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| Thread: Cuss Words In Music: Bad Influence or Not |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
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guitarguy
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Rockoon.
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posted June 12, 2005 11:18 AM |
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Cuss Words In Music: Bad Influence or Not
I've seen this topic on quite a few forums lately and I am quite interested in people's views about cussing and swearing in music. A musician myself, I have my own thoughts regarding how music can influence the younger crowd for better or for worse. What are your thoughts on this kind of lyrical content?
-guitarguy
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mr_niceguy
Famous Hero
of power
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posted June 12, 2005 11:59 AM |
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music is an art form and art is used to express oneself. if the song writer wishes to express his/her emotion through swearing then i say let them. painter often make paintings of images inappropriate for the younger audience(nudity) yet the younger audience are still shown these paintings as they are beutiful works of art. why should music be any diffrent in the sense that they contain inapropriate material but are still great peices. whould you ask them to take down "the birth of venus" or "Michael Angelo's David" just because it contains innaproprate material? many people say thats stupid so why should you censor music with swear word?
But thats just what i think...
its not a bad influence it just showing the truth. maybe in a thousand years time these song will be considered a good influence, you never know.
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guitarguy
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Rockoon.
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posted June 12, 2005 01:22 PM |
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I think a person's upbringing has a lot to do with what he or she labels as good or bad. A person who grows up in the streets is not likely to be repulsed by profanity as, say, someone who learned basic manners from parents as a youth. I fit in with the latter example, so you more or less know how I feel about this topic.
I'll throw a new question to make things more interesting. We all know a good deal about mainstream rap songs and what their lyrics are about. You have (for example) the mass hoarding of wealth and jewelry, the glorification of cheap sex and drugs, and the objectification of women. It's all over the radio and it's blaring from the boomboxes in passing cars. What are your thoughts on these widespread gangsta themes being negative influences in general?
-guitarguy
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Trogdor
Legendary Hero
Words in a custom title
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posted June 12, 2005 01:23 PM |
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Expletives, in my opinion, don't detract from the songwriting or the message, but instead just thrown in for fun. It is the message itself that detracts people from music. For example, gangster rap or death metal are great examples of musical brainwash.
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"Through the power of the dollar you can communicate with the dead." - Artu
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a_rebirthing...
Supreme Hero
with rebirthing power
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posted June 12, 2005 01:30 PM |
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guitarguy, i dont like music because of what u outlined. too many songs have got one of those things in there which i dont very much like. i also dont like many songs cause about 80% are about love or something like that. which is good sometimes but just too many of them brings the good ones down and the bad ones to be like a squeeling pig
music talking about the bad side of life can have a bad influence. allow me to explain. there is a kid at high school. he listens to one of these songs and then gets into a crowd who also like those particluar songs. if this crowd is one of the more detention prone crowds then it is likely that kid will start underachieving
also if a certain kid/teen like a band, say good charlotte, then the kid may then have them as an idol. the kid may want to be like the band and change thier personality and attitude very much.
these area just some reasons i stay away from songs that are on the charts
i like to stick to the good songs. these include theme songs to shows like "eye on springfield" or songs made just for movies or games like like mortal combat music
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'Tis better to rely on the the wit of your brain rather than the speed of your hands and mouse -me
Being happy isn't just an emotion, it's a choice!-Leo_Lion
It's Gortex!!!
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terje_the_ma...
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
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posted June 12, 2005 01:43 PM |
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Quote:
I think a person's upbringing has a lot to do with what he or she labels as good or bad. A person who grows up in the streets is not likely to be repulsed by profanity as, say, someone who learned basic manners from parents as a youth. I fit in with the latter example, so you more or less know how I feel about this topic.
Really, now?
I, too, consider myself to belong in the latter group (i.e. "someone who learned basic manners from parents as a youth"). But still I swear rather frequently. I use swearing to emphasise something; instead of saying "very", I might say "f*****g" (or the Norwegian equivalent of this). Sure, I do it a little too often for it to simply being emphasising words, but that just shows that for me, these words hold no special meaning. Like I said, they're just alternatives to "very", "shoot", and stuff like that.
So, I think cussing is OK.
The problem, as I see it, are the attitudes many musicians (and not just gangsta rappers) help spread. Take a simple band like "Simple Plan" as an example. Their latest radio hit, "My Life" (or something like that), is, in its essence, about Marxist alienation, in its modern form. But the way they express it, they basically say that "no one feel as bad as me. I am unique in my adolescent feelings of lonelyness, uniqueness, alienation, rebellion against the parental generation," etc., etc. ad nauseum.
Where gangsta rap basically is a celebration of life (athough with some fairly suspicious elements), music such as that Simple Plan plays, is a celebration of introversion, egoism (not that there's nothing of this in gangsta rap either...), depression on a weak basis, and general moaning and complaining about how unique "I" am in all my misery, despite the paradox that this is a message broadcasted by a band and that just about every normal teenager feel like this, every once in a while. At best, bands such as Simple Plan are merely ignorant. At worst, it's a calculated plan to exploit the psychological troubles of young people who doesn't feel that they have a place in today's society of conformity, routine and homogenisation.
EDIT:
a rebirthing... said:
Quote:
guitarguy, i dont like music because of what u outlined. too many songs have got one of those things in there which i dont very much like. i also dont like many songs cause about 80% are about love or something like that. which is good sometimes but just too many of them brings the good ones down and the bad ones to be like a squeeling pig
music talking about the bad side of life can have a bad influence. allow me to explain. there is a kid at high school. he listens to one of these songs and then gets into a crowd who also like those particluar songs. if this crowd is one of the more detention prone crowds then it is likely that kid will start underachieving
also if a certain kid/teen like a band, say good charlotte, then the kid may then have them as an idol. the kid may want to be like the band and change thier personality and attitude very much.
these area just some reasons i stay away from songs that are on the charts
i like to stick to the good songs. these include theme songs to shows like "eye on springfield" or songs made just for movies or games like like mortal combat music
Am I the only one who finds this paradox somewhat amusing? 
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"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.
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a_rebirthing...
Supreme Hero
with rebirthing power
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posted June 12, 2005 01:49 PM |
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terje, man, why u swear so often. i really dont like those guys. this may be considered weird but i feel uncomfortable around someone that is swearing while we are having a conversation so i usually leave. i rarely swear and when i do all are suprised that i did
and why is that a paradox???
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'Tis better to rely on the the wit of your brain rather than the speed of your hands and mouse -me
Being happy isn't just an emotion, it's a choice!-Leo_Lion
It's Gortex!!!
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terje_the_ma...
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
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posted June 12, 2005 01:55 PM |
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Why? Well, I guess I started swearing when I was like 7, and never really quit. And why don't you like swearing? It's just words? They don't have any meaning outside of what the person who uses them puts into them, right?
Quote:
also if a certain kid/teen like a band, say good charlotte, then the kid may then have them as an idol. the kid may want to be like the band and change thier personality and attitude very much.
[...]
i like to stick to the good songs. these include theme songs to shows like "eye on springfield" or songs made just for movies or games like like mortal combat music
C'mon, man! This paradox is so obvious, it's almost ridiculous! 
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"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.
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a_rebirthing...
Supreme Hero
with rebirthing power
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posted June 12, 2005 01:58 PM |
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seriously, i cant see it.
maybe my wording confused u, or me, but most likely u
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'Tis better to rely on the the wit of your brain rather than the speed of your hands and mouse -me
Being happy isn't just an emotion, it's a choice!-Leo_Lion
It's Gortex!!!
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a_rebirthing...
Supreme Hero
with rebirthing power
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posted June 12, 2005 02:01 PM |
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and about the cursing. i just dont like it cause i feel that it can easlily be avioded with such words as "very" as u pointed out. i only think them neccisary when ur injured badly
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'Tis better to rely on the the wit of your brain rather than the speed of your hands and mouse -me
Being happy isn't just an emotion, it's a choice!-Leo_Lion
It's Gortex!!!
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terje_the_ma...
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
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posted June 12, 2005 02:04 PM |
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Ok, let me paint it in my broadest brushes for you:
You said: "also if a certain kid/teen like a band, say good charlotte, then the kid may then have them as an idol. the kid may want to be like the band and change thier personality and attitude very much."
Then you said:
"i like to stick to the good songs. these include theme songs to shows like "eye on springfield" or songs made just for movies or games like like mortal combat music"
So, you don't like bands like Good Charlotte cos their lyrics and image might influence kids into emulating them, but you don't see anything wrong with listening to the soundtrack of one of the most violent games around, even though you believe that people are influenced by what they listen to.
You don't see the paradox? Or doesn't "wanting to be like the music you listen to" apply to you?
If this isn't what you said, then perhaps you might consider starting to use proper punctuation, so that people may actually have a chance of understanding what you say. 
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"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.
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a_rebirthing...
Supreme Hero
with rebirthing power
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posted June 12, 2005 02:10 PM |
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ok. i think i was right in my earlier statment. my wording confused u. i am aware of mortal combats violence but i said i like the songs. the song i particilar songs i like come from the movie.
i do actually like the game very much. it was one of my first gaming experiences along with sonic(what great games). i still like to play the game today whenever i get the chance but have stoped since i dont own a PS2 or xbox  .
now terje can i ask u a question. why do u think playing mortal combat changes ppls attitudes(id that is what ur opinion)? explain in detail
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'Tis better to rely on the the wit of your brain rather than the speed of your hands and mouse -me
Being happy isn't just an emotion, it's a choice!-Leo_Lion
It's Gortex!!!
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Lord_Woock
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Daddy Cool with a $90 smile
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posted June 12, 2005 02:13 PM |
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Swear words are for emphasis and expressing emotions like anger. The thing is, when they are used too often, they lose value. Take a person who uses the f word almost as if it were to replace punctuation. Compare that person with someone who successfully avoids using such words. They both yell at you using a lot of words considered bad language. Which will have more of an effect on you? First case - just his everyday average ramble, you ignore. Second case - you see he's pissed as hell.
Swear words are ok if used wisely. If a song features common and careless use of bad language, I consider it a bad song.
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Yolk and God bless.
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My buddy's doing a webcomic and would certainly appreciate it if you checked it out!
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terje_the_ma...
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
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posted June 12, 2005 02:22 PM |
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Quote:
now terje can i ask u a question. why do u think playing mortal combat changes ppls attitudes(id that is what ur opinion)? explain in detail
I don't. I think such theories are rubbish, which is one of the reasons I reacted so when you gave the impression that you thought so.
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"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.
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a_rebirthing...
Supreme Hero
with rebirthing power
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posted June 12, 2005 02:25 PM |
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good reply
i was about to bring in some serious research if u thought that seeing violence meant acting so
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'Tis better to rely on the the wit of your brain rather than the speed of your hands and mouse -me
Being happy isn't just an emotion, it's a choice!-Leo_Lion
It's Gortex!!!
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guitarguy
Responsible
Supreme Hero
Rockoon.
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posted June 12, 2005 02:28 PM |
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I hate smack-talking. It sounds so lame and uneducated, let alone immature.
I think most people should learn to be considerate when using their curse words in public. They should know that certain people are offended by such words, so they should be at least courteous to keep it on hold. I feel really bad when I see a mother sitting with her small child on the bus while there are these hoodlums in the back of them mouthing off the worst possible things for all to hear. I wish they'd save their unnecessary trash for where it belongs: in the gutter.
-guitarguy
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Consis
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Of Ruby
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posted June 12, 2005 07:20 PM |
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Perfectly Normal And Appropriate
I think we should try to always remember that real people are writing and singing the songs. Within the context of being a real human being, I think it is well enough to hear some of them say the only words they feel best expresses how they feel inside.
It's like a child boy painter who is raised inside a box. What do we see in his paintings? We see pictures of a box; the only thing he has ever known his entire life.
I think the same logic can be applied to some musical artists who yell or scream cuss wrods in their music. Perhaps this was what their parents had said to them while growing up? Or perhaps the cuss words are used as emotional outlets inside their group of friends/peers. Perhaps it is accepted language among the people they consider to be of higher social status. The truth is we don't know. All we can do is listen and learn how some people are living their lives in the only way they know how.
I know that I personally like to look for the human spirit in people who've been raised in environments such as what I have described. It's a testament, in my opinion, to the strength and courage of a person's true value. It is a value that describes them as being equally important and unique in this world. And that is what I find is most beautiful about people. Just when you think you know how people are, you realize that you have much to learn.
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Roses Are Red And So Am I
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Trogdor
Legendary Hero
Words in a custom title
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posted June 13, 2005 01:20 PM |
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Valid point Consis
These songwriters write music mainly because that is how they want to describe their life, either what has happened during their past or what affects them now. Think of all the alternate rock groups, the punk bands, even the rappers of this world. How can they spread their message without having experienced it first?
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"Through the power of the dollar you can communicate with the dead." - Artu
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LadyGuenivere
Known Hero
Spam Deep-Fryer Mod-Repellant
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posted June 21, 2005 03:51 PM |
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What you must understand is that a lot of them just want to get their point across. If they are talking about good things, but they are using cuss words so that people will listen to them, it is not necessarily bad.
Gwen
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What happened to Lady Guiniwhere anyway?
- FoG
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DonGio
Promising
Famous Hero
of Clear Water Mountain Clan
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posted June 22, 2005 12:01 PM |
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Swearing and cussing is generally uncalled for. By the way, is there a difference in definition between swearing and cussing?
Consis has a point, and I think it's dumb and wrong to censor foul language in songs, but I still prefer it when people manage to get their point across without it.
I swear entirely too much myself, but I'd like to stop, so it will have maximum impact when that is called for. I also find it extremely off-putting with foul-mouthed girls.
And I must take issue with Terje's rather biased analysis of gangsta rap. Celebration of life? Come on. It's mostly about how the rapper will kill anybody he likes, and have sex with as many hoes as possible. I'd sooner call it misanthropic than celebratory. I enjoy the occasional gangsta rap myself, but I thoroughly despise all that they endorse and stand for. I also think they're horrible role models for young african americans.
I hate snowing emo too, though. White rich kids feeling sorry for themselves. Stop being pussies.
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There are 10 types of people: Those who read binary, and those who don't.
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