New Kids on the Block's 'Dirty Dawg': The modern day 'Carmen' song

 

There's no question the Boston boy band were widely huge in the late 80s to early 90s. Having troves of screaming girls crushing and critics dismissing them as exaggerated. Originally wanting to do R&B, Hip Hop and New Jack Swing, they did Pop music in their early years. Which eventually lead to their 1994 album 'Face the Music'. The last album they did in that decade and as a group until their breakup the same year.

First single, 'Dirty Dawg', proves their original genres of music is where their talent truly shines. Had nobody knew NKOTB did this song, some would think it was Montell Jordan, Boyz II Men and Heavy D all collaborating. The song was banned by MuchMusic for its violent and misogynistic tones and the music video was given late night showing on MTV.

The song tells of a man who is cheated on and how appalled he is by his unfaithful partner. The music video is an interpretation of what a heartbroken man might do. Showing attempts on getting violent or rebounding with a lady of the night. The latter of which can reject him if her boundaries are disrespected. It's not a tragic Opera like Georges Bizet's Carmen, but the similarities are there.

Carmen's infidelity and her demise parallels the themes of the NKOTB song and video. Had a 90s retelling of the famous Opera been done, 'Dirty Dawg' would be its theme. Old songs and new ones can have their parallels and there's things to learn from. Especially if they are cautionary.  

*NKOTB later reunited in 2008 and have since gained new fans and released new music.

*'Carmen' continues to be one of the most seen and performed Operas in the World.