American Idol? More Like Shame

[dukedogsmom]

I just saw this and am disgusted. She's certainly not my idol and never has been. Way to go, Fantasia. You've got real class.

Baby Mama
by Fantasia Barrino
album: Free Yourself (2004)
[chorus]
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
This goes out to all my baby mamas
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
I got love for all my baby mamas

It's about time we had our own song
Don't know what took so long
Cause nowadays it's like a badge of honor
To be a baby mama
I see ya payin' ya bills
I see ya workin' ya job
I see ya goin' to school
And girl I know it's hard
And even though ya fed up
With makin' beds up
Girl, keep ya head up
All my

[chorus]
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
This goes out to all my baby mamas
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
I got love for all my baby mamas

I see you get that support check in the mail
You open it and you'er like, What the ****
You say, This ain't even half of daycare
Sayin' to yourself, This **** ain't fair
And all my girls who don't get no help
Who gotta do everything by yourself
Remember, what don't kill you can only make you stronger
My baby mama

[chorus]
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
This goes out to all my baby mamas
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
I got love for all my baby mamas

Cause we the backbone (of the hood)
I always knew that (that we could)
We can go anywhere, we can do anything
I know we can make it if we dream
And I think it should be a holiday
For single mothers, tryin' to make a way
But until then, here is your song
Show love to my....

[chorus]
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
This goes out to all my baby mamas
B-A-B-Y M-A-M-A
This goes out to all my baby mamas
I got love for all my baby mamas

[catnapper]

Ugh... I hated her then, and this makes me hate her even more. She makes my skin crawl.

This just shows how much class she has. None.

I want to write a song now - this will go out to all those decent girls who say "no" and the decent boys who respect that "no" means "no".

[catnapper]

I printed this out and just showed it to my husband. He rolled his eyes and said "Its about right. I just had two girls write poems in class today just like that." I said, "huh???" And he said, " About them having sex, getting pregnant and raising their baby without the man." We're talking about 7th graders here! :eek: And now these kids are going to hear songs like this and it'll be reinforced that having sex and babies without the father is ok. I don't care what they say, kids need the stability of two parents. two MATURE parents.

[captain]

I know I didn't want her to win.

[tortuga55]

Just look at all the stupid songs out there about drugs, sex, ect, ect, then parents wonder what went wrong. Well their children are being tought through music and video games how to behave thats what went wrong. People believe music and violent video games have no effect on teens and children. Then those same people sit at home and ask why, why is my child having sex and doing drugs. Duh, we all know why we just don't admit it. I walk through the hallways at school and I overhear teens talking about what they did on the weekend (drugs, alcohol, sex) and every kid who does the above listed bad things are all kids who listen to bad music (you know the kind) and play violent video games. They walk around dressed like they are the sl*** in music videos and talking about all the things they have done like its a badge of honor to have no honor at all. Then there are the guys who act like they are gods gift to all things female. Their pants down around their waist. I would never tuch a guy like that with a 20 maybe 30 foot pole. If one asked me out I would laugh so hard juice would shoot out my nose (because weird things always happen when your drinking). I can honestly say I have no respect for kids/teens like that. You watch todays music videos and you would think they were from the R section of a video store. Also most movies these days are rated at least one rating lower than they should be. I watch a lot of PG movies and well there is a lot of things in them that are not PG. I think about my little cousins seeing them and it makes me scared. My cousins neighbor who is 8 knows things I never knew about till I was..... ok so I dont know what she is talking about but I know its dirty. She has influenced my cousin to the point where once when I was babysitting (he was 5) he came up to me and said " I have a vigina". That was one of those moments where Juice flies out your nose, you start coughing and croke out WHAT!!!! Of course he did not know what he was talking about but but still I never knew that word till sex ed in grade seven. Where did the neighbor girl hear it from TV. And lets just say that when my cousin said that word to his mom more juice flew from noses and the neighbor girl is only allowed over when supervised. She also got a nice talking to about apropriate conversations while at my aunts house. Its not her fault she knows such things its the media for putting it on TV and her parents for letting her watch it. Music Artists defend their lyrics and say its pointless words that mean nothing. Tell that to the kids who live by the example created from these pointless words. If they are infact pointless and meaningless then why say them and poisson the minds of all the people who are stupid enough to listen. Over all the stuff on TV and radio these days should not be on TV and radio.

[aly]

I've never really been offended by song lyrics. I think it is because I always sit there like an idiot singing along, but not thinking about the words and what they mean. I think a lot of people are like that. I do understand what you guys are saying though and agree with you all.

I thought Fantasia was WAY overrated. I loved Diana.

[Oggyflute]

I may offend some people by saying the show and subsequent others around the world are amongst the worst to appear on televison.

Though the bloke who sang that "she bang" song, now that was quality. :D

[Samantha Puppy]

Wow. I just heard she will be appearing on AI in the next few weeks singing that song! Did Simon lose his mind??

[moosmom]

Did Simon lose his mind

You can't lose what you don't have!!

I HATE that show.

[aly]

Thankfully I don't think Fantasia will ever have as much exposure as Kelly Clarkson does. Hopefully she'll just fade out of the business when her contract runs out. I think this year's winner will be great though. I'd be delighted to see Carrie, Nadia, Nikko, Vonzell, or Anwar win. They all seem like great, wholesome, nice people (and could be great role models).

[Cataholic]

Originally posted by jennifert9
I agree...definitely not a good message to be sending out. I suppose it does support the women who are currently single moms trying to make ends meet but it just encourages more and gives justification to women who have children out of wedlock ON PURPOSE! I don't really understand that, why would you want to bring a child into the world and NOT give them every advantage possible....

WTF? Want to tell me how I am not giving my son EVERY advantage in life? I am college educated, with a professional degree, own my own home, have both an individual and company matched IRA (401k), a savings plan set up for my 7 month old son, more family support than alot of other people, not to mention the drive, ambition, will and determination to give my son even MORE than what I had.....

Illegitimate, 'out of wedlock', etc., are narrowminded, old-aged terms no longer considered appropriate.

It is one thing to cast aspersions on ONE person, but, to paint an entire group of people with such a broad brush is ridiculous. Single mommyhood is NOT a death sentence, or tsome lower socio-economic failing. It was my CHOICE.

What 'justification' do I need to bring a child into this world on my own?

Think before you type.

[catnapper]

I think the song speaks to the younger people. I know that there are older more mature people out there making the decision to raise their child alone because they realize they have more to give that child ALONE than they would by living a lie with the wrong man. For those that are strong enough to admit that truth and have a child alone -- well thats an amazing testament to strength and perseverance.

However, I don't think that song is saying that. I think its saying "go have sex, get pregnant then have the baby alone without a deadbeat father who can't even make CS... but go ahead because you'll now have a badge of honor and people have to respect that." BS. She's talking to the kids who aren't even out of highschool - NOT those who are professionals, who live on our own, who have solid foundations to raise a child. Nope, she's talking to young people who feel lost in the world, and encouraging single motherhood because at least then the kids will have someobody that HAS to love them. Somebody who HAS to respect them.

Respect is HUGE with kids today. I can think of a thousand ways a girl could earn respect rather than through premature single motherhood. Oh the first exampe that springs to mind... earning their degree, making a solid foundation for themselves BEFORE becoming a single mother that has to work three jobs to make ends meets, and who has to worry about how much diapers cost, who worries about the cost of daycare before they worry about the quality of daycare.

I think the whole song is mistake. It'll only encourage the girls to take the romantic view of single motherhood. It'll be seen as something that will give them what they don't have already - respect. What they don't see is the truth behind it.

[Pit Chick]

I like the song because not all single mothers started out single, but they sure as hell ended up in the situations she sings about. Fantasia wasn't a single mother to begin with, my mother wasn't single to begin with, most of the women I work with weren't single when they had their kids, but things changed and now they are. Fantasia may have money rolling in now, but she has been through some hard times, that's why she can sing about them. Music videos, video games, movies, songs are just a scape goat for those parents who don't bother to censor what their kids are exposed to or they let their kids do whatever makes them happy. If a 10 year old girl is dressing like a "video ho" who do you think bought her the clothes. Teens were having sex and getting pregnant way before all of these songs, movies, etc. were even allowed on the airwaves. Songs are influenced by life, that's why people like them, especially when it relates to their own lives. If kids take things they see way too seriously, then they have a problem. How many of us on PT that grew up watching Bugs Bunny thought it was ok to drop an anvil on someone's head? :rolleyes:

[dukedogsmom]

Fantasia is a teen mother and yes they've been getting pregnant long before now. However, now it's being made to look like it's cool. Also encourages them not to get jobs because they get rewarded with welfare. More money for every kid they have. The song is tacky and tasteless. I sure wish she hadn't been the one chosen because they made a big mistake.

[Pit Chick]

I thought she was like in her early-mid 20's? :confused: Either way, she was married and the guy turned out to be an abusive A-hole. Parents need to encourage their kids to get jobs, go to school, etc.

[nibblets]

I think her heart was in the right place. I'm a single mom and it feels good when I get recognized for the hard work I have done to raise a good kid...and I do have a good kid (proud mom look :D ) . However, I hate the grammer...or lack thereof in her lyrics. I'm not a fan of ebonics, I think it perpetuates stereotyping.

[Jodie9]

I see nothing wrong with it.

I like Fantasa Barriono- she is a great singer and a role model.

I hate all those little girls like Diana Digarmo.

[Pit Chick]

Originally posted by nibblets
I'm not a fan of ebonics, I think it perpetuates stereotyping.

Every generation has their own slang and it always bugs the heck out of adults, that's why youngsters use it. My mom can't stand it when I use ebonics either. :p

[tikeyas_mom]

i liked the song.....

[wolfsoul]

I personally don't see anything wrong with it. Would anyone be happy if she had made a song bashing teenage mothers, calling them idiots, losers, telling them that they are irresponsible, immoral, etc? And yet people aren't happy when she is trying to offer her support either. Seems like more people just find it an issue not to be discussed in any form of music. I don't see how she's encouraging anything. I don't listen to the song and think "Oh, now I want to go out and get myself pregnant." Though she could have worded it somewhat differently, I believe her heart was in the right place. She isn't condoning it in anyway, but trying to bring some light into the lives of young or single mothers. In any case, I haven't even heard the song, nor do I even watch American Idol...So I can't judge her by character. Just my honest opinion.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by Oggyflute

Though the bloke who sang that "she bang" song, now that was quality. :D
Darn straight. :D ;)

[LKPike]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: I've heard worse.

[wolflady]

Originally posted by catnapper
...
I want to write a song now - this will go out to all those decent girls who say "no" and the decent boys who respect that "no" means "no".

AMEN!!

Finally, someone who feels like I do! ;)

It's sad how sleazy our society is becoming...:(