Conflicting thoughts- fan girl vs parent
I love Tori Amos's voice and I was a great fan of her music during my darkest days. Unlike many artistes who depend on music engineering, she is the sort that can sing live and sound amazingly good. I still love her song 1000 Oceans. I recall taking the bus on a rainy day to Cambridge from Brighton with 1000 oceans playing ON LOOP.
But her songs are really angsty and I dunno but I wouldn't want Kae or any little kid to start singing these sorta songs and lyrics at a tender age.
EG. of a song that she taught PS22 Chorus kids on Youtube:
Steady girl on your feet
You and your wonderings
Bread can feed a few
So can some cartoons
So it ends so it begins
I'm my father's son
Plant another seed of hate
In a trusting virgin gun
The melody is very simple and haunting- as is many of Tori Amos's worldly gems. But the lyrics are just so dreary and downbeat and even "salah" (wrong).
Whilst I'd like to believe Tori was genuinely touched that the kids identified with her songs (I'd be horrified coz they are of lower primary age), I am sure the big guns saw it as a chance for greater publicity for the singer when they allowed the kids to meet up with her. We all know the power of youtube and facebook and other social networking sites.
The kids have such beautiful voices and I really hope that they won't inherit the twisted view of the world that some of the song lyrics possess. I am not saying that everything has to be saccharine sweet like Disneyland, but I hope they will grow to see in the middle of the storm, there is always a beacon shining and a lamp they can grab hold of if they really want to. I read that the teacher was teaching them songs they can identify with as kids living in a harsh environment... but how does singing such lyrics, drowning in such emotions help them??
I realy liked Tori's songs but they did nothing to help me. Instead they fueled my spiral into depression. I tell you it was hard to put her music one side - wah lau I was so INTO her stuff can?! =) I practically listened to her music 24/7.
There is such power in music, in the media. As people in the creative industry, let's be reminded that there is power in the pen, the word, the tune. Let us wield it for a brighter tomorrow for our kids, not to stumble them.
But her songs are really angsty and I dunno but I wouldn't want Kae or any little kid to start singing these sorta songs and lyrics at a tender age.
EG. of a song that she taught PS22 Chorus kids on Youtube:
Steady girl on your feet
You and your wonderings
Bread can feed a few
So can some cartoons
So it ends so it begins
I'm my father's son
Plant another seed of hate
In a trusting virgin gun
The melody is very simple and haunting- as is many of Tori Amos's worldly gems. But the lyrics are just so dreary and downbeat and even "salah" (wrong).
Whilst I'd like to believe Tori was genuinely touched that the kids identified with her songs (I'd be horrified coz they are of lower primary age), I am sure the big guns saw it as a chance for greater publicity for the singer when they allowed the kids to meet up with her. We all know the power of youtube and facebook and other social networking sites.
The kids have such beautiful voices and I really hope that they won't inherit the twisted view of the world that some of the song lyrics possess. I am not saying that everything has to be saccharine sweet like Disneyland, but I hope they will grow to see in the middle of the storm, there is always a beacon shining and a lamp they can grab hold of if they really want to. I read that the teacher was teaching them songs they can identify with as kids living in a harsh environment... but how does singing such lyrics, drowning in such emotions help them??
I realy liked Tori's songs but they did nothing to help me. Instead they fueled my spiral into depression. I tell you it was hard to put her music one side - wah lau I was so INTO her stuff can?! =) I practically listened to her music 24/7.
There is such power in music, in the media. As people in the creative industry, let's be reminded that there is power in the pen, the word, the tune. Let us wield it for a brighter tomorrow for our kids, not to stumble them.
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