So I'm not a top 40 listener, unless I'm working out. But it's killing me how many people I hear all fired up over lyrics these days, corrupting their kids - as if it's any different now than it was when we were kids. Of course it's trash. Of course there is way more in our/their faces now. But I counter Flo Rider's Whistle with The Do Me Rap...or I Touch Myself. Both tunes I knew word for word and sung along to, in the late 80s/early 90s, when I was 12-13, and knew what they meant. But I also sang Like a Virgin and I was 7. Or Billie Jean at age 5. I didn't know what it meant and the 'rents didn't get into it. They let me enjoy Madonna and MJ. I'm sure they rolled their eyes at Madonna the way my eyes roll at "celebs" these days. This stuff will always be around, in some form, influencing our kids, be it through radio, peers, social media. All we can do is make the choice to be and stay involved - know when it makes sense to change the channel (put on XPN), unplug, zap MTV/YouTube, or ask the 6th grader, "Do you know what Whistle is about?" and maybe it's a platform for meaningful conversation...or let a teacher know that the 4 yr old is belting out some inappropriate language at school.
And now I give you the Divinyls. CLASSIC.
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