Is there any music that's NOT Ok for kids to listen to? - Page 3

[Addy's Mom]

I don't play music that glorifies war. One that comes to mind, that I really like in a lot of ways (especially about family, etc.), is "Letters from Home" by John Michael Montgomery. Lyrics like "pick up my gun and get back to work" make me shudder.

[floss&ferd]

Pretty much anything goes in our house. My son is a HUGE beatles fan right now.

I usually skip "Add it Up" by Violent Femmes. But I think that is the only song I consistently skip.

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Originally Posted by east carolina

Anyhoo, I let DS listen to anything, I only screen for extremely explicit lyrics (a couple of "F" words don't bother me) and extremely sexual lyrics, but that's about it. He loves lots of different kinds of music just like we do from opera all the way to rap and in between. Johnny Cash, Prince, Outkast, all of those are staples in our music collection. He also likes the more obscure stuff we're really into, like Red Red Meat and Arcwelder.

Yeah. This. We don't go obscure because of my taste, but my kid adores my old Marylin Manson (MM) CD. He's not so much into the words of it, but loves the music. He is head-over-heals in LOVE with MM's version of the Nightmare Before Christmas song. And Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison song. I've heard that about a gazillion times...over and over and over and over and over again.

With mine, it's not so much the words; it's the music he's interested in.

Every now and then he'll ask about a lyric from a radio song so I know he's listening. We've had extensive talks about what is appropriate to repeat and (so far) he's been good about it all.

[ssh]

We don't let DD listen to music that's really dark or discordant. NIN, System of a Down, and most Tool aren't really appropriate. We don't listen to country so she doesn't either. My DH likes techno and electronica, so she hears Tiesto alot. I like to make sure DD hears a variety. She really likes swing, mainly Glen Miller, Afro Celt, and Lorenna Mckennet. I listen to alternative and old rock in the car.

[HappilyEvrAfter]

Originally Posted by ssh

My DH likes techno and electronica, so she hears Tiesto alot.

I DJ Tiesto.

[plunky]

Originally Posted by MusicianDad

We actually don't shelter DD from music. I mean when I was 2 years older then her, I was writing some pretty offensive/violent songs myself.

We do draw a line though... No Psudo-singers who can't carry a tune, write a song and/or play an insturment. No bubble gum pop. Basically none of that new crap they call music.

This amused me for some reason. Dragonforce=good. White Stripes=bad until Meg can learn how to drum.

[journeymom]

I did change the station when Beck's Loser came on. I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me. I just didn't like my kids hearing that sentiment, even though I like the song.

I was a little chagrined that I didn't notice when Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name got to the part where he repeats at least 20 times, "F You, I won't do what you tell me!", getting louder and louder till he's screaming it at the top of his lungs. My dear daughter said, Uh, mom you might want to skip this song. We laughed, though.

Originally Posted by GuildJenn

Here's my growing up story - I was THROWN OUT of grade 4 play auditions for auditioning with "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar. I had NO idea Mary Magdalene was a prostitute or whatever. But I got no role in the Sound of Music because of it. Sniff.

But- it's just a pretty song. I'm sorry, you was robbed!

[~pi]

We use the, "would we want him singing these lyrics?" test as well. That's about it as far as filters go.

Originally Posted by TiredX2

Honestly, I've sheltered the kids from some more sad lyrics from say, Kimya Dawson (like her song 12/26)

I doubt Kimya will see this thread but I'm willing to bet that her DD hears her songs.

I do agree with you that songs like 12/26 are sad, but empathic, moral songs can make for great learning opportunities, discussions about our values as a family/community, etc. Not saying it's a bad decision, just offering a different POV for general consideration.

[nextcommercial]

Beatles would have been OK with me.

But, I was very picky about the music my daughter listened to. When her friends were listening to "Spice Girls", I wouldn't let my daughter listen to it. She still had Vegi Tales CDs instead. (kindergarten/1st grade)

Last year, she had a dance recital. (she's 17 now) and one of the songs the fifth graders were dancing to was "Something in your mouth" By Nickleback. I personally like tha song... on my own IPOD... but, it was the absolutely most innapropriate song for a children's dance recital... no matter what age was dancing to it.

[MusicianDad]

Originally Posted by Jessy1019

We don't censor media in our house. My kids listen to everything I listen to . . . Ani, Ingrid Michaelson, Fiona Apple, the RENT soundtrack, our naughty xmas album whatever else we're in the mood for. We've had some great discussions as a result (my son, especially, is VERY interested in knowing what the ladies on my iPod are singing about).

Our DD sings the RENT soundtrack! Occasionally the rest of us join in.

I think I asked in the New Years Eve thread if I was a bad parent for letting her sing "Out Tonight".

[MusicianDad]

Originally Posted by GuildJenn

Here's my growing up story - I was THROWN OUT of grade 4 play auditions for auditioning with "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar. I had NO idea Mary Magdalene was a prostitute or whatever. But I got no role in the Sound of Music because of it. Sniff.

And you know, Mary Magdalene wasn't even a prostitute. That myth was started in the 6th century. In 1969 the church finally said there are three different women that were combined to create "Mary Magdalene the prostitute".

[ShadowMoon]

We don't censure music in the house. DS is only 3 so a lot of stuff flies over his head anyway. I mostly listen to Phish, Grateful Dead, Beatles, Ani DiFranco, Elliott Smith, Radiohead, Tool, etc etc etc. Nothing completely outrageous.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

My kiddo is only 17 months so he listens to what I listen to therefore the requirements for appropriateness are: not crap.

Unfortunately, somewhere *cough*Auntie*cough* he picks up on things and for the past 3 months he walks around singing "Single Ladies" (The UH-uh-oh part) with such tonal accuracy that people in the grocery store KNOW what he's singing and stop to sing the rest which he LOVES and then he dances like a crazy child and the whole cycle starts again. I'll admit, I find this absolutely hysterical. My sister also plays Lady Gaga and has him trained where you'll say "DS, what's your poker face?" and he does this move with his hands on his face and says "p-p-p-p" like in the song. Also funny though not really my musical taste.

I like what most would categorize as "indie" music so that is most of what DS hears. Also older pop/rock like Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, etc. We also like older country (Dolly, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash) some bluegrass, and lots of folk stuff.

I had to laugh when I saw someone that censored "Loser" by Beck because my dad used to turn that song off when I was a kid and it would come on and ooooooooh boy would it piss me off! I LOVED that song

[Irishmommy]

Where we can hear it, anything we don't like is censored, so no rap, stuff like that. If we can't hear it, we don't censor. (Applicable to the 15yo, the 9yo's mp3 is loaded by us, so we know what she has.

I have no problem with them listening to stuff I wouldn't want them singing in front of others. We all love "Teenagers Scare the Living S**t out of Me" for instance. But a couple of years ago, dd1 loved,and had a dance to, a song by Soulja Boy, I think. I asked her if she knew what the lyrics meant, she said no, I explained them. She said "Oh". And hasn't listened to it since, to the best of my knowledge.

They both love Queen, they can blast that!

[Viola]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I learned this when my daughter was singing "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" at the top of her lungs on her way into Vacation Church School.

ROFL, I woke up to that song this morning. My husband set the alarm to this country station, and I usually listen to it for awhile if I don't wake up before the alarm clock. Country songs can be really strange!

I stopped listening to a lot of musicals, which is my favorite style, when the kids were singing back the lyrics and I realized how inappropriate it was. Rent, Spring Awakening, Avenue Q. When they were climbing on the table to pretend to light the Advent wreath while singing "We could light the candle" I transferred it all to my MP3 player and made it my gym music.

Heheheh, we listened to The Internet is for Porn driving from PA to VA a few years ago because it was on this mix CD that DH made for the drive. I wanted to FFwd past the song, but the kids wanted to hear it. I kept telling my daughter they were saying the Internet is for CORN because you can buy corn online. We were laughing about it and I made up a whole scenario about why the Internet is for corn. But then especially when she saw the WoW video set to that song, the masturbate word leaped out at her, and she asked about that, so I guess she realized it wasn't corn, although I don't think I've ever really told her what porn is--my husband might have, however, at least to a point.

I'm not the biggest Rent fan out there, but I find myself singing the first line of Light My Candle whenever candles are being lit.

I remember listening to Les Miserables and Miss Saigon in the car with my nephew and niece, and they'd listen to the story and ask if someone had died and all that, then I'd have to explain the whole story, then later on they'd ask for the song where the girl died or killed herself or whatever.

I don't particularly censor things, but I don't see a problem with it. I don't want my children internalizing some cultural notions, and if I do turn something off, it's because I don't like it and don't want to promote it, and I will tell them that. They are free to believe what they want to believe, but I have to at least stand up for my values.

[calmom]

I put a lot of thought into the music my kids listen to (read: i spend hours reading lyrics before i approve them) but in the end, they listen to most everything they want to.

they listen to lots of hard rock/metal and alternative stuff like rage against the machine, beastie boys, slipknot and linkin park. i have mostly forbidden marilyn manson because i'm just appalled by his lyrics.

i also decide based on their ages. my 15yo can have CDs with the F word, my 12yo cannot, and the younger two can only have completely clean songs. i don't care too much if the lyrics are suggestive unless it's really obvious.

we also often buy the clean version from iTunes if the language is just too much.

[widemouthedfrog]

I prefer that my dd not listen to a lot of swearing or songs that glorify guns.

Then again, when she was 2 I let her listen to K'naan's "I was stabbed by Satan," which is actually a very lovely song about his difficult childhood. He is a human rights activist and hip hop artist, and I love, love, love his work. I was a little concerned that dd might sing it at preschool. It is very catchy.

Unfortunately it also contains a fair amount of swearing, so we're listening to just a few of his songs at the moment.

We listen to most music. I actually quite like a lot of hip hop and rap and we do "dance parties" with them.

[folkgirl]

I don't censor most of my personal collection but there are some rap/hip-hop songs (not a lot since it's not my thing) that I skip because it's hard to explain context to a 3 year old. Same goes for a few random songs that have curse words like "Song For the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five.

I actually curse a lot myself, but try not to in front of my kid. I don't want her cursing at church, in front of grandparents, school, etc so until she's old enough to understand "mixed company" I will try to downplay it greatly.

Just yesterday I was reflecting on some of my favorite songs/artists with less-obvious cursing, like Wilco for example. They curse a lot but they're kind of mumbly so I don't worry about it much. I'm sure one day I should start.

[newbymom05]

We have an almost 5 y/o and 2 y/o and they have their own music. Jazz, Putamayo for Kids, Raffi, Wiggles, Mary Poppins soundtrack--those are some things we listen to that I've come to enjoy myself.

I don't understand the attitude of "they listen to what I/we/the adults listen to" or "only GOOD music" which seems to always mean adult music. Do these children also watch the same tv and movies their parents watch, since the dialog and subject matter is over their heads or because the parents just don't like children's shows?

[sunnmama]

Originally Posted by newbymom05

I don't understand the attitude of "they listen to what I/we/the adults listen to" or "only GOOD music" which seems to always mean adult music. Do these children also watch the same tv and movies their parents watch, since the dialog and subject matter is over their heads or because the parents just don't like children's shows?

I only listen to stuff the kids like when they are around (otherwise they complain too much for me to enjoy it). We exposed them to a lot of stuff--including stuff geared to kids, and it turns out that their favorite stuff is often not "kid music". Both of my toddlers would request the Beatles ("play love me do!") all the time.