Yesterday my children came home from school singing Taio Cruz. I made a big deal on Twitter and Facebook about my greatest fears being realized about how public schools were teaching my children Top 40 music.
The truth is I am a huge proponent of public schools and I live in one of the best school systems in the country, but that is neither here nor there because 1) they still know all of the words to “Dynamite”, “Firework”, “Tik Tok” and “Party in the U.S.A” and 2) It is even worse than you think because they know the Kidz Bop versions.
*shudder*
I considered suing the school for making my children pedestrian music lovers, but instead I discovered that this unfortunate situation has it’s upside.
I was sitting at my computer and after listening to the Alvin and the Chipmunks version (damn you YouTube, my kids can see those pictures in the sidebar) I had it stuck in my head. I was exactly where I am right now when I sang (apparently it makes me want to holla) “I THROW MY HANDS UP IN THE AIR SOMETIMES”.
And from the back of the house, from separate rooms, like a children’s chorus, my children replied “SINGING AYO, BABY LET’S GO!”
It was like the Alamo scene in “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”.
It was call and response. It was Hootie Hoo.
It is my new Marco Polo. This is a knee jerk reaction. They can’t not do it. I will never misplace my children again.
The downside of course, is now that damn “Dynamite” song is stuck in my head. And even more distressing, I think it is growing on me.
Oh well, it could be worse. It could be Katy Perry.
About Goon Squad Sarah
Ugh. And now it’s in my head too.
That’s okay I guess. My kids and I also have a Marco Polo experience with “Every day I’m shufflin’.” I’m not quite sure how it happened but it did.
You know I love that song, right? My daughter’s cheer squad did a halftime routine to Dynamite last year. I’d never heard of it at the beginning of the season but after hearing it at a billion practices, every game and two competitions, I was hooked.
I didn’t want to like it but it grew on me and indeed, it’s way better than Katy Perry…and eleventy frillion times better than that song she does with Kanye where he says “I’m gonna disrobe you…then I’m gonna probe you” EWWWWWWWWW!!!
Twitter Name: Izzymom
So true! My kids love all kinds of music but I think it’s hilarious when they sing pop songs from the radio. My daughter learns a lot of her lyrics from the radio station the bus driver (a middle-aged guy who looks just like your typical 80′s movie bus driver) plays…last week she came home singing, “You’re gonna catch a cold, from a nice I sew…Don’t come back to me, who do you think you are?” I had to ask for help on FB and like 10 friends named the song right away. Turns out she was only off on line 2 – I thought the whole thing was messed up! Jar of Hearts, if her interpretation threw you. Also, that Alvin and the Chipmunks sidebar gets me every time. My daughter begs to hear it. Why do they have a version of EVERY SINGLE SONG? I about died when I read that. I thought I was the only one :).
Twitter Name: HeatherSchiavo
My daughters have been singing that “Dynamite” song for a couple of months, but I hadn’t realized until now that it wasn’t just an isolated phenomenon.
In any case: I’ve taken the tactic of aggressive counter-programming, in the hopes that continued and STRONGLY EMPHASIZED exposure to music that isn’t horrible will help to shape and inform their nascent musical preferences.
And if that doesn’t work, I will simply start punishing them for having bad taste.
Twitter Name: twobusy
Okay, so I thought it was Katy Perry. Tragic. I am tragic. Ah, well. I listened to Tiffany and I turned out okay. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself)
Twitter Name: ladyjess78
Up here the top pop station has a rotation of about 10 songs, so I hear them over and over again until my head hurts.
I’m looking forward to the day when my kids start (thinking they’re) rebelling by listening to rock n roll.
We have Kids Bop 14-20. Enough said.
Twitter Name: jibbertwit
no please let them listen please! please! My mom only listened to country and oldies (i.e beach boys), therefore I only listened to country and oldies, now when people talk about music from my high school days I am screwed. I hate it! You ask me about anything George Strait, Reba McIntyre and Leslie Gore, I am your girl. When was the last time a 30 something asked you who sang “Sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows”?
A lot of those top 40′s will be around a long time and they will be dancing to them at their high school reunions….don’t let them be the only ones that can’t sing along.
One of my low points as a parent was when my daughter declared that the Clash song I was listening to was “creepy and weird,” and then proceeded to rock out to Selena Gomez. I’ve since come to the conclusion that I survived Shaun Cassidy, and my kids will be just fine.
And thanks for the reminder that Pee Wee Herman is hilarious.
Thanks for sharing such a nice thinking, post is nice, thats why i have read it fully