“Underneath the leaves, Adam found Eve / Both of them found something sweet under the apple tree /…How the hell did Eve end up with all the damn blame?” Sara Bareilles has a valid point on “Armor,” which appears from her 2019 album, Amidst the Chaos. As Bareilles suggests, the perception of the original sin in Genesis seems to place most of the blame on Eve as opposed to Adam. Bareilles uses the Biblical tale as an example to illustrate the unfair treatment that women receive in a male-dominated world. In the Grammy-nominee’s hands, the atonement is real.
Speaking of hands (specifically the left hand), an aggressive dose of piano bass notes helps fuel Bareilles’ fire on this feminist tour de force. Safe to say, the men are in trouble. After the Adam/Eve debacle, Bareilles is fed up with the shallowness of some men, citing their objectifying ways and asserting, “Only the little boys tell you they’re a big man.” Later, she speaks to the strength of women in the future: “You think I am high and mighty, mister? / Wait till you meet my little sister.” On the chorus, the centerpiece, she’s suited up in her metaphorical armor:
“All my, my, my, my armor comes from you
You make me try, try, try, try harder
Oh, that’s all I ever do, ever do…
You make me stronger
Now hand me my armor.”
Clearly, Sara Bareilles is enlightened by women standing up against men. The big takeaway from “Armor” is the fact that women deserve to be treated with respect and definitely shouldn’t take a backseat nor be treated as ‘second class citizens.’ Adam is DEFINITELY to blame too! Interestingly, she’s also driven by those no-good men on the bridge:
“Blind men only set the world on fire
Sad you can’t see it
You brought the flame, here comes the phoenix
You make me try harder.”
You can learn more about Sara Bareilles here:
About The Curator - Brent Faulkner
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype (https://themusicalhype.com). When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event.
