Salute Lyric Analysis

Salute Lyric Analysis:

 

[Jesy:]
Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, let me see your hands
Stand up and salute[11] 
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women[12] .
Salute, salute!

[Jade:]
Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me[13] , let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

It's who we are[14] [15] 
We don't need no camouflage
It's the female federal
And we're taking off
If you're with me, women, let me hear you say

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
[16] Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

Attention[17] ! (salute)
Attention! (salute)
Attention! (huh!)
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

[Leigh-Anne:]
Sisters[18] [19] [110]  we are everywhere
Warriors, your country needs you
If you're ready ladies, better keep steady
Ready, aim, shoot
Don't need ammunition, on a mission
And we'll hit you with the truth
Divas, queens, we don't need no man, salute!

[Perrie:]
Sisters we are everywhere
Warriors, your country needs you
If you're ready ladies, better keep steady
Ready, aim, shoot
Don't need ammunition. On a mission
And we'll hit you with the truth[111] 
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage
It's the female federal
And we're taking off,[112] 
If you're with me, women, let me hear you say

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

Attention! (salute)
Attention! (salute)
Attention! (huh!)
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

You think we're just pretty things[113] 
You couldn't be more wrong
(We're standing strong, we carry on)
Knock us but we keep moving up [114] (we're moving up, yeah)
Can't stop a hurricane, ladies it's time to awake (yeah!)

Attention!
Attention!
Individuals!
Originals!
Huh!
Let me hear you say,

Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, let me see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

Attention! (salute)
Attention! (salute)
Attention! (huh!)
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute
Ladies, the time has come, the war has begun. Let us stand together.
And remember, men fight great, but women are great fighters[115] 

Huh!
Representing all the women.
Salute, salute!

---

 [11]“Stand up and salute” -This presents the idea that women have to stand up for what they want and what they think is right, they have to fight for what they want.

 [12] “Representing all the women”-This could represent how powerful women can be and also presents us with the idea that some women cannot stand up for their rights, this could be for religious or cultural reason.

 [13]“We’re looking for recruits if you’re with me” This suggest that women are having to form an army to protest for their rights.

 

 [14]“It’s who we are”- This shows women cannot help from being themselves and that they should be themselves and not worry about what other people or society are thinking.

 [15]“We don’t need no camouflage”- This supports the point above bout women embracing who they are. “Camouflage” also presents visual imagery as when hearing the noun you think of the Army.

 [16]“Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots”- This could represent women preparing to fight for equality. Heels are a stereotypical shoe for women whereas the other shoes named are not. The juxtaposition used presents that women can be different then the stereotypical representation of the gender.

 [17]“Attention!” – This shows the urgency women feel when fighting for equality and rights. In the song it also makes the audience listen and think into the meaning and context of the song.

 [18]“Sisters”- this shows that women around the globe are forming a strong community of women. It also shows power and love as they are referring to all women as the same- equality. 

 [19]“Warriors”- This presents the ideas of women being strong and ready to fight, like an army almost. This noun is also not associated with females so this stands out to the audience.

 [110]“Divas, queens”- This is showing that women can be individual even if they fit some stereotypes of a woman, that does not mean they have to play a role of a ‘woman’.

 [111]“And we’ll hit you with the truth”- This presents the idea that women are proving society wrong and showing women’s true power.

 [112]“We’re taking off”- This suggest that women have a lot of power and this time the protesting will work, and women will get what they want. This shows a sense of power which is shown throughout the music video.

 [113]“You think we’re just pretty things” – This shows the issue with society based on looks and what the media expect women to look like. This also arises the issue of women being sexualised and that the only important thing is there appearance. This shows there is more to a woman. 

 [114]“Knock us but we keep moving up”- This presents that women who have protested in the past such as the suffragettes and suffragists have been ‘knocked’ down. Little Mix present the idea of women are now stronger, like a community, so this time, unlike the pass, they will not be knocked down.

 [115]“Ladies, the time has come, the war has begun. Let us stand together. And remember, men fight great, but women are great fighters”- This suggest women are going through a ‘war’ when protesting for their rights and equality. It also presents the idea of equality as it doesn’t discredit men which in some perspective is what feminism does. This is proving that idea wrong as they both use the same adjective; ‘great’ to describe both genders- the same. It finalises the idea that the world should be equal.