[Crimson]

Ok, I'm in my 40's, have two wonderful kids and have been a head-banger since I was old enough to........uh.........bang my head. That said, I've never been a lyrics (read: poetry  ) kind of person. My main interest in music is the music: structured and/or abstract sounds that can give me goosebumps, tears, joy, adrenaline, or name your emotion. It's the unspoken word that moves me.

So what does one do when you see your 10-year old stomping around in step to Sabbath's Black Sabbath with a sneer on his face and a general FU aura? He's a genuine music-lover (thank you!) but I think maybe a tad young for the hard core genre?

No, seriously, should I switch to Diana Krall? Barry Manilow? Maybe the BeeGees?



 

[hmen]

Perhaps this is an opportunity for some enterprising musician to start producing headbanger music with "family friendly" lyrics. 

[Dan_ed]

Ten year olds need to blow off steam as much as grown ups do.  Just keep talking to him. Maybe not while he's having a major Ozzy moment, let him have a bit of space. You only need worry if he shuts down. As long as you can really communicate, all is probably well. Instead of trying to steer him (at least not all the time), find something you guys can enjoy together. With my son and me, way back when, it was Beavis and Butthead. Stupid? Yes. But we laughed about that show for years. He is 29 now and married.  BTW, I'm still Butthead. But then, that makes him Corn-holio! 

[Scott F.]

Naah, I wouldn't give it a second thought. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (nice choice BTW!) is pretty tame....a little dark....OK a lot dark....but tame in comparison to some of the newer music. I'd start to worry if he starts playing some of the other really hard core stuff.

Wanna see (and hear) something disturbing? Get the DVD-A of NIN The Downward Spiral. Watch the Closer video....talk about a twisted individual. Trent Resnor.....gotta love him

[some young guy]

My 5 year old daughter listens to Sabbath too. I don't really have a problem with it. She loves music and had no idea what most of the lyrics mean and won't for a long time... I'm 40 and only starting to realize some of their meaning now 

[lonewolfny42]

Try out a little AC/DC....way back when my son was young, that was his fav.
He'd walk around singing...." Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap "....it was funny...  

[BrianM]

I guess I never really understood what in particular a "bloody sabbath" had to do with the thrust of the lyrics in that song.  It's basically about feeling lonely and misunderstood isn't it?  Or does it end on a suicide note?  To be committed on the sabbath?  Anyway, I'd be more worried if he starts playing "Snowblind" or "Sweetleaf" repeatedly.  Then it might be time for a talk.  Maybe steer him toward's "Never Say Die" which is more affirmative.  And, of course, "War Pigs" might get him to start questioning the foreign policy decisions of our government in a healthy way. 

[duff138]

  I was probably 10 when I started listening to Black Sabbath.  I turned out fine, I think.  I play heavy music around my 4 1/2 year old son.  He enjoys it.  He also enjoys the lighter stuff my wife plays too. 

  "Diana Krall? Barry Manilow? Maybe the BeeGees?"  I'd personally be more concerned if your 10 year old son was listening to these, if you know what I mean.  Not that there's anything wrong with it.

[Double Ugly]

Try out a little AC/DC....way back when my son was young, that was his fav.
He'd walk around singing...." Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap "....it was funny...  

I agree.  Can't say I'm terribly familiar with their newer stuff, but their older material should satisfy the banger cravings without being quite so dark (relatively speaking).

Depending on his personality make-up, you might consider introducing a little ''Weird Al'' Yankovic ("Dirty Deeds Done With Sheep") as proof positive you can bang without being so freaking serious.  My son thought it was hilarious when he was 10.

It's a coin flip, though; it might help with the sneer and aura, or it may make it worse.  You'd know better than anyone, but regardless, I agree that 10 is a little young to be developing an FU attitude.

It shouldn't be a constant companion for at least another couple of years. 

[Thebiker]

Well, my daughter used to head into her day care center singing Clapton's "Cocaine", which was playing in the deck in my car on the way to drop her off......and she turned out OK, hell, she now has her own 6 year old at age 35.  Damn, I'm getting old .

[Crimson]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not too concerned about the lyrics because he, like myself, is more in tune with the music (he doesn't sing along, or at all for that matter, and usually just hums tunes to himself). I just think it's proof-positive how music, not the spoken word, can affect ones mood and behavior, more so with a young developing mind. I know for a fact that the reason he listens to Black Sabbath a lot is due to their relatively simple guitar riffs which he picks up and plays for himself. I was just wondering if exposure to dark morbid music can have any effects that I should be concerned about. Other than that, he's a great kid. (Hey, I turned out OK. I think.  )

[JoshK]

My cousin's boy had a penchant for Alice in Chains at 4 years old.  He didn't really grow out of it either.  Anyway, my parents didn't expose me to any heavier rock when I was a kid but I found it on my own in my later teen years.  This was mostly because my dad didn't like the heavier stuff.  He was a radio DJ during part of the 70's and was more into blues influenced rock. 

Scott, think closer is bad, try finding a copy of the full video to the Broken EP.  One of those videos is banned in the US or something like that.  Its a twisted Masochistic torture session. 

When it comes to bad influences in music, it comes in all types of music.  I'd just watch if in his teenage years he shuts down and becomes closed off, then there is something to address. 

[some young guy]

Try out a little AC/DC....way back when my son was young, that was his fav.
He'd walk around singing...." Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap "....it was funny...  

Yup... even my 5 year old knows: we only play the Bon Scott years.

[nathanm]

I think it's pretty great that he's listening to Sabbath at that age, as opposed to some NuMetal crap (that's my bias talking of course).  That's a great place to start!  I was listening to Top 40 radio when I was 10, I didn't get into metal until high school, and Black Sabbath came much later.

But let me see if I am understanding Crimson correctly: It's cool with you if your son is into the music but not so much the lyrics which are assumed to be bad and corrupting?  Shouldn't song lyrics be open to all the same emotional interpretation that the sounds are?  There's great depth of meaning to be found in lyrics which may at first glance be negative. 

But heck, if you wanna talk "dark lyrics" there have been GREAT advances since 1973! Ha! But the people writing even the most violent and bloody lyrics out there are for the most part normal people.  Art and behavior simply does not have the direct causality that the puritanical forces try to promote.  Music alone cannot turn people into sociopaths.  Personally I think it's great that no matter how awful you may find a certain song, it's still just art and not reality.  If mankind's natural penchant for violence can be expressed through music and not through going out and killing your neighbors then great!  To be able to vent hostility and anger into a controlled medium is a great force for peace.  That's human progress.  We've moved on from public hangings and gladiatorial combat to just writing loud obnoxious songs in your basement about imagined bloodlust.  That's a step in the right direction if you ask me.

[DeanSheen]

I always play that song at least once on Good Friday and Easter.  Bit of a tradition.

No worries about Sabbath.  This is hardly Tipper Gore territory.

[ecramer]

I'm one of those no ac/dc after Bon Scott, Just wasn't the same. 

Try out a little AC/DC....way back when my son was young, that was his fav.
He'd walk around singing...." Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap "....it was funny...  

Yup... even my 5 year old knows: we only play the Bon Scott years.

[aerius]

It's all fun and games until birds & bats start losing their heads...