Kidz Bop

[Deleted]

Anyone know of this phenonmenon? They take a bunch of pop songs, clean up the lyrics, and then record it with a shitty beat, sung by American Idol first round rejects with a group of off-key children singing back up. It's supposed to be an alternative for parents-so kids can keep up with the latest "kewl" songs in the Top Forty, without the "dirty" lyrics, even though they use songs like "Toxic", "My Immortal" and
"Hey Ya".

Despite the truly heinousness of this dreck, it is now on it's 8th volume, and there are several other compilations-Kidz Bop Gold, Kidz Bop Xmas, etc.

If you've seen the commercials, you'll know what I'm talking about. The Amazon reviews, btw, are priceless.

[Ripley]

I'll have to check out those Amazon reviews. I saw the commercial for the latest volume which includes that song by Franz Ferdinand. I turned to TTMR and said, "They put a song about murder on a CD for kids? That is so wrong!"

I didn't realize that they "cleaned up" the damn dirty pop songs for this, though I shouldn't be surprised. Given that we have a company that will clean up an entire movie for people whose sensitibilities are too fragile for a sex scene. Look, if these kinds of things offend you, fine. Avoid them. Vote with your dollar (or currency of your country), and buy things that you find appropriate. Don't frickin' expect some censor to make it all pretty for you.

[kostgard]

I'll have to check out those Amazon reviews, too.

The Kidz Bop commercials have always cracked me up because I've always wondered "Don't they know what this song is about?" Seeing kids bopping around to songs about sex, murder, and break-ups always struck me as a bit strange.

Given that we have a company that will clean up an entire movie for people whose sensitibilities are too fragile for a sex scene. Look, if these kinds of things offend you, fine. Avoid them. Vote with your dollar (or currency of your country), and buy things that you find appropriate. Don't frickin' expect some censor to make it all pretty for you.

I've always thought it was kind of ridiculous the way the people in this country insist that everything is sanatized for their children. My parents usually just used their judgement and told me "Yes, you can watch this movie" or "No, you can't" or "We'll watch this together" if they thought I could handle it, but still wanted to monitor things. You know -- actual parenting. I've also noticed that growing up the kids whose parents completely sheltered them were the ones that went a little wild - that whole "forbidden fruit" thing - while I was the kid whose mom would buy her booze if I asked and had no curfew, and I was probably one of the most straight-laced kids at school. I think it was because I was given choices and expected to act responsibly, instead of having everything filtered and spoon-fed to me.

Now back to Kidz Bop - I also think this is stupid because most kids I know don't listen to the lyrics or they just fly right over their heads. I loved Cyndi Lauper as a kid and I remember singing and dancing around to "She Bop" with no idea of what that song was about.

Now off to Amazon...

[Deleted]

Ugh! I hate Kidz Bop!

I'm not one of those "Won't someone please think of the chillren?!" people. I watched Fame the movie when I was 7 and I grew up without ever turning into a serial killer so far.

But if there's one thing that bugs me about kids singing is how emotionless it is. I have the same problem on American Idol. Don't sing the song if you can't understand what it's trying to say or if it has no meaning at all for you. Some of these kids have great voices probably but make them sing "Tomorrow" from Annie. A 7 year old has no concept of what "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is about. "Sk8ter Boi" is fine. "First Cut is the Deepest" is not.

Does a normal 8 year old even HAVE broken dreams? No. Their stupid stage parents prop them up on a soundstage where they sing these songs with the same amount of emotion and understanding that they would use singing a Jell-O jingle.

It makes me want to hurt people.

[kathy1977]

These amazon reviews are the funniest things I've read in a long time. One dude actually had the nerve to say Kids Bop has subliminal messages on them aimed at turning your innocent children to do evil. He also said that the kids who sing on this CD are all a bunch of spoiled brats who are mean, snobby, and get whatever they want.

Seriously though, I can't believe they managed to find "singers" who sounded worse then Britney and J Lo.

[vegasusa555]

Does a normal 8 year old even HAVE broken dreams?

Good god! This made me laugh for about five minutes, but you do have a point. I love how they try to sound morose, but they are probably thinking of puppies and sprinkles while singing.

These cd's are terrible! If you don't want your kid to hear cuss words in a song, give them Disney soundtracks or something; don't give them the watered down crappy versions of perfectly good songs. When I was a kid, I listened to music that my parents had that had cussing in it and I didn't turn into a serial killer!

[batmom]

So Kidz Bop is the Mini Pops for this generation? I used have a Mini Pops album. The one with the song Bette Davis Eyes on it. I thought it was the shiznit.

I can't believe I just admitted that.

[kostgard]

So Kidz Bop is the Mini Pops for this generation? I used have a Mini Pops album. The one with the song Bette Davis Eyes on it. I thought it was the shiznit.

I can't believe I just admitted that.

Hee! I never had the mini pops albums - probably because my mother would sooner stab herself in the ears with a pencil that listen to anything like that, plus I think she knew I probably wouldn't be corrupted by Kim Carnes - but boy did I love "Bette Davis Eyes."

[Deleted]

kathy1977 said:

These amazon reviews are the funniest things I've read in a long time. One dude actually had the nerve to say Kids Bop has subliminal messages on them aimed at turning your innocent children to do evil. He also said that the kids who sing on this CD are all a bunch of spoiled brats who are mean, snobby, and get whatever they want.

Seriously though, I can't believe they managed to find "singers" who sounded worse then Britney and J Lo.

Are you sure that wasn't one of the satircal ones? Some of them were pretty damned funny.

Honestly, some of the songs that aren't even that bad to begin with-"Soak Up the Sun" and "Sk8ter Boi"-why not just listen to the original?

And yes, I too listened to "She-Bop" and had no idea what it really meant! Teehee! I also had "Like a Virgin". AND I watched soap operas with my mom.

[huntergrayson]

I was an insomniac since birth and early-80s MTV was the only thing on that late, so I was certainly exposed to many songs which likely went over my head. I was also up on a table at 3 years old, imitating the "Material Girl" video, but that goes in the "and we wonder why I'm gay" thread.

There's a harsh-ish review in the new EW (w/ Bill Murray on the cover) -- here's the link, but you may have to be an EW/AOL subscriber to view.

I understand where it's coming from, since there were parents in our Southern, conservative neighborhood that were absolutely scandalized that we watched The Simpsons with our parents. Because, you know, it undermines family values in spite of the fact that the family constantly comes together no matter how dysfunctional they are. Kidz Bop just seems stupid since it is designed for those who want it both ways. Even if curse words are changed, the rest of the song pretty much has the same intent, but because it's sung by kidz it becomes more acceptable? So if the ghost of Doris Day covered NIN's "Closer," everything would be dandy? The whole practice is a little too close for my tastes to Pat Boone or whoever doing covers of "black music" to make it safe and non-threatening for whites. Ugh...

Not to mention what happens when your kid is let out of your little protective bubble into school or the world and they are actually exposed to reality.