Alicia64 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I grew up listening to Johnny Cash driving from CA to Canada. For a young girl some of it was bad. And some was REALLY bad. Good singing: he's very cool, but not for a 3rd grader. (Meet my parents.) Anyhoo, I've been much more careful about what I expose my boys to in terms of music. They've heard a lot of: John Denver Mariah Carey -- Hero, stuff like that Stevie Wonder -- You are the Sunshine of my life, clean stuff like that. Disney's stuff: You've got a friend in me, CARS, etc. Some Elton John. It's time to move on. Can you help me with songs that are fun, but NOT You Shook Me All Night Long or Fat Bottom Girls or If You Want My Body etc. I'm hoping to find songs that would appeal to young men like the Rocky songs. I'd love to hear which Beatles, Elvis you'd recommend -- even more modern songs like Jump! Modern country is fine (some of it) like God bless the broken road that lead me straight to you or Pontoon. Plenty of Blake Shelton is fine. Not all, but some. It doesn't have to be completely devoid of innuendo, but Rod Stewart -- and I love him -- is out! :laugh: Thanks for any ideas! Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 My ds10 loves Imagine Dragons, probably his favorite group. Train is also good, maybe Bastille (I love their album. I can't think of anything bad, but I'm not really picky), and One Republic. My ds10 loves all of those. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Geronimo by Sheppard Centuries, Immortal, Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy Imagine Dragons Safe and Sound by Capital Cities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 "Happy" Pharrell Williams Jack Johnson's "Upside Down" Many of the Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) songs Weird Al Yankovic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Twenty One Pilots is a favored group with my 12 year old boy. They are pretty quirky, kind of like a hipper version of They Might Be Giants, which is also a possibility. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Around here we all love Macklemore and Imagine Dragons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 They Might Be Giants is a tween boy hit around here. Lots of wordplay and puns, very negligible amounts of sexier material. Moxy Fruvous, a less well known Canadian group is another thing my son and his friends like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I'm frantically trying to run through Johnny Cash songs in my head. We don't censor much, obviously. ;) Our typical road trip soundtrack involves Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, Ben Folds, Cake, Paul Simon, so... Weird Al has some new stuff out, and he has nothing sexual in his music. All of the Beatles and Elvis should be okay. It was published under pretty strict blue laws (or whatever they called it for music). Paul Simon is great. Eric Clapton's Unplugged album maybe? By Jump do you mean Van Halen? My older kids like Imagine Dragons. It doesn't pain my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 My son loves Owl City. Clean. Fun. Bright. Annoyingly repetitive as an adult, but totally tolerable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Centuries, Immortal, Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy I The stench, the stench, of summer sex And CK eternity, oh hell yes from Uma Thurman ...just saying. LOL It really depends on the individual and what constitutes clean for them. Check lyrics! (That said, my older kids love Fall Out Boy, but my 14yo won't listen to any songs that have sex references, etc.which I'm totally fine with!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Our house likes Lecrae, TobyMac, Capital Kings, and Sia right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 The stench, the stench, of summer sex And CK eternity, oh hell yes from Uma Thurman ...just saying. LOL It really depends on the individual and what constitutes clean for them. Check lyrics! (That said, my older kids love Fall Out Boy, but my 14yo won't listen to any songs that have sex references, etc.which I'm totally fine with!) 6Pack! You beat me to it! I just read the Uma Thurman song because it came up on lists here: She wants to dance like Uma Thurman And I can't get you out of my head The stench, the stench, of summer sex Everyone: "the stench of summer sex" ????? for 12 year old boys?! Keeping in mind that I'm raising my boys to be very respectful to the women they'll one day date. It's not just about them. It's also about your daughters. Clearly, I need to repeat Communications 101 -- because I utterly failed at explaining what type of songs I'm hoping to find. (And can you believe that I'm teaching my boys how to write and use grammar??) In a nutshell: Jump by Van Halen: fine. Fireworks by Katy Perry: also fine. The "stench of summer sex": not even near the planet of "fine." Edited to add: I'm not angry, just really surprised. I guess growing up and being exposed to erotic lyrics taught me what I don't want to do w/ my kids. One of the Cash songs is Cocaine Blues with him warbling, "I can't forget the day I shot that bad bi#%* down." I know it by heart and many others b/c we listened to it all the way from CA to Canada -- and back. (Good Times.) Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Everyone who sent me clean ideas: thank you!!! Much appreciated! Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 6Pack! You beat me to it! I just read the Uma Thurman song because it came up on lists here: She wants to dance like Uma Thurman And I can't get you out of my head The stench, the stench, of summer sex Everyone: "the stench of summer sex" ????? for 12 year old boys?! Keeping in mind that I'm raising my boys to be very respectful to the women they'll one day date. It's not just about them. It's also about your daughters. Clearly, I need to repeat Communications 101 -- because I utterly failed at explaining what type of songs I'm hoping to find. (And can you believe that I'm teaching my boys how to write and use grammar??) In a nutshell: Jump by Van Halen: fine. Fireworks by Katy Perry: also fine. The "stench of summer sex": not even near the planet of "fine." Edited to add: I'm not angry, just really surprised. I guess growing up and being exposed to erotic lyrics taught me what I don't want to do w/ my kids. One of the Cash songs is Cocaine Blues with him warbling, "I can't forget the day I shot that bad bi#%* down." I know it by heart and many others b/c we listened to it all the way from CA to Canada -- and back. (Good Times.) Alley I asked if you meant Van Halen's Jump because you said it was modern. I don't know lyrics to all of the songs. I sing "Watermelon watermelon" ;) a bunch. I don't know that I've heard Cocaine Blues. U2 should have a few ok songs, and they're fairly important in terms of cultural knowledge in the rock genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 We own that Fall Out Boys CD and have I personally have listened to it in the car repeatedly. I even commented on that song to my kids: "This song makes no sense -- I can work a miracle, SHE wants to dance like Uma Thurman, and I can't get YOU out of my head??" I had NO idea of that next line. NONE. I just looked at the Centuries lyrics (because I do like the way that song sounds)...there are a few lines in there that I don't care for either (Come on, come on and let me in/The bruises on your thighs like my fingerprints). Bah. I have no recommendations. I think we are going back to lyric-less classical music, which was even considered risque in its own time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Most secular musicians will have a mix of acceptability even if most of their lyrics are clean. I don't see any way to avoid googling lyrics yourself. That's what I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I don't know all their songs and the lyrics, but REM? I can't think of anything I wouldn't let a 12 yo listen to. Check out this link as well. I use Common Sense Media quite a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4ofus Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 A favorite group here is Need to Breathe. We go see them in concert almost yearly. Also Bastille, Imagine Dragons, Owl City, The Fray, & more I can't think of right now. The only one I'd promise is clean is NtB. The rest will need to be googled :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I grew up listening to Johnny Cash driving from CA to Canada. For a young girl some of it was bad. And some was REALLY bad. Good singing: he's very cool, but not for a 3rd grader. (Meet my parents.) ... Alley While there's a lot I'd avoid at twelve, as someone who has older kids, I'd encourage you to create something of a timeline-to-launch. Think about what age you'll allow them to listen to, say, Cocaine Blues, and then think about how you'll get there - what are the little steps along the way. Many folks would rather their dc be exposed to such things while still under their roof and their guidance, rather than encountering them later on, when they may not get the background or context to help them critique the song and decide whether to avoid it or add it to a favorite playlist. Zero to sixty overnight doesn't work as well as taking it bit-by-bit, with plenty of time for reflection and discussion along the way. Many of these songs provide a framework for uncomfortable but useful and important discussions. Cocaine Blues is a good example, as it contains much to discuss - drug use, violence against women, and the dangers therein. It tells the whole story of drugs leading a man astray, ending with the sage advice to "...listen unto me / Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be". Tie that in with some background on Cash, who struggled with addiction himself. If your dc is ready for it, bring it forward with Cash's rendition of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt. Listening to artists who have experienced addiction can send a powerful message that this is a path to be avoided. It's not just mom saying not to do drugs, it's also coming from artists who have strayed down that path and are speaking with the voice of experience. Not every song with adult content is worth a careful analysis and study, of course, but don't throw out the good with the bad. Now, is this right for a 12 year old? Depends on the kid, in many cases the answer is no. Just make sure you're also thinking about when it will be a yes, and how you will get there. (And remember - you turned out OK, despite your parent's ideas of appropriate music for kids!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Now, is this right for a 12 year old? Depends on the kid, in many cases the answer is no. Just make sure you're also thinking about when it will be a yes, and how you will get there. (And remember - you turned out OK, despite your parent's ideas of appropriate music for kids!) You make many interesting points, but at 12 we're not doing Cocaine Blues. As for your last point, I often say, "And look how messed up I am!!" :laugh: So can't agree with you there. My parents exposed us to loads of inappropriate movies, songs, and TV and I'm pretty sure it wreaked havoc on my TeA-life w/ DH. So, while it's easy to say "and you're fine" I'm not so sure that inappropriate stuff at the wrong age is a great idea. Some kids can deal with it. I couldn't. I died of embarrassment so many times because I was too young for the content. (I'll never forget seeing a naked Jane Fonda sitting on Jon Voight's lap -- he was in a wheelchair -- in Coming Home. The two were having TeA.) It cracks me up when people love to say, "kids are resilient." I always want to say, "Have you SEEN most of the people walking around out there?" I wouldn't call most of them "resilient." I think that oft used comment is not accurate. I have definite opinions on inappropriate lyrics for younger ages -- because it is damaging. In my case, it's not theoretical. I lived it. Alley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 My son LOVED Weird Al Yankovic at that age. And Owl City. And Fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I don't know all the lyrics to all the songs, but off the top of my head I can't think of anything objectionable in any of Coldplay's music. We are big fans :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The Beatles? Paul Simon? Elton John? Billy Joel? Josh Groban? We just listened to Disney Junior Shuffle 2. It was very upbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dulce Domem Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I second Need to Breathe. Their newer stuff is a little more openly Christian, but still not under the Christian genre. All clean. My husband was best friends with their original drummer in high school so we are big fans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 For openly Christian bands, my kids and I like NewWorldSon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 At that age my son listened to a lot of Beatles. You will have to determine what songs are ok for your kid. I never heard anything that was offensive in what he listened to, but he didn't listen to every single Beatles song that ever was. From that he moved on to David Bowie. He still listens to a lot of Bowie. But, now he is 15 and I don't police or monitor what he listens to. I feel like it is time for him to make his own decisions on that front. Then again, he is fairly conservative when it comes to such things so I don't have to worry. He doesn't like rap or hip hop and he will call his friends out (gently) for listening to sexist music. He now tends to favour punk, but that is more about raging against 'the machine' than a lot of personal sex and violence type thing. He generally doesn't listen to popular music. His favorite current band is the Dropkick Murphys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.