"Friday" by Rebecca Black

(Forewarning: I was having some peculiar issues with the font throughout this blog. Sorry about any inconsistencies)

First of all, if you have yet to hear the brilliant Friday by Rebecca Black, click here to change that.


Now, if you've heard it, you've probably noted some kind of sarcasm in my usage of the word 'brilliant' but that, my friend, is where you are wrong! In order to prove this to you and forever change your perception of this wondrous gift to the music industry, allow me to take you through a lyrical analysis of this smash hit!

(Yeah, Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-Ark)
Oo-ooh-ooh, hoo yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Here Rebecca uses a poetic repetition and elongation of the word "yeah", in order to show us that she is happy. Perhaps - and I'm just speculating - this has something to do with the day of the week mentioned in the title.

7am, waking up in the morning

The new morning is used here to symbolize the beginning of a new era for young Rebecca.

Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs
Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal

Here Rebecca uses the word "gotta" in order to apply a sort of enslavement. Notice how she does not WANT to "be fresh", "go downstairs" "have [her] bowl", or "have [her] cereal" (perhaps she wishes to eat her cereal on a plate or something). But rather, she's "gotta" do these things, implying that they are against her will.

Seein’ everything, the time is goin’
Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’

Rebecca notes here that everybody besides herself seems to be in a hurried state. Life is passing her by, leaving her feeling left behind in a perpetual state of depression. The use of the word "tickin'" refers to a clock or a bomb, implying that time is running out and that if she doesn't act soon the hole world is going to explode, so to speak.

Gotta get down to the bus stop

Gotta catch my bus, I see my friends (My friends)

This pair of lines is particularly clever. You see, the bit about the bus stop implies a safe haven, a place where things can "stop" and release her from the madness that is her life. However, things take a startling turn when she mentions that she's "Gotta catch [her] bus", showing that even in her haven of safety, her dismal life rears its ugly head. But then, a light of sunshine arrives in the form of her friends, temporarily relieving her of her grief.

Kickin’ in the front seat
Sittin’ in the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
Which seat can I take?

It's hard not to shed a tear for poor Rebecca when hearing this verse. Beneath the bubbly tone and happy choice of words, we can hear a startling undertone which implies that, even amongst her friends, her safety nets, the world forces cruel, live-changing choices in her direction.

It’s Friday, Friday

Gotta get down on Friday

Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend

Friday, Friday

Gettin’ down on Friday

Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend

Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Partyin’, partyin’ (Yeah)
Fun, fun, fun, fun
Lookin’ forward to the weekend

At last! We are freed from suspense and see that Rebecca does, in fact, have a getaway from her God forsaken existence and the meaning behind the song's title is revealed.You see, Friday represents an escape, a hope for a bright future that lays ahead, perhaps the weekend, in terms of the song.

7:45, we’re drivin’ on the highway
Cruisin’ so fast, I want time to fly

Analysis gets a bit tricky here. Up to this point, we have been lead to believe that Rebecca hates the idea of time moving too quickly, and yet here she is, throwing a total curve ball at us. Now, all of a sudden, she wants time to move more swiftly. Perhaps she has developed something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, and has grown attached to that which brings her misery.

Fun, fun, think about fun
You know what it is
I got this, you got this
My friend is by my right
I got this, you got this
Now you know it

This scene was little tricky. I thought for but a moment that Rebecca wrote nonsense lyrics with little to no meaning at all. Then, however, it hit me. When she says "Fun, fun, think about fun/You know what it is" she is talking to herself - it is her that needs convincing that fun and happiness can be achieved with the right mindset. There is also a brief lesson about friendship ("I got this, you got this/My friend is by my right") and generosity ("I got this, you got this/Now you know it" - she is sharing her escape with us).

Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday
Today i-is Friday, Friday (Partyin’)
We-we-we so excited
We so excited
We gonna have a ball today

Tomorrow is Saturday
And Sunday comes after...wards
I don’t want this weekend to end

Here, Rebecca, bless her generous heart, is kind enough to give us a very basic lesson on the Gregorian Calender. In addition to this, Rebecca references her dilemma one last time by implying that the weekend, her symbol for freedom, is a good time to "have a ball" so to speak. But unfortunately, after three short days, her freedom expires, and it is back to ball and chains for Rebecca.

R-B, Rebecca Black
So chillin’ in the front seat (In the front seat)
In the back seat (In the back seat)
I’m drivin’, cruisin’ (Yeah, yeah)
Fast lanes, switchin’ lanes
Wit’ a car up on my side (Woo!)
(C’mon) Passin’ by is a school bus in front of me
Makes tick tock, tick tock, wanna scream
Check my time, it’s Friday, it’s a weekend
We gonna have fun, c’mon, c’mon, y’all

So at this point some talentless hack briefly takes over the song. His singing is like nails on a chalkboard compared to the lovely Rebecca. He adds no real additional meaning and depth to the song (not that it needs any), and is the songs only negative factor.


So I'm sure by this point you see what a fantastic song this truly is. I hope you can listen to it with true appreciation now! I'm happy to help!

- Jordan