Not music to my ears

Really? Did I just hear the lyric, “I’m sexy and I know it,” at a high-school sporting event? Actually, I’ve heard it – and much worse – far too often at Sauk Valley gymnasiums this season.

I don’t want to be the morality police, but come on. Do grandma and grandpa or little ones need to hear things like, “She Lick me Like a Lollipop,” when attending a high-school game. Yes, that song was played at an area gym.

I’m no prude, but maybe it’s the fact that I have three little girls that makes me downright baffled by some of the music I hear at both boys and girls events.

Unfortunately, I’ve heard offensive songs at much more than a single school. I haven’t been to all the schools in the Sauk Valley this season, so I can’t weigh in on the whole lot. But, two that I’ve been to on a number of occasions and heard vulgar, or at least inappropriate, music nearly every time are Rock Falls and Sterling high schools.

I’ve heard “I’m Sexy and I Know It” at both and “Get Low” at Rock Falls. While “Get Low” is edited, it is a patently offensive song and belongs nowhere near a school event of any sort.

At Sterling High School, I even saw cheerleaders – at least I think they were cheerleaders – performing a routine to “I’m Sexy and I Know It.”

Call me crazy, but I would flat out not allow any of my daughters, whether they were in high school or not, to perform to a song touting their sexiness.

The songs I’ve mentioned so far have been played right over the public address systems, but the other day after covering a Rock Falls home boys basketball game was the straw that broke the camel’s back in making me decide to finally write this column after weighing if it was an important enough issue to tackle.

From the Rockets’ locker room with the volume probably very close to “11,” I got to hear bits of a very colorful song that, let’s just say, had lyrics with a lot of Ms and Fs, or should I say MFs. I think you know what I mean.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of issues more important to worry about with young people these days than the music they’re listening to. But, why can’t the music at school events be uplifting instead of offensive?

What exactly are we teaching these kids? How to be sexy and get low? I sure hope not.

I brought this issue up to an area coach who is also his school’s athletic director. He said he listens to all the music personally and has to approve it. He even calls upon his students to help weed out offensive songs.

All I’m asking is that someone put their foot down and say enough is enough. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s been offended.

I’m not a band geek, but I say strike up the band. I thoroughly enjoy listening to a good pep band, especially those with guitars.

So let’s hear more cowbell and less horsehockey.

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