Why Is Aqua’s Barbie Girl Song Not in the Barbie Movie? Explained
The teaser trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has dropped, giving us our first look at Margo Robbie as the eponymous fashion doll come to life. The movie will reportedly find Barbie and Ken find stuck in the grim real world, and if the vibes in the trailer are accurate, we’re in for a wild ride.
Speaking of rides … isn’t Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” song going to be in the movie? You know, the song in which Barbie invites Ken to get in her car and then things get super risqué? It sure seems like a natural soundtrack to the new movie—especially since Gerwig’s take on Barbie will be just as pink and candy-coated as Aqua’s.
Apparently, though, this classic song won’t be included in the film.
What is “Barbie Girl?”
For those who aren’t in the know, “Barbie Girl” is a 1997 song by Danish/Norwegian pop group Aqua, consisting of members René Dif, Lene Nystrøm, and Søren Rasted. Riffing on the Barbie line of dolls by toymaker Mattel, the group wrote and performed a song in which Barbie tells Ken he can touch her, undress her, and control her like a doll.
The song was an instant hit, garnering critical acclaim and reaching #1 in the UK Singles Chart. It was a bit of bubble gum pop that you couldn’t get out of your head, but it was also a subversive take on what Barbie stood for: a supposedly wholesome brand aimed at children, which also presented a sexualized and unrealistic depiction of the female body.
Mattel was not a fan of “Barbie Girl”
As much as critics and listeners loved the song, though, Mattel wasn’t impressed. Six months after the song’s release, Mattel sued MCA Records, claiming that the song violated copyright and threatened the Barbie brand by portraying her as a sex object. Mattel took their case all the way to the United States Supreme Court, but it was ultimately dismissed, with courts ruling that as a work of parody, the song was protected by the First…
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