Friday, November 18, 2011

Umm... yeah... What do you think?

 
 
Any of my readers have teenagers?
 
My son knows I love music so he played me a song.
I instantly took to it. Such an upbeat tempo and fun sound.
My hearing sucks so my son knew by my exuberant reaction
I was most likely not hearing the words clearly.
So he asked, "Do you know what they're saying?"
Me, "um... not really, but it sounds pretty fun!"
Son, "here are the lyrics"
And he showed them to me.
And I was a little disturbed.
I'm not sure how to feel.

The song is so upbeat sounding. 
The message so dark.
I'm all for freedom of expression
but the views on this video are like 40 MILLION!!!!
The youth are listening and listening hard.

Do they hear a serious message?
Do they hear fun?
Do they take it as freedom of expression?
or
Do they feel empowered and imagine how good it would feel?

It's just such a bizarre feeling for me as I like the sound, 
the feel, the beat,
except...
 it's giving all that upbeat entertainment with dark lyrics.
Perhaps that is what it's supposed to do.
Get me thinking, discussing, questioning.

 Below is the video and lyrics that have me thinking.
What's your view?



 For all you peeps (like me) not up on today's teen lingo,
"pumped up kicks" (according to my son) are expensive tennis shoes worn by the "rich kids".
Then again, we're small town folk so what does he know.  ;0)





Pumped Up Kicks (lyrics)
Foster The People

Robert's got a quick hand.  
He's looking 'round the room, he won't tell you his plan.  
He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid.  
Yeah, he found a six shooter gun.
In his dad's closet with a box of fun things, I don't even know what.  
But he's coming for you, yeah, he's coming for you.

[Chorus x2:] 
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, 
you'd better run, better run, 
outrun my gun.  
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, 
you'd better run, better run, 
faster than my bullet.

Daddy works a long day.  
He's coming home late, yeah, he's coming home late.  
And he's bringing me a surprise.  
His dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice.

I've waited for a long time.  
Yet the slide of my hand is now a quick pulled trigger,  
I reason with my cigarette,  
And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah.

[Chorus x2:] 
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, 
you'd better run, better run, 
outrun my gun.  
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, 
you'd better run, better run, 
faster than my bullet.

Run, run, run, run, ru- ru- ru- run, run, run, ru- ru- ru- run, run, run, 
ru- ru- ru- run, ru- run, run, run, run. [Whistling]

[Chorus x3:] 
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, 
you'd better run, better run, 
outrun my gun.  
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, 
you'd better run, better run, 
faster than my bullet.

10 comments:

Robin said...

Hey Nacher, I went thru this with my kid too, as well as many other people I know. I think it is just part of the teenage need to rebel and to express who you are thru the music you listen to. And yes, the lyrics are disturbing but I don't think the actual lyrics mean that much to them. I worried that hearing that stuff over and over would have a negative impact but, there is no way to forbid them to listen! Eventually, I just figured, I have a good kid. Some music lyrics aren't going to make him go off the deep end unless he is already prone to do so. My son is no longer a teenager but I look at his piles of CD's and am amazed by how many say "Explicit" on the cover. And I like a LOT of the music he listens too! But you know, music is an art and art reflects the times we live in. I worry more about why everyone is so angry!!!

Elena said...

oMG! And I thought it was bad when I was liking a song on the radio this morn until I heard the lyrics about the guy was singing he'd 'die for you...take a bullet in the head'. WTF? Ok, hopefully since my kid can't 'hear' me also means he doesn't 'hear' the lyrics. Although I could hear my kid saying 'it's just a song Maaaaa (all dramatic)' Damn when did I become a MOM

Caroline said...

OMG!!! I freaking LOVE this song. Had no idea about the lyrics. Sheesh... It gets you thinking thats for sure! Wow...

beth said...

i love this song and was singing along with it when my 20 year old {who's going to school for music} asked me if i knew what they were saying....

of course i didn't....and since i was making up my own words {or singing what i thought the words were} we laughed about it.

i know he understands what the lyrics mean and yes, it's about shoes, the expensive ones....but he lets all that roll of his shoulders. he is an artist and i know he respects music and musicians and always knows that somewhere in a song, is a message that means something to the artist, if not to the audience.

the funny thing is that often when my hubby walks in the door at night i sing....
DADDY WORKS A LONG DAY :)

Glenn Stenson said...

As a word farmer, when it comes to music, it is the lyrics that draw me in. The melody and rhythm are secondary, but can accentuate and intensify their beauty. Think I'll pass on the message of this "song".

Jennifer Richardson said...

gaaaaah, so SO sad!!!
So glad for the dialogue
you've created with your son.
Can you imagine the kids
who have no one to speak some life
into the mix?
Wow.
Just wow.
-Jen

lori vliegen said...

well, count me amongst all those others who love this song, and had no idea what they were saying.....i was too busy bopping to the great beat! xox

John said...

I am afraid I´m a dinosaur when it comes to some of the new songs. It seems to me though sometimes there can be a beautiful melody which is restricted because of the words. It is like a conflict of intent.

april said...

Well, I can see how you can't understand what the lead singer is saying. jivey tune and the other singers are clear...but oh well. When my sons were young, they loved all different kinds of music too - and they turned out fine. You have to worry about the ones who dwell on those words though.

Jess said...

I've heard this song and the tune is a fun catchy one, but I've never been able to make out the lyrics (and I've listened hard). Wow. Makes me wonder if some deep part of us does actually understand the words, even if we don't realize it. And how that affects us?

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