This is messed up (music, sexuality and kids)

[Momtwice]

I went to a kids play space and they played 50 cents "Candy Shop" for kids to karoake to. These girls were about 8 or 9 singing the chorus.

I went to a toy store and they were playing an odious recording of children singing popular songs. A preteen or young teen girl was singing Beyonce's "Make me lose my Breath."

It's official, I have become a prude. Or the world really, really is intent on devouring our children at any cost.

[Momtwice]

Adding the lyrics

Lose My Breath
http://www.dapslyrics.com/display.php?sid=7649

Candy Shop
http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/50-...andy-Shop.html

[shelbean91]

every time i see a commercial for 'kids bop' I cringe. just b/c a kid sings it, doesn't make it ok for kids to listen to. THey had christina aguilara and pink for a couple of the songs. I dont remember specifically which ones they were, but when I listened to the lyrics, they were NOT appropriate for small kids.

[fluffernutter]

I'm right there with you. That Candy Shop song makes me want to hurl. I can't imagine letting a kid listen to it, much less sing it. >:|

[Mom4tot]

:Puke

[Oh the Irony]

[willowsmom]

Originally Posted by shelbean91

every time i see a commercial for 'kids bop' I cringe. just b/c a kid sings it, doesn't make it ok for kids to listen to. THey had christina aguilara and pink for a couple of the songs. I dont remember specifically which ones they were, but when I listened to the lyrics, they were NOT appropriate for small kids.

Yup. IMO...if Willow wants to listen to the songs that are on those Kids Bop cd's...I'll burn her a cd of the real songs....(depending on what they are)...but right now..my almost 2 year old would much rather listen to The Who and Led Zeppelin and Depeche Mode than rap and pop... :

[UnschoolnMa]

lol, im the lone ranger here I think My kids and I listen to those songs. My 11 year old daughter knows all the lyrics. This really isn't an issue for us though. We like Led Zep and The Who too. There is a pretty wide variety of music played in our house. Sinatra, Eminem, 50 cent, C. Aguillera, Beck, Faith Hill, Nickel Creek, Steve Miller Band, AC/DC..

[Momtwice]

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa

lol, im the lone ranger here I think My kids and I listen to those songs. My 11 year old daughter knows all the lyrics. This really isn't an issue for us though. We like Led Zep and The Who too. There is a pretty wide variety of music played in our house. Sinatra, Eminem, 50 cent, C. Aguillera, Beck, Faith Hill, Nickel Creek, Steve Miller Band, AC/DC..

Huge variety of music, I'm there with you! We have everything in this house from rock to punk to showtunes to jazz to blues to classical to Grateful Dead and beyond. An occasional swear word or innuendo, fine. But the lyrics of the songs I mentioned above are too much for kids IMHO.
Let them be kids is how I feel...don't give 8 year old girls the message that their only goal in life is to sexually please men. My preteen kids are very uncomfortable with in-your-face, explicitly sexual material and I try to honor that.

[UnschoolnMa]

Momtwice wrote:
Huge variety of music, I'm there with you! We have everything in this house from rock to punk to showtunes to jazz to blues to classical to Grateful Dead and beyond.

Oh yes, punk here too. My Ds digs alot of that!

An occasional swear word or innuendo, fine. But the lyrics of the songs I mentioned above are too much for kids IMHO. Let them be kids is how I feel...don't give 8 year old girls the message that their only goal in life is to sexually please men.

I can understand what you mean, and how it worries many parents. For my family, the children choose their own media (TV, music etc). We discuss lyrics we hear alot, and in fact the "Candy Shop" song was brought up by Dd the second time she caught it. She had me hear part of it, and said "Gee, he's a real subtle guy eh?" and kind of rolled her eyes. I agreed and we sort of laughed a bit. She thinks the beat is nice to dance to. Because we've talked/still talk so much about sexuality and relationships I feel good about her hearing these songs, without worry that she will somehow feel less than secure in role as a strong young woman from them.

My preteen kids are very uncomfortable with in-your-face, explicitly sexual material and I try to honor that.


That is wonderful that you respect how they feel I think I am doing the same, really, with having the children make their own listening decisions.

[Momtwice]

the "Candy Shop" song was brought up by Dd the second time she caught it. She had me hear part of it, and said "Gee, he's a real subtle guy eh?" and kind of rolled her eyes. I agreed and we sort of laughed a bit.

I actually saw him on MTV or some such channel talking about how happy he was that he achieved his goal of making the lyrics in that song SUBTLE...and he meant it!! :LOL

[ibahippiemama]

Nothing but the old people music for us. You know jazz, classical, swing, big band. My kids like Glen Miller. But seriously, I really don't like for them to listen to rap music. It is just so degrading to women IMO. I set the radio stations and they better not move.

love and blessings
angie

[Shonahsmom]

Originally Posted by ibahippiemama

But seriously, I really don't like for them to listen to rap music. It is just so degrading to women IMO.

That's a pretty huge sweeping generalization. There is actually a lot of very conscious hip hop and rap artists out there rhyming and singing about political and social issues more eloquently than I could ever hope to convey... the just don't get a lot of mainstream airplay... but they exist for certain.

[Shonahsmom]

Just some examples for anyone who might be interested:

Saul Williams
Mos Def
The Roots
Immortal Technique
Spearhead & Michael Franti
Wyclef Jean
The Perceptionists
Public Enemy
Beastie Boys
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
Arrested Development
Common

[willowsmom]

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa

lol, im the lone ranger here I think My kids and I listen to those songs. My 11 year old daughter knows all the lyrics. This really isn't an issue for us though. We like Led Zep and The Who too. There is a pretty wide variety of music played in our house. Sinatra, Eminem, 50 cent, C. Aguillera, Beck, Faith Hill, Nickel Creek, Steve Miller Band, AC/DC..

Continue to rock. My biggest beef with Kidz Bop (being a musician, myself) is that they've got kids singing these songs. Trying to bubblegum it up. IMO...Play the real thing if your kids want to hear it (and you concur)...don't buy this crap. Nothing worse than a 10 year old Britney Wanna-be in a glorified cover band.

As for censorship...it doesn't exist in this house at this point. Willow's not even 2 yet. kwim? And when she's older...I'd much rather know what Willow is listening to than have her feeling she needs to be sneaky and hide things from me...

[Pynki]

um.. My 5 yr old came into the Kitchen singing Snoop dogg.. We soooo don't censor music.. If I listen to it so do my kids.. They don't HAVE to be in my room .. They can if they chose to.. My 6 yr old sits mesmorized infront of the cd player when Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band is in it..

[gethane]

I heard my 14 year old berating my almost 11 year old the other day for "OMG YOU DON'T KNOW WHO JIMI HENDRIX IS??? HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW WHO JIMI HENDRIX IS"

I came over to their computer a month ago or so and started singing along to the songs they had going... warm feelings... first Live and Let Die... followed by Dream On.

Ahhh... love those songs.

[Guava~Lush]

Momtwice, you're not the only prude! Personally, I do find "Candyshop" offensive. There are other genre's of music out there-like those you listen to and have been posted here, that don't need to revolve around oral to get me groovin to a good beat.

My ds always would fall asleep to dh's trance/house music at bedtime. Although it gives ME anxiety :LOL I always need to leave the room. I'm a metalhead at heart

[Guava~Lush]

I set the radio stations and they better not move.

ibahippiemama, :LOL :LOL

[Momtwice]

Originally Posted by willowsmom

My biggest beef with Kidz Bop (being a musician, myself) is that they've got kids singing these songs. Trying to bubblegum it up. IMO...Play the real thing if your kids want to hear it (and you concur)...don't buy this crap.

Back when my kids were Barney fans , it used to really annoy me when the Barney kids would sing "it isn't going to rain any more, any more" because they would not sing the old song that went "it ain't gonna rain no more..."

It's a balancing act between not wanting censorship, and not wanting the music industry to take my kids' childhood away just because they see dollar signs in their eyes and my kids' mental health be (expletived.) By that I mean that sexually explicit (or violent) material really makes them very uncomfortable.

I don't like Candy Shop, but I do occassionally enjoy some explicit songs myself. The Bad Touch by the Bloodhound Gang cracks me up and the beat is good.

But they would make my kids VERY uncomfortable. So I don't listen to them when they are with me. And I don't tell them to sing karaoke to them!!! (Which was was set me off in the first place.) If that makes me a prude, fine. :LOL