February 2003
My reviews are not meant to replace your good judgment!! Please
be an active parent, not a robot!! If you disagree with me, I'd love to hear
your opinion. Send comments, questions and suggestions for material to be
reviewed to: Mwuggazer@redeemerbirmingham.org.
Ratings System:
++ Christian - made specifically by Christians for Christians
+ Secular - but contains nothing offensive to most Christians, probably made by Christians trying to exert influence in secular media.
X Contains mature content. Not necessarily offensive, but parents should be careful before allowing exposure to children and pre-teens.
XX Contains very mature, problematic content. Parents should seriously consider restricting exposure to teens.
XXX Completely offensive. Not only should teens be restricted, but adults may want to question their own exposure. Article: Reminder: My reviews are not meant to replace your good judgment!! Please be an active parent, not a robot!! If you disagree with me, I'd love to hear your opinion. Send comments, questions and suggestions for material to be reviewed to: Mwuggazer@redeemerbirmingham.org. Want more? Wuggie's Music Media and More feature is available on the church's website: www.redeeemerbirmingham.org about 3 weeks before it is published in The Lamp. Next month's issue might already be posted.
CDs ~
Puddle of Mudd / Come Clean XXX They should take their own advice! You would hang up on an obscene phone call that used these lyrics! The sad thing is that the music is gutsy and melodic and just great. They are selling boatloads of these CDs to teens and pre-teens, despite the parental warning sticker.If you find it in your house, or if you are requested to buy it, you might want to have an intelligent, mature, non-threatening discussion with your kids about what values your family has and what values this CD represents. Oh, and by the way, the hit single, She Hates Me, is in top rotation on 95.5 and 93.1. The song includes the F word. The radio stations edit out the F word in such a way that it's like taking a sharpie and drawing little circles in a Playboy magazine and then calling it Better Homes and Gardens. Nice try. This song is just another reason I recommend restricting 93.1 and 95.5 for children and immature teens.
If you want to look at the lyrics for this CD, or any CD, jump online and go to Yahoo or your favorite search engine. Type in "Puddle Of Mudd lyrics". This works with ANY band or musical artist. Just type in the name of the artist, and the word lyrics. Up will come many sites that specialize in accurate lyrics. You can read the lyrics and get an idea of the morals of the artist BEFORE buying the CD. I highly recommend doing this before buying any CD, or before having that intelligent, mature discussion with your kids. That way you'll know at least as much as they do about what the band stands for.
Good Charlotte / The Young and the Hopeless + Yea! Another secular band made up of Christian musicians. And these guys are brave, cutting edge cool, and they make some of the best punk music today! No punk Christian band has ever made it as far as these guys have already and they have just started. Pray for them. Buy their CD. If your teen is in to anything from Blink 182 to Puddle of Mudd to Linkin Park, they will love Good Charlotte. Now, don't misunderstand me, Good Charlotte doesn't sing directly about Jesus, and they aren't about to write any hymns. Their lyrics are as gutsy and edgy as their music, and they take issues some kids face today head on and with no apologies. The guys in the band are Christians, however, and that means that they have a positive outlook, and they represent morals and values consistent with the teachings of Jesus.
The Parent's Television Council "Best and worst cable shows" of 2002:
Best 10
State of Grace (ABC Family)
The Brothers Garcia (Nikelodeon)
SpongeBob Squarepants (Nik)
So little time (ABC Family)
Lizzie McGuire (Disney)
Caitlin's Way (Nik)
Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon net)
Even Stevens (Disney)
Making the Band (MTV)
Nero Wolf (A&E)
Worst 10
The Shield (FX)
Undressed (MTV)
South Park (Comedy Central)
The Real World (MTV)
WWF Raw is War (TNN)
The Man Show (Comedy Central)
Celebrity Deathmatch (MTV)
The Andy Dick Show (MTV)
Witchblade (TNT)
The Osbournes (MTV)
Final words: Better Than You Think (Time, Sept 2, 2002)
Percentage of teens who say they're likely to use drugs in the future: 16
Percentage of parents who say their teen is likely to use drugs in the future: 47
Does this mean we are unnecessarily concerned? No! It tells me that there are many parents who have "given up". They don't think they have any influence left over their teens. What a shame! Teens consistently rate their parents as the number one influence on their moral decisions. It's when parents give up or withhold that influence that friends and media take over.