Singing song lyrics you don't agree with

Malc · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 22:45

So, you're singing along to some song or other, and there's a line in it that you don't personally believe in?

Do you sing that line? do you skip over it, or just hum that bit? Are you bothered by it? Or don't you care?

I find myself sometimes umming and ahhing over the odd line "I hope I die before I get old" - My Generation by The Who, "We wake up, we go out, smoke a fag," - Alright by Supergrass etc, stuff like that.

Am I mad? Should I just sing along?

What do you think?

Malc

Dimrill · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 22:46

I can't ever sing "I've got an Austin Ambassador Y-Reg" because I don't.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Malc wrote:

Am I mad?

Unequivocally so.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38608

I just hum through 'Smack my bitch up'

krazywookie · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 22:57

I relish it -

Damn bitch, get out the way, get out the way bitch get out the way!

Theres no other time when you can shout that in a colleagues face than when singing along to it. enjoy!

devilman · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 22:58

Dimrill wrote:

I can't ever sing "I've got an Austin Ambassador Y-Reg" because I don't.

Similarly, I'm not TNT or dynamite.

YOG · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 22:59

I'm pretty sure this Peste Noire album I've got has chants of "Sieg Heil!" in it. I do not heil.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

DavPaz wrote:

I just hum through 'Smack my bitch up'

I actively seek out women in the street to punch when that song comes on. That's what it does to you. It's the devil's music.

Malc · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 23:01

I can't spell belive, well I can spell belive, I just can't spell believe!

FFS

Malc

metalangel · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 23:02

What's the timescale for singing along to "I just had sex" then? Akon seems to suggest it's 30 minutes.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Malc's got 100 problems.

krazywookie · **Posted:** Fri Feb 10, 2012 23:12

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

Malc's got 100 problems.

BertyBasset · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 334

"I still miss you babe but my aim is getting better !"

Not cool at all :0)

Derek The Halls · **Joined:** 31st Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3742

It's just a song. SING IT.

Kern · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 0:02

Not being a royalist or much of a believer in a higher power, I tend to mime during the odd occasions when people are singing 'God save the Queen'.

Other than that, I'd probably sing if I like the song but I'll miss out words I find offensive.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

BertyBasset wrote:

"I still miss you babe but my aim is getting better !"

Not cool at all :0)

Not convinced. If he's got two guns, and he's holding them sideways while leaping sideways through explosions and shit? That's quite cool.

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

In churches for weddings and that I just stand up for singing bits and look around. Elsewhere I sing along heartily to whatever, including songs with religious elements like "God save The Queen". It's about context, I suppose. I'll sing Yellow Submarine despite that not being accurate, although if I lived in a red submarine I probably wouldn't feel comfortable singing it.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 1:32

'She Said' by the Longpigs is one of my favourite songs ever. It does, however, seem to encourage domestic violence. Since this is something I am very much against, I mostly choose to believe it is sung in an ironic fashion.

kalmar · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:01

Park Life.

devilman · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:23

Curiosity wrote:

'She Said' by the Longpigs is one of my favourite songs ever. It does, however, seem to encourage domestic violence. Since this is something I am very much against, I mostly choose to believe it is sung in an ironic fashion.

I love singing Faith No More's 'Edge of the World' which at first almost sounds like a romantic ballad, till you read the lyrics properly.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

Kern wrote:

Not being a royalist or much of a believer in a higher power, I tend to mime during the odd occasions when people are singing 'God save the Queen'.

Other than that, I'd probably sing if I like the song but I'll miss out words I find offensive.

a fascist regime

throughsilver · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 6197

Sort of related to the thread, I find I listen more to music I agree with anyway (Propagandhi then). I'll quite happily sing along with:

"Anyone remember when we used to believe that music was a sacred place and not some fucking bank machine? Not something you just bought and sold? How could we have been so naïve? Well, I think when all is said and done, just cuz we were young doesn’t mean we were wrong. And I’ll rock back and forth on this two-bit hobbyhorse ’til she splinters and gives way. I’ll tend the flowers by her grave. And whisper her name. If anyone out there understands can I please see a show of hands just so I know I’m not insane? Ever get the feeling you been played? Well, that’s rock for sustainable capitalism and you know, we may face a scorched and lifeless earth, but they’re accountable to their shareholders first. That’s how the world works."

Err, and then I'll sing a Ke$ha song about people chatting behind your back. :/

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

DavPaz wrote:

I just hum through 'Smack my bitch up'

I always thought it was 'Snap my picture.'

I once got flamed for thinking that 'Lincoln steaming in the chilly air of the morning' (Thomas Dolby - Flying North) sounded more like 'Niggers steaming ..etc.)

Basically, I don't sing songs I don't like, but a lot of lyrics don't stand up to close examination. Jon Anderson of Yes made a career of writing lyrics that made virtually no sense, but scanned and rhymed nicely.

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

throughsilver wrote:

"Anyone remember when we used to believe that music was a sacred place and not some fucking bank machine? Not something you just bought and sold? How could we have been so naïve? Well, I think when all is said and done, just cuz we were young doesn’t mean we were wrong. And I’ll rock back and forth on this two-bit hobbyhorse ’til she splinters and gives way. I’ll tend the flowers by her grave. And whisper her name. If anyone out there understands can I please see a show of hands just so I know I’m not insane? Ever get the feeling you been played? Well, that’s rock for sustainable capitalism and you know, we may face a scorched and lifeless earth, but they’re accountable to their shareholders first. That’s how the world works."

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

Quote:

I met a boy wearing Vans, 501s, and a
Dope Beastie t, nipple rings, and
New tattoos that claimed that he
Was OGT,
From '92,
The first EP.

And in between
Sips of Coke
He told me that
He thought
We were sellin' out,
Layin' down,
Suckin' up
To the man.

Well now I've got some
A-dvice for you, little buddy.
Before you point the finger
You should know that
I'm the man,

And if I'm the man,

Then you're the man, and
He's the man as well so you can
Point that fuckin' finger up your ass.

All you know about me is what I've sold you,
Dumb fuck.
I sold out long before you ever heard my name.

I sold my soul to make a record,
Dip shit,
And you bought one.

So I've got some
Advice for you, little buddy.
Before you point your finger
You should know that
I'm the man,

If I'm the fuckin' man
Then you're the fuckin' man as well
So you can
Point that fuckin' finger up your ass.

All you know about me is what I've sold you,
Dumb fuck.
I sold out long before you ever heard my name.

I sold my soul to make a record,
Dip shit,
And you bought one.

All you read and
Wear or see and
Hear on TV
Is a product
Begging for your
Fatass dirty
Dollar

So...Shut up and

Buy my new record
Send more money
Fuck you, buddy.

throughsilver · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 6197

Tool are big whores, but they don't pretend to be 'punk rock', unlike yer Green Days, Offsprings et al. I'd rather a band like that embrace their goatboy tendencies rather than run from them.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25886

I'm the same as GY in that I'll just stand up for hymns, etc in church-type weddings, but I'll not sing along. It amuses (and sometimes slightly irks) me when self-proclaimed atheists sing along to the 'Yay, look at how great God is to us puny humans!' songs, but that's because I'm a silly.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

I have no religious beliefs whatsoever, but on the occasion that I'm forced to be in a church it's going to be either a wedding or a funeral, so not singing along seems a little churlish. Besides, hymns are usually a rollicking good singalong.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38608

Hymns are never in the right key for my crisp baritone.

So I just mime.

Bamba · **Joined:** 25th Jul, 2010 **Posts:** 11128

Malc wrote:

Am I mad?

Yes, utterley.

HTH!

Mr Dave · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 15:15

There's no option for "I don't sing songs unless drunk, and then I'll sing any shit."

metalangel · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 16:04

"Malc has no money, he's got his strong beliefs/ trampolines/ tambourines"

"I do not!"

Grim... · **Posted:** Sat Feb 11, 2012 16:45

I have sung Mother Lover, with my brother (encouraging him to "Do it to my mother der-dada-der der doggy style"), at karaoke.

So, er, no.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25886

Craster wrote:

I have no religious beliefs whatsoever, but on the occasion that I'm forced to be in a church it's going to be either a wedding or a funeral, so not singing along seems a little churlish. Besides, hymns are usually a rollicking good singalong.

I disagree with it being churlish. It would be churlish if you stood there gesticulating and poi ring at yourself, or started making a big deal about it, but to quietly stand and either listen to everyone else sing or think to yourself is in no way inappropriate. Many of the people singing there who DO believe in all the God stuff wouldn't go along to a Muslim ceremony and sing 'Allah is amazing, I promise to do what he says and live my life by his decrees!' etc, so it's all a matter of context.

Much as I couldn't sing along with a group of people who hated gay people and sung about it, my belief that religion is the source of too many problems in the world overrides the peer pressure to sing, so I just stand quietly.

It's the same reason I cannot be a God mother. I can't stand in a church and swear tin front of a group of people that I will teach a child about God and Jesus and raise him to be a Christian child, because I won't. Doing the same thing but to a tune doesn't make much difference to me.

Rodafowa · **Posted:** Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:57

Mimi wrote:

self-proclaimed atheists

To be fair, you pretty much have to proclaim yourself an atheist. Nobody else is likely to do it for you.

I had that dilemma when my daughter had her first communion. In the end I went for taking her up to the alter (because she wanted me to and obviously I didn't want to embarass her front of all her friends) but not being blessed by the priest (because fuck you, Catholicism).

Er... wildly off topic. I have been known to sing something Hilariously Satirical rather than dodgy lyrics. So, at the risk of self-parody, when "Centrefold" comes up in Rock Band I'll sing "I'm a massive hypocrit!" instead of the chorus. Yes, I KNOW. Shut UP.

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

Atheist is a fucking horrible label, used pejoratively by Christians in the media these days to imply aggression. I'm no more an atheist than I am whatever word means "doesn't believe in pixies" because I don't do that either.

Which leads me back on topic to... is there a word for people who don't sing, or don't sing certain words?

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

Rodafowa wrote:

I had that dilemma when my daughter had her first communion. In the end I went for taking her up to the alter (because she wanted me to and obviously I didn't want to embarass her front of all her friends) but not being blessed by the priest (because fuck you, Catholicism).

Serious question: If "fuck you Catholicism" why are you letting your child take communion? "Because she wanted to" isn't an answer - children want to play on railways and smoke.

Alberto · **Joined:** 28th Jan, 2011 **Posts:** 1198

Mimi wrote:

Doing the same thing but to a tune doesn't make much difference to me.

What if it's a really awesome tune though?

Curiosity · **Posted:** Sun Feb 12, 2012 13:35

I am not a fan of Catholicism, but we ended up getting Onnie Christened over in Ireland. It was a nice party, and I had my fingers crossed when I told fibs to the man in a dress.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

You're also planning ahead for access to the good schools, right?

Rodafowa · **Posted:** Sun Feb 12, 2012 15:32

GovernmentYard wrote:

Rodafowa wrote:

I had that dilemma when my daughter had her first communion. In the end I went for taking her up to the alter (because she wanted me to and obviously I didn't want to embarass her front of all her friends) but not being blessed by the priest (because fuck you, Catholicism).

Serious question: If "fuck you Catholicism" why are you letting your child take communion? "Because she wanted to" isn't an answer - children want to play on railways and smoke.

Because my wife's Catholic, because my daughter was raised Catholic before I was on the scene and because, yes, she wanted to.

GovernmentYard · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 5318

Don't want to threadpiss but that's quite an odd approach, assuming you're opposed to the same things about it most people are. Hopefully your kid will be safer than the ones I'm working with this month were. Evil bunch, the Catholic Church.

/edit Gah, I'm not trying to stir things up or owt but it reads like I am. Sorry, I carry a lot of weight about this stuff on my shoulders and find it hard not to bring the work home. Most Catholic establishment members aren't nonces.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

Mimi wrote:

I disagree with it being churlish. It would be churlish if you stood there gesticulating and poi ring at yourself, or started making a big deal about it, but to quietly stand and either listen to everyone else sing or think to yourself is in no way inappropriate. Many of the people singing there who DO believe in all the God stuff wouldn't go along to a Muslim ceremony and sing 'Allah is amazing, I promise to do what he says and live my life by his decrees!' etc, so it's all a matter of context.

Much as I couldn't sing along with a group of people who hated gay people and sung about it, my belief that religion is the source of too many problems in the world overrides the peer pressure to sing, so I just stand quietly.

It's the same reason I cannot be a God mother. I can't stand in a church and swear tin front of a group of people that I will teach a child about God and Jesus and raise him to be a Christian child, because I won't. Doing the same thing but to a tune doesn't make much difference to me.

Churlish probably is the wrong word, and I had a feeling it was when I wrote it. I just think that if having people sing along to hymns at a wedding or funeral is likely to make the day even a little bit better for the bride and groom or the family of the deceased, it won't do any harm, surely?

I agree with you on the godparent point. In that instance you're making distinct promises to people that you know you wouldn't follow. It would be hypocritical at very least. Then again, I would very much assume that anyone who knew me enough to ask me to be a godparent wouldn't ask me because they know of my views on the matter.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16611

I think of the hymns like musical prayers and I don't join in with those either. Besides even if I did join in I would only be mumbling along inaudibly, not bellowing away like Harry fucking Secombe, so my contribution is hardly going to be missed.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25886

Craster wrote:

Churlish probably is the wrong word, and I had a feeling it was when I wrote it. I just think that if having people sing along to hymns at a wedding or funeral is likely to make the day even a little bit better for the bride and groom or the family of the deceased, it won't do any harm, surely?

Depends in what you mean by harm. I actually can't stand the words of a lot of hymns and they make me cringe, I dislike and disagree with the sentiments, and as Mark says, I too see them as prayer set to music. I don't join in with the prayers of any religious services, and I'm sure a lot of the Wedding and Funeral Christians wouldn't pray (or sing prayers to) Allah (or whoever else) at other religions' services. I've been to a lot of Hindu and Muslim weddings in the past and I don't take part in religious prayer or praise there, but am still respectful of those that do and I enjoy the day.

We went to a church wedding on this last New Year's Eve, and that was nice as they had a church choir there, so the hymns didn't sound like sad mumbled things. There was a lot of (in tune!) singing from the choir, those that wanted to join in had vocal back up and those that didn't weren't pressured into singing along. I noticed quite a few relieved by this, though really all I could hear was Russell's dad :DD

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25886

markg wrote:

I think of the hymns like musical prayers and I don't join in with those either. Besides even if I did join in I would only be mumbling along inaudibly, not bellowing away like Harry fucking Secombe, so my contribution is hardly going to be missed.

Harry Seacombe was amazing.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:53

I sing if I know the words. You put the meaning into them by the way you reflect as you sing. Just because I warble along to puff the magic dragon doesn't mean I'm worshipping a reptilian kiddy catcher.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:53

Zardoz wrote:

I sing if I know the words. You put the meaning into them by the way you reflect as you sing. Just because I warble along to puff the magic dragon doesn't mean I'm worshipping a reptilian kiddy catcher.

A poor example though, as you do indeed worship Gary Glitter (and David Icke).

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25886

But if you were in the Temple of the Reptilian Kiddie Snatcher, surrounded by people who believed in the Reptilian Kiddie Snatcher, who worshipped the Reptilian Kiddie Snatcher and sung about hoping that their kids would one day be snatched away by a giant Reptile, you might feel differently.

Nobody believes in Puff the Magic Dragon, it's understood by all that it is just a story. That isn't the case when people are singing hymns.

Some people believe in that stuff, you know.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:23

If you have no belief though, they're just words.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:26

And words are all I have, to take your heart away.

Be Excellent To Each Other

Singing song lyrics you don't agree with

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