What Music Are Your Kids Listening To?

I'm one of those mainstream moms who likes to listen to the newest jams on the radio. I remember when I was a teenager, trying to keep the "parental discretion" lyrics playing on my little personal radio in my bedroom at a lower level so my parents couldn't hear them. A couple of times, I got caught with cassette tapes (yes, cassette tapes, remember those?) that were a big no-no in my parent's house.

jukon.net

Guns and Roses, Too Live Crew, 2PAC, and hmmm...there were definitely some others that I wasn't supposed to have in my possession. Some were confiscated and others...well, let's just say that I hid them well.

Do you actually listen to the lyrics that your children are singing along to? The other day, I was driving in the (mommy) van, listening to some beats, when an unfamiliar song started playing. I didn't get too far into the song before I started thinking, "Are you serious?"

I heard:

"I could dream of ways to see you
I could close my eyes to dream
I could fantasize about you
Tell the world what I believe
But whenever I'm not with you
It's so hard for me to see
I need to see a picture of you
A special picture just for me, yeah

So take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture
Just take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture
Just send the dirty picture to me
Send the dirty picture
Just send the dirty picture to me
Send the dirty picture

Snap.
Uh.

Whenever you are gone, I just wanna be wit ya
Please don't get me wrong, I just wanna see a picture

Take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture
Take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture

Whenever you are gone, I just wanna be wit ya
Please don't get me wrong, I just wanna see your picture

Take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture
Take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture

The dream of ways to see you
I could close my eyes to dream
Fantasize about this with you
But the way is never seen"

The lyrics by Taio Cruz are repeated over and over...um, do they actually call that a song? This is playing on the same radio stations that my children - and your children - are listening to.

How about this one by Kesha:

"Maybe I need some rehab,
Or maybe just need some sleep
I've got a sick obsession,
I'm seeing it in my dreams

I'm looking down every alley,
I'm making those desperate calls
Im staying up all night hoping,
Hit my head against the walls

What you've got boy is hard to find
Think about it all about it all the time
I'm all strung up my heart is fried
I just cant get you off my mind

Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug
Your love your love your love
I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug
Your love your love your love

Won't listen to any advice, mamma's telling me to think twice
But left to my own devices i'm addicted its a crisis!

My friends think I've gone crazy, my judgment is getting kinda hazy
My status is gonna be affected if I keep it up like a love sick crackhead"

And Katy Perry:


"You think I'm pretty
Without any make-up on
You think I'm funny
When I tell the puch line wrong
I know you get me
So I'll let my walls come down, down

Before you met me
I was a wreck
But things were kinda heavy
You brought me to life
Now every February
You'll be my valentine, valentine

Let's go all the way tonight
No regrets, just love
We can dance until we die
You and I
We'll be young forever

You make me
Feel like
I'm living a Teenage Dream
The way you turn me on
I can't sleep
Let's runaway
And don't ever look back
Don't ever look back

My heart stops
When you look at me
Just one touch
Now baby I believe
This is real
So take a chance
And don't ever look back
Don't ever look back

We drove to Cali
And got drunk on the beach
Got a motel and
Built a fort out of sheets
I finally found you
My missing puzzle piece
I'm complete

Let's go all the way tonight " (you probably know the rest - they play this song a million times an hour)

And, these are just the songs that are played over and over and over again on the radio. There's even worse.

Jeremiah sings a birthday ballod:

"It's your birthday so I know
you want to riiide out,
Even if we only go to myyy house
Sip mo- weezy as we sit upon myyy couch
Feels good, but I know you want to
cryyy out
You say you want passion
I think you found it
Get ready for action
Don't be astounded
We switchin' positions
You feel surrounded
Just tell me where you want
your gift, girl
 
{Chorus}

Girl you know I-I-I
Girl you know I-I-I
I've been feelin'
Wake up in the late night...dreamin' about your lovin'
Girl you know I-I-I
Girl you know I-I-I
Don't need candles or cake
just need your body to make

Birthday sex
Birthday sex"

Here's the problem...I will be driving along to some destination with the children and, of course, with six children, rides to anyplace are always hectic. All of a sudden, I will catch lyrics that my children are singing and wonder if I need to change the station. The problem is: they already know the lyrics, so how does changing the station fix anything? Of course, let me tell you, if that Taio Cruz song came on, I would definitely change the station. Not just because of the lyrics, but also because it doesn't even sound good sounds like crap.

Kids are hearing this music on the radio at friend's houses, the mall, rollerskating rinks, and anywhere else that plays music that is streamed on the radio. I remember, back when I was a teenager, you wouldn't hear anything like that on the radio. You have to buy the cassette tape to "be able" to hear the unedited version of the lyrics. Music stores sold two different copies of the album: The edited and the unedited or "uncut" (a.k.a. censored) versions and you had to be 18 to purchase the unedited version. Remember that?

There's no limit now, I guess. Are we supposed to ban our kids from listening to the radio? Even if the lyrics aren't explicit, there are underlying meanings that my children don't quite understand (yet), but it's just a matter of time before they do get the gist, and then what?