Avril Lavigne / Boys Like Girls Concert

[tawnylee]

I'm obviously not familiar with her song "boyfriend" could you please post a link?

[JLives]

Not on this one. "Artists" have responsibilties not too just sell records errr make money. The video to "Boyfriend" is not entertaining and in my opinion only serves to "promote" bullying to a impressionable age group and profit from the oversight of the video.

I have always been under the impression that the only responsibility musicians have is to express themselves and to entertain.

[tawnylee]

My point exactly!

[LeifH]

*off topic remark removed*/ferri

I agree with you, but this is why it is important to teach your children to have good judgement.

[dirtrider]

*off topic remark removed*/ferri

I think we discussed this song waaay back when....here's the link

http://xrl.us/bhp8m

It's just my opinion but I think the song Girlfriend is a parody of bubble heads like Paris Hilton...if you imagine the bully as Paris, it make more sense.....the lyrics to her other songs off the same cd's seems to have like theme. Her image has always leaned towards being a "punk princess".

[FreeRights]

As a parent, I think it's your job to affect a child's ethics, and you have control over what he or she watches/does. Musicians have no such responsibility to the fans. One of my favorite albums of all time is from Sylvan, called Posthumous Silence and it's an epic masterpiece about suicide. Sure, it could influence kids, but the artist has no responsibility at all, except to themselves. Their songs and their lyrics represent themselves.

An artist will make music, and you will either buy it and support them, or you won't. They generally don't care - if you don't agree with their message, you simply don't buy their album.

I'm willing to bet that you have a deeply rooted position, in reference to all these school shootings, towards blame being placed on heavy metal bands like Marilyn Manson or video games like Grand Theft Auto or violence in movies. This actually isn't the case. The real blame should be placed directly on the parents who obviously don't support their child enough to know why the child is unhappy, and who obviously don't have their firearms in a safe place. And of course, blame on the child for taking problems that they cannot fix into their own hands.

It's actually pretty basic psychology. People always attempt to displace blame from something that they can relate to (another person), to something which they cannot (celebrity, game, movie, politician).

[tawnylee]

Ok, so we are talking about "Girlfriend" not "Boyfriend", which I can't find anything about, lol.

Like I said in an earlier post, you have to take yourself back to highschool and think about how it felt to be in that time...that's who her songs are geared to. I, for one, think it's great that a singer is singing songs that will make sense to her audience, and let them know that what they're going through is normal. Not singing about being in love, having sex, being promiscuous, etc. Kudos to Avril for being a level headed, (albeit obnoxious sometimes!) cool, Canadian role model!

[peacelover]

*off topic post removed*ferri

if you want to start a thread about the effects of music on children, please do so, but don't derail threads.

thanks.

[FreeRights]

Why not?

I'm no fan, but I don't understand your problem with her. Oh noes, she swore! She writes lyrics that you don't like! There's 8-12 year olds at the concert. Guess what? It's not Avril's decision who listens to her music. It's these little girl's parents who allow it. So again, what's your problem with Avril?

[peacelover]

Having the right to express oneself does not only belong to artists/singers. I object to Avrils poor choice of "glorifying" bullying. Bullying is a major problem in our society and she copped out. Just to make money. The video is not funny. Maybe read the whole thread. Maybe talk to some kids or even adults who are or have been bullied. Maybe Avril would like to have a more mature audience, I'm sure she just loves the fact that the majority of her audience are teenagers or tweens, or gasp, children. I would like to know if she uses the line "Mother "F....n Princess on her album. Maybe those Moms whose kids have the cd could have a listen, there is probably an unrated version of the song on the cd. Ewwww, she promotes the Emo look too...

[FreeRights]

Having the right to express oneself does not only belong to artists/singers. I object to Avrils poor choice of "glorifying" bullying. Bullying is a major problem in our society and she copped out. Just to make money. The video is not funny. Maybe read the whole thread. Maybe talk to some kids or even adults who are or have been bullied. Maybe Avril would like to have a more mature audience, I'm sure she just loves the fact that the majority of her audience are teenagers or tweens, or gasp, children. I would like to know if she uses the line "Mother "F....n Princess on her album. Maybe those Moms whose kids have the cd could have a listen, there is probably an unrated version of the song on the cd. Ewwww, she promotes the Emo look too...

So when did bullying become a subject that you can't talk about? When did making a satire about bullying become a bad thing? I think you have to re-evaluate your opinions. People should be allowed to write music about the traditionally 'silent' subjects - suicide, abortion, etc. Hell, bullying isn't even one of those.

How do you know she does it "just to make money"? I think that's a pretty ridiculous assumption, on your part. It really shows that you're basing your argument against her on your hate, rather than basing your hate on your arguments against her.

Again, she has no bearing on who her audience is. Teenaders buy her record. She makes music, teenagers buy it. She makes the music she wants to, and people who want to hear it, buy it. I'm not sure what part of this you don't understand. Who cares if she swears? You, as a parent, should take care of your child instead of voicing your opinion that Avril should. If you really think that swearing is really a problem in this society, I suggest you go and think long and hard about that. I'm not even kidding. A swear is a word that people, in general, have created then placed a bad dogma behind it. It's a word. It is not harming or hurting anybody. So now you're suggesting we try and restrict what words Avril can and cannot say? Wow.

As far as the emo look goes, grow up. While I agree that it's silly, it's no different than the goths of your period or the gangsters. It's self expression, and I think you should stop trying to control what everyone around you does, and start caring for your child yourself.

Like I said, I don't care for Avril myself, but your inaccurate and restrictive views on the music industry and other people is pretty ridiculous.

[Triple 6]

We took two 8 year olds and a thirteen year old to the concert. All of them have her albums. They love her and they loved the concert.

As for the F Bomb, They've heard it before, they know it's a bad word. They giggled when she sang it out loud. Not a big deal. They (I am sure) have heard worse.

[warden]

Having the right to express oneself does not only belong to artists/singers. I object to Avrils poor choice of "glorifying" bullying. Bullying is a major problem in our society and she copped out. Just to make money. The video is not funny. Maybe read the whole thread. Maybe talk to some kids or even adults who are or have been bullied. Maybe Avril would like to have a more mature audience, I'm sure she just loves the fact that the majority of her audience are teenagers or tweens, or gasp, children. I would like to know if she uses the line "Mother "F....n Princess on her album. Maybe those Moms whose kids have the cd could have a listen, there is probably an unrated version of the song on the cd. Ewwww, she promotes the Emo look too...

I've been thinking all day about this post, because, to me, you've just got it so wrong.

Bullies aren't bullies because the music told them to be. Bullies are bullies to gain power over their victims, likely because they don't have any power in any other circumstances (like for instance, the power to choose what kind of music they want to listen to). I was a kid that was bullied. I know of that which I speak.

As to the cursing, if you honestly believe the first time your kid heard that word was in an Avril Lavigne song, I think you're probably mistaken. I had a pretty wide ranging curse vocabulary by the time I was in second grade, and it certainly didn't come from the music played in our household.

Finally, I fail to see what is so "ewwwww" about the emo look. It's not to my tastes, but who am I to begrudge a style that more than adequately covers a kids' body. It's certainly more coverage than I see a lot of girls wearing these days.

Your kids are smarter than you give them credit for. Have faith that they will make the right choices. By limiting their choices in things as inconsequential as the music they listen to, you're only telling them that you don't trust them. You don't believe they have enough self respect to make wise decisions. You believe they are so weak that they will be influenced by a few lines in a song that won't even be popular a few months down the road. I think that'll come back and bite you in the not too distant future.

[mekathy]

well said Warden
I think in todays society many parents are trying to protect their children by providing a bubble from reality. My parents were both immigrants and wouldn't swear to save their lives. I went to a Catholic private school taught by nuns and by grade 3, I had heard words that made my parents cringe. My children have not been sheltered from what goes on in day to day life, but they have been taught morals etc in our household. They are both in their teens and while I don't always like the music they listen too, I respect them enough not to censor their right to expression.

[Triple 6]

Warden, you are one of the coolest chicks I know!!! Rock on! Awesome post!


I'm off to listen to my Twisted Sister album backwards.