7 Times Sexism Crept into Country Music Lyrics

Country music has long been beloved by middle America. Over the course of the past 20 years, it also expanded to all corners of the world with a modern pop-country sound that appeals to a wider audience. The cornerstone of country music is its ability to tell a compelling story, exemplified through a wide range of artists like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and other legends to modern wordsmiths like Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Ashley McBryde, and more.

However, the genre has also had a longstanding issue with misogyny, particularly on country radio. In 2020, Jada E. Watson conducted a study that stated that female artists make up merely 10 percent of the airplay on country radio—and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Sexism has also crept into the lyrics of some of the biggest hits of the past 15 years, as songs that refer to grown women as “girl” or “pretty little thing” and a woman’s rear end as a “badonkadonk” make this list. Here are eight country songs that feature anti-feminist lyrics.

1. “Country Girl (Shake it For Me)” by Luke Bryan

Get up on the hood of my daddy’s tractor / Up on the tool box, it don’t matter / Down on the tailgate / Girl I can’t wait / To watch you do your thing

Shake it for the birds / Shake it for the bees / Shake it for the catfish swimmin’ down deep in the creek / For the crickets and the critters and the squirrels / Shake it to the moon, shake it for me girl / Country girl shake it for me

2. “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line

When I first saw that bikini top on her / She’s poppin’ right out of the South Georgia water / Thought, “Oh, good Lord, she had them long tanned legs” / Couldn’t help myself so I walked up and said

In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit / Would look a hell lot better with you up in it / So baby you’re a song / You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise

3. “Take a Little Ride” by Jason Aldean

Slide your pretty little self on over / Get a little closer, turn up the radio / Put your pretty pink toes on the dash / Lean your seat back / Man I swear there ain’t nothing looks better than that / Sweet tan, little thing with nothing to do / I wanna take a little ride with you

4. “Bottoms Up” by Brantley Gilbert

Damn girl, I gotta tip my hat / Never thought a country song would make you move like that, yeah/And she’s doing it in Daisy Dukes, girl/She got ya tappin’ on a boy’s shoulder/”Hey dawg, check this out”/Man, it’s how them girls do it in the dirty south, yeah/She’ll have you on a knee, “Can I marry you?”

5. “8 Second Ride” by Jake Owen

And she said, Hey boy, do you mind / Taking me home tonight? /Because I have not never seen a country boy / With tires on his truck this high / I said, “Climb on up, but honey watch the cup / That I’m spittting my dip inside / And hold on tight cause it’s going to be wilder / Than any eight second ride

6. “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” by Trace Adkins

It’s so hard not to stare/At that honky tonk badonkadonk/And whoo-wee, shut my mouth, slap your grandma/There oughta be a law/Get the Sheriff on the phone/Lord have mercy, how’d she even get them britches on/That honky tonk badonkadonk

It ain’t right to hate her/For workin’ that money-maker/Band shuts down at two/But we’re hangin’ out ’til three/We hate to see her go/But love to watch her leave

7. “Hey Girl” by Billy Currington

Hey girl, what’s your name girl / I’ve been lookin’ at you / And every guy here’s doin’ the same girl / It’d be a shame girl / If I let you just walk on by

Hey girl, whatcha think girl / You look a little thirsty / Lemme go getcha something to drink girl / Before you blink girl / I’ll be right back by your side

Photo: Gettyimages.com

Experience country magic live! Book your Billy Currington Tour tickets and make memories to last a lifetime.