Monday, May 11, 2009

Get out of my house Lady Gaga

A little over a week ago the boys started singing a song.

Can't read my, can't read my
Poker face

I ignored it for a few days then finally had to ask.

"How do you know this song?"

"Some girls did a Blue Man Group thing to it during the 5th Grade Talent Show!" which was followed by an impressive recreation of these girls' performance. If they really did all that the boys showed me, it was truly a lovely tribute to those three men with blue heads.

However, there are plenty of songs from Blue Man Group itself that they could have chosen to accompany their performance.

These schoolgirls didn't have to use a song that says:

Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun
And baby when it's love if it's not rough it isn't fun


Or

'Cus I'm bluffing with my muffin

Now in the music video, while singing that muffin line, Lady Gaga points at her crotch. Clearly, my kids are not seeing that video before they are, oh, 92 years old mainly because I don't want to hear:

"So mom, if a girl's privates is her 'muffin', what's a donut? Or a scone? Does orange juice describe some private part too?"

Lady Gaga is out to ruin breakfast.

I have no problem with her music, her lyrics or her video. Have fun madame Lady.

I have a problem with parents of fifth graders (ages 10 and 11 years old) singing and performing to a song that promotes violence in relationships and quite frankly takes food to a place I don't want my 8 year olds, or 5 year old, thinking about.

And let's not forget that I teach sex ed. In my church.

So this is not a slam against the 5th Grade Talent Show, the school or the staff. This is a slam against parents who don't have the sense to listen to the songs their children are listening to and saying "no". Because once you've got a song in your head - even as an 8-year-old - you can't very well banish it.




I've since learned that a second grade classmate of one of my sons has the entire Lady Gaga album.

Great. What will be the next song they'll sing? Perhaps Lady Gaga's "Let's Dance"? That fabulous celebration of getting drunk, losing your friends, forgetting the name of the club you are in and waking up to find your shirt is on inside out from, as a friend of mine surmises, date rape.

Music Monday at Soccer Mom in Denial

Any songs make you want to bang your head - repeatedly - against the wall?

Please join in Music Monday. Just remember if you plan to use little Mr. Linky below, write a post about music and link back to me. Music always makes Monday a bit more fun.

9 comments:

Goofball said...

but how can you "ban" hits to your children? Do you never turn the radio or tv on? I mean: I don't particularly like this song, but I have it coming by regularly whether I like it or not, just by flipping through tv channels or having the radio on.


The big advantage for Belgian parents: most popular music is in English...the kids have no clue about the words until they are +12. Our kids sing along with pretend words.

soccer mom in denial said...

We rarely listen to the "regular" radio in the car or at home (what CDs and iPods are for) and the kids don't watch the music video channels. I'm pretty stritch about what shows/channels they can watch. Fortunately the new favorites are on cooking channels so we're pretty safe there.

As far as English lyrics - one of the reasons I love that my daughter can't hear "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionare enough is she has no idea what they are singing. She just makes up the words.

Fourier Analyst said...

You can't believe how grateful I am that you put me on to (off of) this band. DD2 was looking over my shoulder as I was reading this and saw the picture and said "Oh, that's Lady Gaga. J and G have her CD and listen to her on Youtube all the time. I want to too!" I listened with headphones and made the pronouncement that she would not be getting that particular CD until she was 18 and lived out from under our roof. When she asked why I told her the general contents and she was suddenly no longer interested. She is also now questioning as to whether or not she wants to continue playing with J and G...something I have been subtly hinting at all along!!


Thanks Darlin'!!

Unknown said...

Thank you for the explanation of Lady Gaga's lyrics. I thought "muffin" was something bad, but yours is the first of many websites to really back this up with the video. Did you catch the innuendo with the Great Dane? She acts like she's starting to kiss him, too. She seems to be all about shock value-like her predecessor Madonna. What kind of role model is she for kids, anyway, considering that she was a stripper.

Anonymous said...

get a life.
music is music and people like to sing and dance. who gives a shit what it means.
you cant bubble wrap children forever.
you crazy religious nut.

Unknown said...

Oh god. You're one of THOSE parents. Nice.

Anonymous said...

It's "Just Dance" not "Let's Dance"

I mean it was only the biggest song of winter of 08/09, how can you get the title wrong?

Unknown said...

I'm 10 and I listen to Lady GaGa,SHE'S MY FAVORITE,and I just don't bother asking so if your kid asks about something,just say it's adult stuff. I understand if your chil is in 2nd grade,of course but 5th grade is fine

Unknown said...

who cares what what her songs mean? she's a great singer and song writer and a awesome performer. why do you have to ruin the fun with this stupid article? if your kid is 5 they probably don't even know what poker is, so just get a life and stop worrying about stuff and people you clearly don't like.