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Aria Blair

Charles Freeland

1201 English Composition II

September 25, 2020

Recontextualization of a Disco Classic

When Gloria Gaynor defiantly sang the lyrics “You think I’d lay down and die? Oh

no not I”(Solrac), it was a moment of triumph and independence. The themes of the

song are telling of the changing culture brought about by second wave feminism,

rebelling against the domesticity and dependence on men in the post war era. Twenty

years later, an all male west coast indie rock band known for their raw sound and

sardonic humor performed a cover of this song in their second album. (CakeVEVO)

Their intent was to use the song to tell a completely different story. They attempted to

move genres, gender, eras, and even themes, despite barely changing more than a word

or two. It’s certainly a tall order, but they managed it, with heavy support from their

music video. Cake's reimagining of the classic disco hit "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor

recontextualizes the funky girl power anthem into the pitiable ramblings of a jaded and

apathetic man, reflecting the change in culture and perspective over the decades without

casting aside the original song's funky roots.

Gloria’s original song is undeniable in it’s impact, reaching number one on the

charts in 1979, and double platinum status. (Songfacts) Practically everyone has heard it

now, but at the time it was a very progressive song. It’s a song about a woman finding

personal strength after a messy breakup. The most important aspect of the song is that
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when the man comes knocking, she uses that found strength to advocate for herself, and

to make her own decisions about the relationships. Notably, “You’re not welcome

anymore.” Beyond that, the song is a masterful example of 70’s disco, the music itself

being fun and almost irresistible to dance to. Considering that the song appears on the

top 100 of all time lists in the US and the UK, it has extremely broad appeal (Songfacts).

However, it does appeal to some groups far more strongly. The song is rightly

considered to be a symbol of female empowerment, and as a beloved example of an

amazing Black musician. Some LGBT groups have also identified with the themes of the

song (Bates). It even made its way into gospel communities, as Gaynor re-released the

song in a gospel album (Songfacts)!

The context of that song changes completely when a man sings it, and Cake was

absolutely not blind to that when they chose to cover the Grammy winning song two

decades later. They chose to embrace that change in context, using it to tell a different

story entirely. The singer seems to ramble the lines, hesitating in places and singing

without the same energy as Gloria did. The tempo is slowed down, though they pay

homage to the songs disco roots with a masterful funk inspired bassline. With the added

rawness of the guitar, and the slow trumpet rendition of a musical flourish that used to

be played an entire string section, the sound takes on a sarcastic, almost mocking

quality. This is supported by the video, which shows the singer driving a small utility

truck, giving people parking tickets despite awkward timing and singing to himself in a

mocking way (CakeVEVO). He is always alone, and he is certainly not the protagonist in

the video. One notable lyric that was altered was the line “I should have changed my

fucking lock” instead of “I should have changed that stupid lock”. This tiny two-word
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swap changes the feel so much, as it adds just a spice of needless aggression, showing

just how jaded the man is. Despite how unsympathetic the singer is, the song is fun and

danceable, and quite humorous with its dripping with sarcasm. Cake’s version certainly

doesn’t have the broad appeal of Gloria’s original, though it still proved to be quite

popular, reaching #29 on the charts. (CAKE) The song did not necessarily target a

specific cohort like men or women this time, instead seemingly appealing to an entire

age group. The song matches the general feeling of jaded discontent that generation x

struggled with in the late 90’s, especially on the west coast.

While Cake’s rendition of the song might have completely thrown the original

context of the song, it still holds true to its roots. It’s still about the aftermath of a

breakup, and the realization of personal power, and Cake’s version is still rich with

social context. It’s almost a cautionary tale about becoming jaded and taking your

feelings out on the world, when faced with emotional turmoil. This is supported by the

visuals in the songs (CakeVEVO). Gloria’s video is nebulous, with just her singing,

wearing a lot of sequins, and showing a dancer on roller skates (Solrac). The music is

fun, bright, and powerful. It is a celebration of independence, and of life itself, calling

you to dance. Cake’s video is grounded in an overcast reality, following a Los Angeles

traffic cop on a single workday. The sound is mocking, and the singing itself loses its

energy and power. Both songs are considered great works by many, but they are quite

different pieces, separated only by the context of the music and lyrics. The changing of

the context of the song affected so much, making each song distinct and a product of

their times and cultures.

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Works Cited

Bates, Karen. “‘I Will Survive’ Saves Marginalized People A Spot On The Dance Floor.”

NPR.Org, https://www.npr.org/2019/09/24/763518201/gloria-gaynor-i-will-survive-

american-anthem. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

CAKE | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company.

https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/2743/cake/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

CakeVEVO. Cake - I Will Survive (Official Video). 2017. YouTube,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9rCUQjmkxU.

Solrac Etnevic. Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive [Official Video] 1978 [Audio ITunes Plus AAC

M4A]. 2016. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARt9HV9T0w8.

Songfacts. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor - Songfacts.

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/gloria-gaynor/i-will-survive. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.