Hubby and I were getting cranky one recent afternoon as we slogged through traffic to a destination we really didn’t want to reach anyway. To improve the mood I flipped the iPod to a playlist filled with some of our favorite upbeat anthems everyone must should love. Within minutes the familiar riffs of Kidd Rock’s All Summer Long swirled through the car. Kiddo sat happily in his booster singing along:
We were SMOKING FUNNY THINGS
MAKING LOVE out by the lake to our favorite song
SIPPING WHISKEY OUT THE BOTTLE, not thinking ’bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
We couldn’t stop the big s#*! eating grins from spreading across our faces. Kiddo was chair dancing, playing his invisible drums, and working his rock star hair. I cursed myself for not having the video camera. It was awesome.
When I relayed the story to some other Moms they were pseudo-outraged. THEY only let their kids listen to Kid Bop or Radio Disney. Kids should NOT be listening to vulgar songs like that. We were corrupting him. They basically let it be known my Kiddo would be hanging out under a bridge drunk, stoned, and slumming around by the time he was twelve because we let his brain rot to such music.
Really?
Music always filled the air while I was growing up. My parents raised me on 60’s and 70’s standards and classic rock. In the 80’s I started developing my own tastes (with much trial and error) and now when I think back, there were some pretty dang raunchy songs I listened to in my youth. And I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what they meant. I just liked them.
A few childhood favorites:
Grease Soundtrack (favorite movie age 5–did you ever really listen to the lyrics of Greased Lightening? )
Grease 2 Soundtrack (I’m Gonna Score Tonight, Reproduction, Let’s Do It for Our Country–Perfect songs to sing at the playground.)
Phyiscal–Olivia Newton John (It was about working out at a gym, not on a mattress, right?)
Come on Eileen–Dexy’s Midnight Runners (Rediscovered high school when someone gave my date a rousing thumbs up as I danced along –oops.)
Sugar Walls–Sheena Easton (I thought was singing about a house made of candy. Really.)
Like a Virgin–Madonna (My mother was unthrilled when Santa left the tape under the tree, but I wasn’t really sure why it was SO bad.)
Darling Nikki/Little Red Corvette–Prince ( I’ve been married for 11+ years and those lyrics still make me blush.)
Centerfold–The J Geils Band (Catchy tune, come on…)
Secondhand News–Fleetwood Mac (Just lay me down in the tall grass and let me do my stuff…bowm bowm bowm bowm…)
Sexual Healing/Let’s Get it On –Marvin Gaye (That voice, those words…yeah it seems pretty obvious…)
She Bop–Cyndi Lauper (Some girls just want to have fun…lots of fun…all by themselves…)
Whole Lotta Love &/or Hey Hey What Can I DO–Led Zepplin (Everyone needs a Backdoor Man screaming all of those ooohh oohhhhs)
Lola –The Kinks (Nothing like kissing a drag queen.)
Almost anything by the Rolling Stones (I can remember singing Mother’s Little Helper while I put my dolls away. Nope, didn’t get it.)
By the time the 80’s hair metal kicked in I had a tiny clue…well, not really…Talk Dirty to Me, You Shook Me All Night Long, Cherry Pie, Pour Some Sugar on Me…the list could keep going…
I don’t think Kiddo will end up in juvie or rehab before he sprouts facial hair from listening to a little Greenday. But I do draw line at Sex on Fire, Crazy B*tch, (thanks for listening to those Hubby, ahem) and many of today’s skanky rap anthems. But you just can’t make me listen to Justin Bieber.
Which lyrics from your youth made you blush when you realize what they were REALLY about?
Music is suppose to be fun, at least that is how I see it. We jam to all sorts of stuff at our house.
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Papa don't preach, from Madonna. I used to love this song and was singing it when I was 12/13 without really understanding what it meant. thank God my dad doesn't speak English!!!
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You're absolutely right! I do, however, draw the line at songs that demean women by calling them "bitch" or "ho"
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I feel the same way. 🙂 My son hears lots of different ones that he sings but we do keep it clean. 🙂 LOL Music is a big part of our lives. I love to sing and play the piano and he seems to be following in my footsteps. There are some songs that I look back on now and am shocked :)LOL New Follower via Bloggy mommy
I STILL haven't heard the real lyrics to Grease Lightning. And I don't really care. My kid listens to whatever – it's not like he'll never learn it. He just won't be allowed to play with other kids because I let him listen to heathen music.
I remember listening to the Purple Rain soundtrack while my older sister and I were cleaning our room (she is 6 years older then me) Darling Nikki came on and we of course were singing along…my Dad walked into the room ejected the cassette tape snapped it in half and then left. My sister being older kind of knew why but I was like what the heck was that about. I become obsessed with Prince and that darn song after that. I let my children listen to what they like except rap…..I hate rap.
Ah, someone beat me to it! And her name is Jennifer, too! I was just going to say the Purple Rain soundtrack was the craziest thing I'd ever heard when I was a kid… ESPECIALLY that Darling Nikki song. I felt so naughty listening to Prince but I just loved his music. And it didn't corrupt me. (At least… I don't think it did).
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That album (yes, I"m old enough to say album) came out when I was in 4th grade I think. I totally didn't get Darling Nikki and it just sounded weird. But Little Red Corvette? Come on, everyone loved that song.
I HATE rap too. There's a difference between being a little bit dirty and degrading.
Click on the link and look up the words. I was floored!
Thanks for following! It's great to keep it clean as long as there is some variety.
Absolutely agree. Those songs make me nauseous.
OOhh, forgot about that one. Seventh grade (for me)? Thanks.
Yes, music should be fun and make everyone dance and smile. Always.
My Sharona was a surprise to me when I found out what it was about .
My kid doesn't listen to "kids" music either – I don't want to go INSANE in my own home.
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I think you are a really rad mommy…
If I had a kid, I might try to censor some stuff (porn, explicit curses etc) till he or she grows up a bit more but I believe strongly in freedom of expression and enough room for the kid to develop their own personality. 🙂
xoxo,
Addie
The Cat Hag
Oh my poor children most my anthems have to do with musicals or are from the 80's. There is nothing better than cleaning the house to Footloose and seriously you can not help but scream and dance.
Hilarious!! I've found there is no way to escape it so just embrace it. If they don't hear it coming from your car, they'll hear it blaring over the loud speakers of the mall. Here's a little note I posted on my blog to Dear Ms. Katy Perry "thanking" her for educating my children throughout the year. Kind of funny… http://bit.ly/jS8T3Z
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Following from the hop. You really make an interesting point. I'll shield my kids for as long as possible but there's a point when the inevitable will happen. Nice post!
Clayton http://www.claytonpaulthomas
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HAHA I loved this, as I had this discussion with my father yesterday. He lectured me on my habit of listening to AC/DC while my son was in the car.
A quick reminder of the music I heard in THEIR car ended that discussion….LOL No dad, I am sure Janice Joplin, The Doors and Creedance Clearwater Revival had no drug/sex related lyrics!
I don’t think I understood what many of these were about when we sung to them on the radio.
Stopping from Time Travel Tuesday!
Oh, my! This is so me growing up too!
I loved Afternoon Delight! And belting out anything by Rod Stewart? I’m sure was embarrassing for my parents! Hee hee!
I am SO like you (and listened to all same songs – I turned out fine)…my boys love any and all music (I draw the line at the Wiggles – that is not happening under my roof). We had a dance party to the Black Eyed Peas last night. Pure awesomeness.
I’m pretty sure I would go insane if I had to listen to any kind of children’s music. Never have. Never will. Judge me all you like judgey Mama’s. My music makes me happy. 😉
I’m with you. I’m NOT sitting in my car listening to KidsBop or Radio Disney. I’d rather teach them about decent music. My 9-year-old has been a huge Green Day fan for a while. But for the first time last week he asked, “Did he just say the F word?” Um… maybe…
Oh well, I can totally remember belting out “Centerfold” on the bus in 4th grade. I think I was in college when someone explained to me what “She Bop” meant. It was just fun to dance to.
When my son was little, his favorite movie was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. We allowed him to watch it until one day when we figured he was old enough to understand some of the hidden undertones. Guess what? He’s now 23 years old, and this movie didn’t ruin his life or development.
Joyce
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
We listen to so many different genres of music on my kiddo’s playlist and on the radio. How will he decide what he like unless he hears what there is?
I remember all those songs. We sang and danced along to all of them & turned out ok.
Love this for the Time Travel Link up!!!
Oh yes, the things we used to sing along too and now hypocrite that I am .. ET, Teenage dream and many others are banned from my house 😉
I didn’t understand what songs really ment when I was a kid either. When I learned the real meaning behind She Bop, I cracked up and I asked my mom why she let me listen to it. She said that I didn’t know the meaning so why fight it? Good point mom.