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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be worried about this song being played at daughter's school?

76 replies

MsMarshmallow · 21/01/2015 02:23

My daughter (6) the other day she came home singing the song Timber (Kesha). Apparently the teacher has been playing it regularly in her class.

I am fuming mad, the lyrics are not ok for young children! AIBU?

Here is an extract

â??Let's make a night, you won't remember
I'll be the one, you won't forgetâ??

[Ke$ha]
It's going down, I'm yelling timber
You better move, you better dance
Let's make a night, you won't remember
I'll be the one, you won't forgetâ??

â??The bigger they are, the harder they fall
These big-iddy boys, are dig-gidy dogs
I have em like miley cyrus, clothes off, twerkin in their bras and thongs, timber
Face down. booty up, timber
That's the way we like to what, timber
Iâ??m slicker than an oil spill
She say she won't, but I bet she will, timberâ??

â??End of the night, it's going down
One more shot, another round
End of the night, it's going downâ??

OP posts:
sparechange · 21/01/2015 11:28

I'm pretty sure this song was number one in the charts for a few weeks before Christmas. It is pretty naive to think most people wouldn't have heard it a few times.
But at 6, she isn't going to know what any of those words mean. She is just singing a catchy song that she has heard lots on the radio/in shops

JohnCusacksWife · 21/01/2015 11:34

DDs school choir sing "All about that Bass"...can't say I have any issues with it.

APlaceInTheWinter · 21/01/2015 11:41

I'd be wondering why they keep playing music in class. Maybe that will shed some light on which version of the song is getting played and why. From the limited info in the op, the teacher could be playing the radio and it's just one of the songs being heard but op's DD has picked up on it.

I remember being at a party when DS was 4 and Gangam Style came on. All the DCs started singing and doing the dance. The parents were all Shock . It turned out the primary 3s had taught them it in the playground (singing 'pretty' ladies rather than 'sexy' ladies). My point is that there are lots of ways DCs pick up songs at school and there are different versions of songs so I'd establish the detail before I went in all guns blazing.

HouseBaelish · 21/01/2015 12:00

I wouldn't be thrilled but I think I'd find out first what "playing regularly" actually meant.

if it has been played once at a party then no probs, if it is being played every day then I'd question why

Bluetone · 21/01/2015 12:05

. Dd heard it on the radio and thought it was funny. The "shake your butt round and round " bit. To her it's just shaking your bum. She has no idea what the lyrics mean. She's 7

Spanglemum · 21/01/2015 12:06

I'm with GetLow on 'all about the bass'. It's about what boys think being important. I actually like the rest of the song but that bit ruins it for me

TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/01/2015 12:14

DS2's teacher plays them rock and indie in the background pretty much all the time. I don't object to the songs but, personally, I think it might have affected my learning. I am someone who would have been listening to the lyrics rather than doing my maths.

Helphelphelps · 21/01/2015 12:16

yanbu and know exactly how you feel.

DS was learning this song in his guitar lessons at school Hmm and was asked to look it up on youtube to get the rhythm right!

I sent a strongly worded email!

GlitzAndGigglesx · 21/01/2015 12:21

I grew up innocently singing 2 become 1 by spice girls. Only a few years ago I realised what it meant!

GahLinDah · 21/01/2015 12:35

Grin Agree with the poster who mentioned Grease, I loved (still do) that film and as a child watched it countless times.
When I actually listened to the lyrics with adult ears about two years ago, naive I was Shock

Op I'd get the teachers side of things before going in guns blazing, there's always two sides to the story and all that.

Gen35 · 21/01/2015 13:11

It's a different level of inappropriate though because of the sexual coercion stuff. It's worse than any of the spice girls or Tom Jones. I have two girls and these sorts of women hating lyrics are a new and even worse trend to me.

Therealyellowwiggle · 21/01/2015 13:19

If you play it in school you are legitimising it. Very different to just hearing it on the radio. Mind you I will turn off the car radio if a song I think is inappropriate comes on. It's a shame so much currently popular music is hate-filled misogynistic crap.

BrendaBlackhead · 21/01/2015 13:19

I think that the lyrics are often so garbled that it's just about the tune. The videos, mind you, are a different matter and I'm frankly shocked at the portrayal of women in them.

My Shock moment came in a Christmas play a few years ago. All the Infants came in to A Fairytale of New York, "You're a faggot, a punk, an old slut on junk..." What happened to Away in a Manger?!

ToffeeCaramel · 21/01/2015 13:53

Are you sure the teacher isn't playing the clean version?

Original poster
MsMarshmallow · 21/01/2015 13:55

Thanks for all the responses. The reason why I was asking IABU is because I am not English and fail to see how inappropriate this song can be. Face down, booty up for example - I completely missed that one.

What is the song with no offensive lyrics?

They have also been seeing this video in class, which I find too suggestive.

Would you speak with the teacher first or raise it directly with the headteacher?

OP posts:
TheIronGnome · 21/01/2015 14:05

Wow! I bought it was 'we're going down, I'm going to my room'...

Shows what I know!!

It's not appropriate, so YANBU but those words will definitely go over their heads.

19lottie82 · 21/01/2015 14:10

my 10 yr old dsds dance group do a routine to a mix of songs, including "sexy and I know it". I was a bit shocked at first, but then we went to the national comp last year, all the groups were dancing to that and similar songs. I don't think it's anything uncommon, and I think you're being unrealistic to think you can shield your kids from songs with sexual overtones. they are everywhere.

not to say I think YABU tho.

19lottie82 · 21/01/2015 14:12

my 10 yr old dsds dance group do a routine to a mix of songs, including "sexy and I know it". I was a bit shocked at first, but then we went to the national comp last year, all the groups were dancing to that and similar songs. I don't think it's anything uncommon, and I think you're being unrealistic to think you can shield your kids from songs with sexual overtones. they are everywhere.

not to say I think YABU tho.

Hatespiders · 21/01/2015 14:15

YANBU This is inappropriate for 6 yr olds. I'm getting too old for this modern world. As a primary teacher all my working life, I can't understand why small children are exposed to 'sexy' songs and raunchy lyrics. Just because these things are played 'everywhere' doesn't mean it's right. I hate to see little ones dressed in sexy outfits dancing provocatively with moves only suitable for adults. Or hear them repeating the words of adult songs. It makes me cringe.

I do like this Timber song; it's catchy and so is the 'All About That Base' one. But not for small pupils.
Surely there are numerous catchy, fun tunes and songs they could dance to or sing along with? There's no end of sources for these types of things.

I suspect the young teacher adores this song and plays it in the classroom for her own pleasure!

Purplehonesty · 21/01/2015 14:20

I hadn't twigged about the lyrics. I've been singing along about trees getting chopped down none the wiser!
Ds loves that song. Oops.

richthegreatcornholio · 21/01/2015 14:34

YABU

Instituteofstudies · 21/01/2015 15:40

I don't think playing that is appropriate or likely to create a calm, focused class of kids. If you want to play music there is so much good stuff around that would benefit them far more imo - music from around the world, classical, folk, country, jazz, choral. This stuff just lacks imagination, is vacuous and not what I'd want my DC hearing on a regular basis at school.

hopingforamiracle · 21/01/2015 16:18

Will someone PLEASE think about the childrennnn

TheBooMonster · 21/01/2015 16:20

could be worse, could be 'blurred lines' at least 1 university campus banned that song...

funnyossity · 21/01/2015 16:25

It's so naff playing these you tube things in school, it's happening in my kid's class as their golden time treat and I am planning to moan about it tbh.

So for me YANBU OP.