It's Thursday, time to get some inspiration from Mama Kat and her Pretty Much World"s Famous Writer's Workshop.
This week's prompt: Songversation. Take a current song that teens and tweens are listening to, share the lyrics, and offer a conversation that you might have with your child about the song.
Reading this week's selection of prompts, I realized how out of the loop I am in the pop music world. Grant it, I know who Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, & Justin Beiber are, I wouldn't be able to recognize any of their songs on the radio. (Okay, except for that Baby, Baby, Baby song from the Beibs. How can you not know that one?) I am a fan of Gaga, and Mo will hum the Bad Romance - tune mainly from hearing me do it.
My listening options in the car, the usual time for radio listening has been hijacked by two little girls. Thus we have a steady rotation of Laurie Berkner Band and CDs from music class.
If you have a child, I assume you know Laurie & her band. If not, let me entertain you for a moment.
Yes, it's like crunchy, folky, kiddie music that has the effect of crack on my kids.
I am not exageratting here.
As soon as Mo is secured in her carseat she says, "My music".
In her head, I figure it's more like "I need it. Give me the Berkner bitch. I need my fix!"
Even 19 month old Maeve attempts to sing along.
Don't get me wrong, I've read the crap that links music and the arts to success later in academics,and I believe it. However, there's only so much of it I can take.
Those moments when the girls fall alseep, it's my turn!
Radio 104.5 cannot be clicked on quick enough.
Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews, Kings of Leon, Pearl Jam, Death Cab...I could go on. How I love a good band!
There are moments, however, where my two loves collide. Mo will wake up, thumb in her mouth, silently listening along to Mumford & Sons Little Lion Man singing about "really fucking it up this time".
So what do I do?
Why at this stage, I don't talk about fuck being a bad word, she's three. If I continually repeat the word, she'll start saying it.
I can't do that.
I change it.
I'm usually against censorship. I believe whole heartedly in the freedom of speech, however in terms of a three year old, fuck is not cool. Neither is "Sex being on fire" (kings of Leon), or "caressing me down" (old school Sublime) or "rape me" (Nirvana).
I don't need to have that kid in preschool.
As we watch and sing along, I make sure my voice is exceptionally loud saying "messed up" while they sing "fucked up".
I hear her singing Little Lion Man (the PG version) to her reflection in the mirror, and I am safe...for now.
Blogging about boobs, babies, bed lust and everything in between since 2007.
Yeah, I even had to put my foot down when the song Birthday Sex came on the radio. Something about my then 5 year old saying that gave me the willies. As a hip hop girl I'm happy to share Secret Agent 23 Skidoo with all hip hop moms in the world. It's for kids (he does a lot fo the songs with his own little girl), but it is dope!
ReplyDeleteAck! Cute way to "censor" the song, though.
ReplyDeleteI've often looked back to the songs I loved in junior high and high school and realized how racy they were. (Hello?! Digital Underground: Humpty Dance!! Bell Biv DeVoe: Poison?!) It makes me blush now to think of 13 to 16-year old me singing proudly along with these lyrics, not *really* getting the message.
I'm glad my kids are naive enough as of now to not really understand the lyrics to some songs. Katy Perry's UFO or WHATEVER song came on and it got to Kanye's part about probing and my Husband looked at me and said, "I think it's time to change the station." The kids see the commercials for Kids Bop 8,234 and constantly sing along. We're trying to start censoring their music a little better around here... but it's hard when all you want to do is listen to something that doesn't make you feel like you're listening to nails on a chalkboard.
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh! My kids sing Black Eyed Peas songs with me...we don't do kids' tunes but I know that it might come back to haunt me when my kids sing something totally inappropriate ;)
ReplyDeleteI worry about what my oldest hears on the news, which is sometimes very disturbing.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Disney Radio has completely taken over my car. The station spins a nonstop loop of politically correct, unoffensive, pop, crap. And I can't get enough of it. I've caught myself listening to it without the kids even being in the car. I'm so ashamed.
ReplyDeleteMy kids can't get enough of Laurie Berkner! Listening to my songs on our IPOD I can't believe some of the lyrics and words. Ear muffs kids!
ReplyDeleteI actually love me some Laurie Berkner and my kids also listen to Pearl Jam... I caught my son singing no, no, no... rehab! because he does not remember the lyrics but does remember the tune and the no, no, no part lol. Great post! I am a new follower and I love, love, love your header photo!
ReplyDeleteLOL I'm so with you here. But....Little Lion man IS a great song. My son is always getting the bad parts wrong, luckily. But I know that will change as he gets older, and then what do I do? Stop listening to the music I love? Hmmm...I don't know about that.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has got our girls excited about the Ramones and Judas Priest. sigh. My oldest pretends like she knows the words to Little Lion Man. "mumble mumble mumble"
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