Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Good Girl

Due to having an outdated and broken car stereo system, where my only option is the radio, I listen to a lot (and I mean, a lot, because it's all anyone plays) of top 20-type crap. One of my newer favorites is Robin Thicke's "You're a Good Girl." (Edited to add: I guess it's "Blurred Lines") I always turn it up and do some car dancing, much to the embarrassment of the kids. And by kids, I mean Big Kid, little kid couldn't care less what I do and has great/awful taste in music right along with me.

"Mom, this song makes me uncomfortable!" Big Kid insisted the other day.

"Why? It's so catchy! I love it!"

I'm one of those (dumb) people who don't really listen to lyrics, even if I sing them (badly), which makes for some fun parenting moments. I was surprised (and I'll admit it, slightly amused) when my 9-year-old matter-of-factly recited:

"But you're a good girl, the way you grab me, must wanna get nasty, go ahead, get at me,"

in a monotone voice. "It just makes me think that they are...you know..."

I did know. Damn.

"Dancing?" I said.

"Dancing?!?" He questioned.

"Maybe? Like in a club?"

"Must wanna get nasty, mom? While dancing?"

"Well, maybe they are...you know...like, sometimes people dirty dance...it's not...but sometimes...like at clubs...you probably don't know. But like in music videos? Have you ever seen one? Probably not." I should've shut up about 2 minutes ago at this point.

"Dirty dancing?"

"Well, yeah, kind of sexy? Maybe she wants to dance really close."

"You are making this so much worse. That's a thing? I'm not doing that!"

"No! No, of course not. Just like...rappers and stuff, music videos which aren't really even a thing, I guess, and people on Dancing With the Stars, or whatever."

"Now I'll really never feel comfortable about this song. I still don't think it's dancing."

I don't think it's dancing either, but I'm pretty impressed that I thought of that.

4 comments:

Susy said...

Just an FYI, it's called Blurred Lines, by Robin Thicke (his dad was the dad on Growing Pains!)

I like that song too and, like you, really didn't listen to the lyrics. But (apparently) a lot of people are viewing that song as condoning rape. For real. Google it.

Personally, it's great for car dancing and I prefer not to see it that way.

Unknown said...

Yeah, I googled the lyrics after I wrote this and agree it does sound a bit rape-y--also, I am really grateful for the radio edit. Holy cow.

Thanks for the growing pains factoid!! I always thought something was familiar about him/his name.

Lynne said...

I was worried for a minute that you were going to bring up the video to Big Kid. Because the edited one is pretty cheeky and the unedited one makes me not like the song anymore...and I'm not really very much of a prude!

Holly said...

Okay, bad parent here too because my 4 year old boy knows the words to this song as well... Not that he has an inkling of the meaning. But it does make for one hell of a great car-dancing song!