eminem have had to deal with domestic violence in their lives. Eminem had been in an abusive relationship with his ex-wife, Kim, just as Rihanna who was abused by Chris Brown. "Love The Way You Lie" is more then just a song and music video; it is a song that glorifies domestic violence.

This music video stars Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan who are in an intense romantic relationship that revolves around love; however, it is also relationship with extreme violence. In the lyrics of the music video, Rihanna sings the chorus, "Just gonna stand there and watch me burn, but that's alright because I like the way it hurts... That's alright because I love the way you lie," where Rihanna tells the audience that even though she is being abused it's alright because she loves him and is willing to go through the pain of the abuser as long as she is with him. The lyrics itself, just by looking at them and trying to understand what they actually mean, glorifies the violence behind the song. "I laid hands on her, I'll never stoop so low again I guess I don't know my own strength..." Shows how a person can’t control him or herself and reached the limit where violence gets involved in the situation.

As Eminem raps about the love both of those people have towards each other, he becomes extremely aggressive and his tone starts to shift between verses. In the last verse he starts out saying "Baby please come back it wasn't you, it was me maybe our relationship isn't as crazy as it seems.... If she ever tries to f-cking leave again Im'a tie her to the bed and set this house one fire." These lyrics show how...