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In My Day, Radios Didn't Need To Bleep Songs and We Could Sing Real Loud, Outloud  

:: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 ::

In My Day, Radios Didn't Need To Bleep Songs and We Could Sing Real Loud, Outloud

I found this and was surprised that what I had felt to be true, is actually not that unusual.

Kids are listening to their parents. Their parents' music, that is

I noticed my kids are avoiding pop music stations and are selecting stations that feature 70's and 80's rock. They also don't complain when my mate wants to listen to stuff like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and current rock bands.

What the kids are starting to become annoyed with is Rap and girlie Pop and the constant onslaught of naked bodies on MTV. They seem to recognize that what they're seeing isn't making them feel good.

I remember when music made me feel good, even when the subject was about War. Being a Neil Young fanatic, I would belt out "Four dead in Ohio" and "I've seen the needle and the damage done". Because there was melody and a chance for me to harmonize (I'm a natural harmonizer because I can't hit high notes), I was satisifed. With Rap, everyone simply wants to get laid and something as innocent as eating ice cream is manipulated into a porn scene.

My kids are uncomfortable with this. It's confusing them.

I happened to also read an article in a woman's magazine that says kids are putting up resistance to all the information they're getting and starting to not hear it at all. They gave an example of when a tragedy hits a school and the counselors are called in, there's tons of publicity and the teachers try to "get the kids to talk about their feelings". The kids want to move on, but feel hindered, so they start to block the information and eventually don't even know what's going on around them because they're protecting themselves. Armouring themselves.

Back to the music article:

Quote:
     As marketing consultant for The Beatles Anthology, he met with label execs plotting campaigns targeting fans 45 and up. "I've got news for you," Lewis told them. "I'm the oldest guy at Beatlefan conventions."

Sure enough, a marketing survey showed that the under-30 constituency scooped up 40% of the first Anthology run. "I've interviewed those kids," Lewis says. "I've said, 'Surely you'd rather listen to Justin Timberlake. Why are you here? Were you forced by your parents?' But they chose to be there."

I've been known to say, here at home, that I sorely miss music that did something productive. There are some new musicians I admire because they can really sing and its the strength of their voice that keeps me interested. But they're rare.

I miss Queen and The Who, and the long ballads and rock operas of old, that went on and on. There was nothing like the days when a carload of us would sing along to songs from "Tommy", or the band, Bad Company. My girlfriends and I would revel ourselves with Heart's "Barricuda" and everything by Fleetwood Mac. And yes, I was known to listen to Beatle anthologies, and documentaries and analyze songs that when played backwards "had a secret meaning". When I was 11 or 12, I truly believed all the Abbey Road hype that Paul was dead. When I was in 10th grade I changed my name to "Angie" because Mick Jagger was singing a song to her. I was as obsessed as they come, and it was all about the music.

Those were the days. Where have they gone, and why?

(Discussion in Cre8asiteForums - Yesterday's Music is Better, Kids Say

     "The girls are too young to understand that some of their antics are really difficult, if not impossible, for boys their age to handle. Boys/men are visual. Teen boys get turned on with very little prompting. It's got to be rough to be sitting in class, staring at butt cracks and thongs, or skimpy tight shirts, or walking down the hallways and staring at belly buttons all day."

(Isn't this more interesting than Google's "new look"?)

:: posted by Kim Krause Berg on 3/30/2004 12:55:26 PM

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