In life people have the free will to overcome tribulations. Sometimes though, that free will can seem limited by external forces and situations. This is something that Duran Duran describes in their song, “Girls on Film.” Additionally, whether a person can overcome that limitation is up to them, as they can choose to not succumb to the external forces that prevent them from doing so. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Yes, addresses this idea in the lyrics. Both songs describe a person or group of people that have their free will and livelihood threatened by the past or situations they find themselves in. However, in Duran Duran’s song, the group only describes the hopeless loop of a situation where something is leeching off a person’s free will. Yes’ song addresses that hardship, however, they leave the song on a positive note by stating that a person’s past or situation cannot limit them from choosing to utilize their free will to take control of their life.

Sometimes, utilizing a person’s own free will to take over their life and change it for the better is incredibly hard given the situation they are in. More specifically, when people wind up in situations they cannot control, many decide to give up fighting for themselves. Duran Duran addresses this idea in their song, “Girls on Film” when they describe the seemingly hopeless situation of actresses and/or models being exploited by the film industry:

Lipstick cherry all over the lens as she’s falling

And miles of sharp blue water coming in

Where she lies

The diving man’s coming up for air

‘Cause the crowd all love pulling Dolly by the hair (lines 14-18).

This exploitation can be clearly scene in the line, “’Cause the crowd all love pulling Dolly by the hair” (18) as it depicts the consumer manipulation over the entertainment industry to the point where there is no regard to the entertainer’s preference or wellbeing. Additionally, the lyrics address the crowd’s desires and disregard what the actress/model wants. They ultimately reduce her to being a toy for others to look at; a porcelain doll with beautiful lipstick and a heart that is being disregarded. This disregard for the actress/model’s humanity is something the actress/model does not like. In fact. it is distinctively clear that the actress or model does not want to be used in this way when the lyrics state, “And she wonders how she ever got here / As she goes under again.” (20-21). Even though through the first line it can be seen that the actress or model does not want to be exploited, she feels as if her the situation is limiting her free will. Thus, noticed in the second line, she then believes that there is no other choice but to remain where she is; there is no other choice but to suffer as she has lost the will to even fight back.

Yes’ song, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” addresses this hopelessness by describing that it is a person’s choice whether they limit their own free will to better themselves or not; it is not the situation’s fault that they are caged. This belief can be seen when they write, “Be yourself / Give your free will a chance / You’ve got to want to succeed.” (27-28). Through these lyrics Yes’ idea that people should believe in themselves and notice that their free will is not caged by circumstances is seen. In fact, through the lyrics, the group expresses that it is the person who cages themselves. If they write that “You’ve got to want to succeed,” (28) that means that if a person does not want to prosper in life, they will not. Even though situations that result in seemingly hopeless outcomes can occur, that does not mean it is the situation’s fault. In fact, Yes describes that it is the person who is to blame if they feel as if they have lost their free will to fight. Thus, if it is people who limit their own free will to change their situation, it is then those people who can choose to be free. A person can only be provided with help if they ask for help and decide to be helped. A lot of people who feel as if there is no hope in a situation are people who have either given up on asking for help or decided not to ask at all. Yes addresses this in their lyrics by expressing that people who are struggling in a situation should not sit and accept it, they should take a leap of faith and utilize their free will to save themselves.

Taking that leap of faith is a struggle for many, especially for those who are being used by an industry that is made to exploit them. Duran Duran’s song further highlights this industry as they write different endings to the last repeat of the chorus. First they write “…(she’s more than a lady),” (33) which can express the entertainment industry or director coaxing her into getting what they want. The group then describes this want in the lines, “… (two minutes later) /… (see you together)” (35-37). The fact that the time it takes for the director to switch faces is so short shows that the director really does not really want anything else but to satisfy their own need. Finally, the lyrics, “… (see you later),” truly shows how flippant the director is because as soon as they get what they want, they leave, completely disregarding the actress/model’s feelings. In this situation it is natural for any person to feel as if there is no way out. Just as the model expresses that they do not want to experience this, they also feel as if there is no hope for them, so they must stay anyways. With this point that the song makes, the difference between this song and Yes’ song is clear. As Duran Duran’s song leaves no hope for the poor actress/model stuck in the loop of exploitation, Yes writes that there is hope for anyone stuck in a painful situation, as it is their choice to leave in the first place.

In life, people are faced with many choices. Sometimes, situations lead people to make desperate choices and other times, people go into decisions thinking it is the best choice they could make. At the end though, some people end up becoming hurt and loose the will to fight back; an outcome that can be seen in “Girls on Film.” When faced with this bad outcome, it can seem as if there is no hope. However, with all situations, there can still be a silver lining; a revelation that Yes comes to in “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” It is up to the person whether they will find hope in their misery though, as all it takes is to make the choice to hope.