Speaker 1: 0:43

Welcome back to another Super Awesome Mix. My name is Matt Sidholm, alongside my co-host and co-founder of Super Awesome Mix, samer Abu Salbi Samer. How are we doing this week?

Speaker 2: 0:53

Doing really well. You know, you and I were just now talking before we hit record about this, this mix today, and I gotta say this is probably the most emotions I've had about a mix in a while. I don't know how you felt.

Speaker 1: 1:07

Well now, just based on that clue, somebody listening might be like well, is this a love song mix, like what is stirring emotion and Sammer? And in fact it's in a completely opposite direction. We're looking at songs that these are all real songs and some are very popular, and yet now we're at a point probably in the culture where they probably should be canceled, to use another word, if anything like, just be real careful about who you play these in front of, maybe.

Speaker 2: 1:38

Yeah, there's some very problematic lyrics and just themes and music videos, you name it. There's a whole host of issues with these songs and it was very interesting to dive into them. It was especially entertaining to read all the comments on them because, as you can imagine, the internet also has, you know, just a deluge of opinions on a number of these as well. So some of these probably aren't too surprising. I'm sure, like, if you've you know, if you've heard it before, you're like, oh yeah, that makes sense, that was a problematic song. Others maybe will catch you by surprise or you haven't thought of it in a while. So, yeah, this was a very entertaining mix to go through.

Speaker 1: 2:22

Yeah. Also, also, keep in mind for every like, 10 comments on the internet about how awful some of these songs are. There's one person that's like yeah, but come on, you know like.

Speaker 2: 2:35

That is very true. Yes, that's accurate.

Speaker 1: 2:39

So if you're feeling that way, okay. Or if I say that a couple times, you know, I mean like let's just, let's just be forgiving of each other, that's all okay. Um, well, all right, this is the appropriate way to start this mix. It's the appropriate way to start anything with a title like this, sam, or your first pick.

Speaker 2: 2:56

Let's get it started by the black eyed peas yeah, um, and the reason it's let's get it started by the black eyed peas is because the much more controversial song I don't even I couldn't find it, which thank goodness, so maybe this song was already canceled um, I don't even want to say the title, but but it uses an R word that should not really be used, and certainly not in a pop song that charted. There are some songs on this mix to your point, where someone could ostensibly be like, look, it was like the 60s people were not aware etc.

Speaker 2: 3:33

Etc. Etc. Take it in the context of when it was released. This song has no excuses. It aged the second it came out. Like it aged, probably like as they were recording it. And I wonder, how did no one in the studio be like hey, hey, what are you singing, you know? Wait back it up. Are you sure that's what you want to say? You know, like, come on um. And in fact, the only reason they re-recorded the song and and went with let's get it started, rather than the rhyming horrible r word, is because the nba wanted.

Speaker 2: 4:05

Yes, the nba wanted a copy of this song, and that should have been a hint that they're like guys. We love the tune of this song. Have you thought about replacing the word with a much more friendly? Let's get it started.

Speaker 1: 4:19

It's really, and I remember when it came out, like the original version, okay. And let me just tell you, okay, the word itself you could use in other context right as a verb. Right To slow down growth of something. Okay would be to retard it. Right, like that is an okay English word to use. Yeah, it was kind of shocking. The second, like you said, the second it came out, I was like whoa wait, what are they singing? And they kind of tried to play it off as, like this was something people said. And I was still pretty young when this came out and I was like I don't remember anybody, this is not a phrase, this is not something people say. And then, also interesting, I don't think they changed any of the lyrics at all. They just changed the chorus and so some of the lyrics. Also, if you put it in the original title context, it's kind of I think it's more offensive right.

Speaker 2: 5:21

I mean, honestly, everything about this is like how did it pass the numerous checks of other human beings you know and then, and then to be played and put yeah, put on an album and all of that it's. It's kind of mind-boggling, to be honest.

Speaker 1: 5:36

But well, someone in the nba is off. Nba office was like no, no, no, we could use this, we could use this. And then somebody else in the nba office was like now, wait a minute, maybe. Maybe we should change one thing right, exactly, and this was like early black ip, so they would go on to have, like I, I don't know 15 other hits after this. Yeah, it's not like well. And after this, we never heard from the Black Eyed Peas.

Speaker 2: 6:03

It's like no tip of the iceberg.

Speaker 1: 6:05

We love these guys, all right.

Speaker 2: 6:11

Well, that was certainly a great way to start off the mix. And here's another great entry, your first one, and this is Halfbre by share.

Speaker 1: 6:20

okay, so, all about the same time, share wrote like a few songs along these same lines. Um, there was another one called dark lady and another one called gypsies, tramps and thieves, and, uh, I don't know what was going on with Cher at the time, because I think she was just like a super popular pop star. But she decided, like Kevin Costner today, to just pretend that she lives in an old Western and everything was very dated to a time where there were just Native Americans everywhere. There's villages, and in this case Cher is singing about how this character is um half Native American and then half, uh, like white, and neither group of people will accept her and they just taught her with the title, which is half breed. Um, there's a line in there the children taunting her with quote give her a feather.

Speaker 2: 7:17

She's a cherokee, okay yeah, that's the line I called out to that. I was just kind of floored by.

Speaker 1: 7:25

But you texted me earlier. That was your favorite. Lyric is the word you use offline I don't look.

Speaker 2: 7:33

I told matt we do not want to get this show canceled in recording this. But again, what's?

Speaker 1: 7:40

crazy is. It's like this song is like 50 years old or something right and like share had a really long career after that and, um, I don't know, maybe when she wishes she could turn back time. Maybe it was just to erase this whole album from her catalog, I don't know. So she doesn't talk about half breeds and dark ladies and all that. But, samra, were you familiar with the song previously?

Speaker 2: 8:02

I wasn't and I was uncomfortable by title alone. You know like I felt uncomfortable with some of these. Just looking them up I was like, oh I'm, this is like it's, too it's. I just can't it's.

Speaker 1: 8:20

I just can't. I can't.

Speaker 2: 8:20

The anxieties in me like just were spiking um, yeah, that's all in your search history now, right, right, and um, I'm gonna be targeted by some weird ads here soon, um, but yeah, I'm just like you know, and I understand she's thinking about like someone being taunted and bullied and blah, blah, blah, you know. So it's like she's almost trying. I, you know, you could understand. Maybe she's like oh, I'm trying to like talk about the plight of people who feel like they don't, you know, fit in and like our culture so mean to them, etc. But I'm just kind of feel like maybe, maybe do it in a better way, you know, like maybe just just be better share. Come on.

Speaker 1: 8:55

I think, yeah, I think you're right. I think there was good intent with this song, right, yeah, but everything's just a little dated and so you listen to it now I don't think people are pulling out the good intent here. So, yeah, that's a good way of putting it. Samer, good summary, all right, your next pick. And I was a little surprised, like because I know this song really well. But I was like, okay, why is this on here?

Speaker 2: 9:23

but then I started listening and I was like, yeah, you might be right, okay, it is wrong way by sublime yeah, this is one of those ones where we probably could have put this on one of our earliest episodes of like you know, wait, what was that? Um, lyrics, because it's it's like okay, sonically right, it's so catchy, like you, you can just bop to this. Of course it's sublime, like they're they're you know, super chill band. They're known for just producing like great kind of put it on, chill out to it music. But then you start to listen to the lyrics and it can be, it's like, quite upsetting.

Speaker 2: 9:58

And here's the thing again. Right, he could just be singing about this young 14 year old like girl who's been forced to be a sex worker, basically by her father, which is an awful, awful story, and he could want to be singing about, like the plight of of you know the reality, right, like, unfortunately, a lot of teenage women and like get forced into these awful, awful positions, um, because they have no other way, and so you could be like, oh yeah, that's what's happening. But here's where it falls apart. This is why I want to throw this song on on this mix, because he says later in one of the verses strong, if I can, but I am only a man, so I take her to the can. It's the wrong way. So, even though he is like, oh dude, this sucks for this young girl, I'm you know, I'm just a man, so I take her to the can. It's the wrong way.

Speaker 2: 10:41

So even though he is like, oh dude, this sucks for this young girl, I'm you know, I'm just a man, so I'm going to take her to the bathroom and and have my way with her, and I'm like dude, no, no, like you, no, it's awful, just a pedophilia anthem, and it's just awful, uh. So that's why I had to throw this on here, because at further inspection, I was like this is, this, is a terrible, terrible song yeah, like I said, you know it's like you've everybody.

Speaker 1: 11:11

I feel like a lot of people like this song, like this is a popular song. I think it still gets played, but, you're right, while you're listening to it you're like, oh man, and it could have taken a turn to the positive and to the uh, you know, really I'm going to support these people and then it just goes down this road where it's like, okay, well, I guess, I guess men are awful right like there's no, no out for this woman exactly.

Speaker 2: 11:34

Yeah, like he wasn't like oh, and so then I took her away from this awful situation and gave her a better life. You know, it's like. No, I'm just reinforcing the office that was the original cut.

Speaker 1: 11:45

They were in the studio like okay, then we move to the suburbs. It's the right way. What do we? How do we? I don't know what rhymes with suburbs, anybody, let's just go. You take it to the can and you're a man. Okay, we'll go with that. Let's wrap up. Who wants?

Speaker 2: 12:05

lunch, Exactly. Yeah, we've been at this for 45 minutes, guys. We're all we're tired.

Speaker 1: 12:12

We want to go home. This song's called Wrong Way. Anyway, let's just stick with that, just you know, um, but yeah, okay.

Speaker 2: 12:22

On that note, though and I just alluded to this your next pick, and it's funny that they are mushed up right next to each other. We didn't plan that, but this one is into the night, by benny mardones yeah, benny mardones.

Speaker 1: 12:33

he is, uh, samurai. I'm guessing it's the first time you've heard this song. That's correct, yes, but this is kind of a popular song. If you listen to adult contemporary radio stations or soft rock, they will still throw Into the Night on there. I guarantee on SiriusXM, if you set an alert for Into the Night by Benny Mardonas, you're going to get a hit within an hour. Into the Night by Benny Mardunas, you're going to get a hit within an hour. But just right off the bat, this one does not. There's nothing hiding it. The first line is she's just 16 years old. Leave her alone. They said, oh my God. And then it just goes on to be a love song about Benny's love for this 16-year-old Right Insane. At the end he's like screaming.

Speaker 2: 13:18

It just goes on to be a love song about Benny's love for the 16 year old Right.

Speaker 1: 13:20

And I mean at the end he's like screaming like about how how much he wishes he had this woman. It's really. It gets really uncomfortable at the last minute, just even like just to listen to it all, let alone if you don't know the the, the theme of it at all. And I mean at one point he says he would give her a love like she's never seen Benny. That might be because she's only 16 years old. Okay, so I want you to give that. That's not a high bar.

Speaker 2: 13:48

You know, you just had a rhyme there where you could have done this as a duet, where someone's arguing with him right, like I give her a love that she's never seen, and then you got the second voice being like benny bro, she's only 16, you know, I what?

Speaker 1: 14:02

I want. What I want the internet to do, if they haven't already, is maybe, uh, splice in some chris hansen from dateline into this song, just make it a warning.

Speaker 2: 14:13

Oh my god, yeah, I yeah with him at end you're free to leave you know Right as he's getting tackled.

Speaker 1: 14:20

That's when we get into the Benny Mardota screaming.

Speaker 2: 14:26

My favorite comment of of and there were some gems on this on this page was quote no matter how many times he recorded it and how old he was, the girl always remained 16 years old.

Speaker 1: 14:37

Yeah, matter how many times he recorded it and how old he was, the girl always remained 16 years old. Yeah, it was never like. Yeah, we talked about half breed being like. Look, it's have a different era right here right it's like he could have been like wait, what's a legal age now? 18? All right, okay, on three, two, three. She's just no, just kept going back to 60.

Speaker 2: 14:56

Exactly, yeah, exactly, like this has just always been universally a terrible idea.

Speaker 1: 15:05

Oh man, all right, this next one. I was not familiar with this song.

Speaker 2: 15:09

Strangely enough, as popular as this artist is, track five is You're so Gay by Katy Perry yeah, and I mean, and she's been making a lot of recent news because her new album launch is not going well and she's getting a lot of flack for a lot of reasons, um, so I guess it's not surprising that she would be on this list. But to your point earlier about like the black ips, like she's continued to have an enormous career despite all of these like issues, um, and in fact you know she was like the super bowl um singer one year, etc. Etc. Halftime show singer. But yeah, this was one where I I just can't believe again that this got made. I can't believe it got played and it's.

Speaker 2: 15:46

It's even the opening lines, right, like let's ignore kind of the theme of the song which basically she's singing to a guy that everyone around him knows that he's gay except himself, like he just won't admit it. So in a way, again, like the intent is like kind of being hey, come on, just admit it. Like you're gay, we're all cool with it, you know, just come out already. Right, like that's kind of a trope that we hear a lot. I feel like that's what she's she's thinking about. But the the opening lines, to me is where this again falls off the rails. I hope you hang yourself with an h&m scarf while blanking off listening to Mozart, like you can't open a song telling someone to commit suicide.

Speaker 2: 16:27

That's a great point, yeah especially knowing how sensitive this group is and how often, unfortunately, they commit suicide because they don't feel comfortable being themselves and all the pressures on them, etc. Right Like this is a marginalized group, especially when it comes to teen suicide rates. So what the F? Katie?

Speaker 1: 16:44

Come on, you know, like I can't believe she would write this, I can't believe she would sing it, and then I can't believe that we all were like yeah, katie Perry, okay. So when I heard it, I didn't, and I had not heard this song before. I heard it like she was breaking up with this guy and was kind of making fun of him.

Speaker 1: 17:01

And so I didn't even see it as sort of an acceptance of it, like just come out already, it was more, just like it was actually worse, like kind of taunting him a little bit and using gay in the way that. I'll just be real honest, they used it growing up, just if you did anything Right like in a derogatory.

Speaker 2: 17:18

Yeah, in a very derogatory sort of way.

Speaker 1: 17:26

So that's how I heard it was, like she's not even cool with it. But yeah, I mean you're right to start off with the with the note on suicide. It's just like geez.

Speaker 1: 17:30

Yeah, it's a you know, what's really interesting, you said earlier, she's still. Obviously katie perry's still really popular, although people don't love this new stuff. Um, but, reading Reddit comments about this song, there are people who are like look, this is 100%, absolutely homophobic. But I don't blame Katie and I'm like wait a minute, why Then who I get it? There's songwriters, there's producers. Like we said earlier, several people in the studio for the Black Eyed Peas were like go with this. Okay, this is yeah this is gold.

Speaker 1: 18:04

But like we can't just say katie perry's blameless and all this I agree, I mean, she's certainly, she's certainly part of the blame.

Speaker 2: 18:13

You know, if, if not, if not exclusive. But oh my goodness, all All right. All right, we got to take a breather here. Let's go on to track number six, halfway point. And this is a legal alien by Genesis.

Speaker 1: 18:28

Look this song. Okay, it's absolutely xenophobic. Okay, it's not great, but I don't blame Phil Collins, okay. Okay, this song, first of all, is is super long, like way longer than you would think it is. Um, this was a really popular song when it came out in like 1983. Um, I remember it coming out. There's a music video that goes along with it, which is also something to be seen, because it is ridiculous.

Speaker 1: 19:01

Phil Collins, who's very British, is singing with an accent that I think he's trying to sound Spanish or Mexican, and I don't think it's going well. I would say there's a lot of stereotypes in the song. Here's the thing. There's a lot of stereotypes in the song. Here's the thing genesis kind of wrote it because when they came over from the uk, they were having trouble with their visas and so they thought, well, yeah, if it's challenging for us, isn't it a challenge for anybody coming into this country?

Speaker 1: 19:34

So again, somewhat well intended, right, like in the early 80s, they're like maybe we should have a better system here. But then they take it in this direction, which is, we're going to focus on the people of Mexico who are coming here and we're going to write this five-plus-minute song in this accent and just sprinkle all sorts of weird stereotypes in there which aren't really germane to the idea that immigration is challenging. So it just kind of blows my mind looking back. But it was very much on top 40 radio. I could turn on MTV and the video was on. It's remarkable.

Speaker 2: 20:47

Yeah, no, I agree with you. Like, again, it's just one of those things where probably the idea was sound but the execution just removed any and all benefit from the idea, like it was so bad To me. This was the music video that I you know. It was linked on the page with the lyrics and so I watched it and I was like horrified, just absolutely horrified.

Speaker 2: 21:09

You have a bunch of white people dressed as the word like just the biggest stereotypical view of, like what people think mexico looks like. Right, it's like the hollywood view of mexico and, you know, completely ignoring the fact that it's a bustling, thriving, one of the strongest economies in the world, like millions and millions and millions of people live there successfully. And no, they show it as like this podunk town, you know, like, oh, my god, and they're wearing the giant sombreros, I mean just everything that you can imagine as like, you know, and almost, um, like a cartoonish view of of mexico, um, and yeah, it's awful I'm surprised, given how much we talk about immigration in this election cycle, how someone hasn't tried to recycle this song Right.

Speaker 2: 21:55

Why isn't this a campaign song somewhere?

Speaker 1: 21:57

Yeah, like show it up at a rally at this point. Like could JD Vance just show up to a rally with Illegal Alien by Genesis playing? I mean probably I'll tell you what. I'll make a promise right here. He has suggested it. Okay, the campaign. People are like no, no, no, JD, we're not doing that. I guarantee he's like no, no, no, come on, It'll be funny and everyone's like it's not funny, yeah.

Speaker 1: 22:28

Oh, my goodness yeah all right, your next pick. Uh, and this one. This is very controversial, I would say. People have very strong feelings in different directions about this one. It is baby. It's cold outside.

Speaker 2: 22:41

By dean martin yes, I know this one was definitely a hot topic, um, and for you know, like a couple years ago, a lot of radios just stopped playing it and it's been made fun of in movies since. Like there was some Netflix movie I watched where they like rewrote the lyrics to this and we're singing a much more female empowered version of it, which I loved. I need to find what the lyrics were, but it was really well done. But here's the thing right with the lyrics for but it was really well done, but here's the thing right. I've I've had arguments with people of of an older generation who are like, no, it's a sweet song, you know, like he's just trying to like be playful and this is how you flirted, and blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 2: 23:19

And I'm like okay, sure, you know, like I understand, sure, again, like sure, but here's where there's always a line where it falls apart, and it is whenever he says, or rather she says, at least I'm going to say that I tried, and then he retorts back. What's the sense of hurting my pride? And I'm like OK, no, you know, like you're telling me this woman has to say yes to you because you don't want to have some bruised ego as a predatory male, you know, like come on.

Speaker 2: 23:50

She's very clearly wanting to go home and this is not about your pride and it never should be if you know if, if a partner's telling you no, you can't bring in your, your fragile ego here, and that's the reason that they need to say yes like that is awful. It's very rapey and I don't like that at all about the song, which is why I think it should never be played again.

Speaker 1: 24:11

Okay, first of all, it was just read down a couple of years ago by Idina Menzel and Michael Buble.

Speaker 2: 24:18

Oh, nice, uh-huh, great Love that.

Speaker 1: 24:22

The tipping point for me, okay is the line say what's in this drink, right for me. Okay is the line say what's in this drink. When she says that, because I'm with you on the hurting my pride like that's. You know that's irrelevant to this situation. But where really goes off the rails for me is when she starts to question what he's just handed her and I'm like, well, this isn't going in a good direction.

Speaker 2: 24:48

No, you're absolutely right. Yeah, what's in this drink? And then he says no cabs to be had out there, which is again, I don't know if you're familiar where it's always sunny. But there's the episode where they get the boat and Dennis is like because of the implication, you know I feel like he's. That's what this song is. There's the implication that she's all alone and stranded and yeah, and there's something in her drink. It's awful, just terrible.

Speaker 1: 25:15

That being said, I can't wait to include it on my Christmas mix again this year.

Speaker 2: 25:19

Okay, I mean you know it's a classic. It's a classic, All right. Track number eight, your next pick, and oh, this one. This is the one where I texted you just being like what is wrong with these songs? So this one is Ruby, Don't Take your Love to Town by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.

Speaker 1: 25:38

All right. So I love Kenny Rogers. I want to get that out right off the bat. Okay, a lot of good Kenny Rogers songs out there. The Killers just remade the song a couple of years ago. Right, word for word. Didn't change anything. Here's where this song really goes. Ok, it's obviously this man has been through something. Ok, he refers to going off to war. He calls it and I'm quoting here crazy Asian war.

Speaker 2: 26:03

Ok, he has come back.

Speaker 1: 26:05

He talks about being paralyzed. Ok, now this is where it gets dicey. First he admits that it's not easy loving a man who's paralyzed, which I'm like. Okay, that's unfair. But maybe he's just trying to be empathetic to his partner there. But then she just leaves him and goes to town, and the implication there, if I can bring back that word, is that she is seeking others out in these trips to town. And of course, the chorus Ruby, please don't take your love to town. All right, this character is begging Ruby not to go, but near the end is where things get even worse, because he goes to get his gun and he is while saying please don't take your love to town and trying to be kind about it, he finally is seemingly going to take matters into his own hands. So, yeah, really not a great song, especially with what we know now about ptsd right, exactly, yes, and and yeah, the domestic abuse alarms in this song.

Speaker 2: 27:14

I mean just everything about this is awful. And again, kenny rogers said this of the song. He said, if you look at this song, it's about a vietnam war vet who came back and he's struggling to try to relate to his wife and I'm like, oh okay, maybe trying without a gun would be like step one. You know, like maybe that's how you relate to your spouse, is like you don't bring gun violence into the mix. I'm no expert, you know, I'm not a therapist, but I feel like that's a solid foundation to stand on, is like just don't bring a freaking gun into the mix. And here he is. Yeah, there he goes with that, with that line. And that's the one where I was just like, oh sweet lord, like what, what is this? What am I listening to? I've never been like so, so angry listening to a lyric as I have been listening to that one.

Speaker 1: 28:01

It's insane I don't feel like anybody in that song is handling things well you know, no, yeah, I agree, yeah some therapy just in that household really some serious therapy. Exactly that's what we need, exactly uh, all right track nine, and I'm interested to hear your take on this one it is turning japanese by the vapors yeah, this one has, you know, been targeted a lot.

Speaker 2: 28:25

Um, there's a lot of strong opinions on this one as well. The band insists that it's like. What did they say? Quote it's a love song about somebody who just lost their girlfriend and was going slowly crazy. Turning japanese is just all the cliches of our angst turning into something you never expected to be. So I I think what they're trying to say is like they're this this character's is losing his mind and then all of a sudden he's like turning Japanese. And I think they even later said it could have been Portuguese or Lebanese. They even said all these other countries that kind of have the ease on it, and then it wasn't targeted towards that.

Speaker 2: 29:01

However, the Internet has been insisted on the fact that this is a basically a very derogatory song and the turning japanese refers to like a face someone might make um after masturbating, right like and, and that that is a very offensive like way of talking about this, and that this basically banned and the song should be canceled, which is very interesting, and I I tend to agree with them. I think everything about this song makes me uncomfortable, regardless of whether or not it means what it means. I just feel like, come on, like write a better song, if if you're talking about someone losing their mind, I don't think you need to bring race into this at all. You know, just leave that, leave that at the door, write a different song. That's my opinion on this.

Speaker 1: 29:46

First, I'm glad you brought that up because that was always the interpretation growing up, but it was also kind of seen. I remember when this song came out and it was just kind of a nonsense song, right, it didn't actually like nobody took any meaning from it. I think when it first came out you mentioned that they never really intended it to be specifically like Japanese. There was nothing about that. It would be interesting if this was the title, but then while singing it they would sing like you said, turning Lebanese, turning Japanese, turning Portuguese. If they had changed that throughout the song.

Speaker 1: 30:23

It probably would have emphasized sort of the I don't know maddening theme that they're going with, because it just would have been almost like a kaleidoscope of different things that they're turning into right.

Speaker 2: 30:37

Yes.

Speaker 1: 30:37

Do you think that would have helped your situation? Your interpretation?

Speaker 2: 30:42

of the song. I think it would have helped. I think then their argument would have been stronger, right. Of just like hey, no, we're talking about just someone feeling like they're not themselves anymore, which is what they were going for. But but the repeated of turning japanese, plus the very kind of like, like the, the sound of it right like they.

Speaker 1: 31:01

They're using that's what I was gonna say the stereotypical sort of quote-unquote asian sound that they make their exactly guitar kind of kind of blows up any theory there of what they're going for.

Speaker 2: 31:15

Exactly yeah, you nailed it. All right, this is this next track I had not heard of, but I was still just as offended as I ever imagined I would be. And it is hey little tomboy by the beach boys, shocking. I had no idea this was a song of theirs.

Speaker 1: 31:32

So I was researching for this mix and I'm kind of like looking around for like what are songs you know that are now considered offensive or whatever? And I started reading about this and I was like there's no way this is an actual song. Like this is some sort of joke. This is from 1978. So not that long ago. Um, it's a real upbeat song. And then you get into the lyrics and it's them telling a quote tomboy that she can't do the things that she likes. She now has to do these quote-unquote girl things.

Speaker 2: 32:05

Right like right put on some perfume, put on some perfume, put on some cut-off jeans.

Speaker 1: 32:14

Now here's where it gets uncomfortable.

Speaker 2: 32:16

Yeah, because that alone was all right.

Speaker 1: 32:17

Stop. Okay, hold on. I haven't offended you enough yet. Okay, this is being sung by the Beach Boys who, in 1978, are beyond full-fledged adults. Right, like they are. Okay, and they're singing to don't know a 12 year old, okay, and uh like I could see it now, like looking like how this is gonna look good and like it was a real creepy feel from that point and then the line that gets me is they keep repeating it. They're doing it all over the world.

Speaker 2: 32:54

Right, yes what are they doing?

Speaker 1: 32:57

I don't. It's just such nonsense at this point One that this was a good theme for a song Like hey, we need to really focus on tomboys and having them do quote, unquote girly things. Then the the convincing line is supposed to be they're doing it all over the world. It makes no sense this whole song you're absolutely right, this at all makes no sense. But then to add that lyric to it, I I don't know, I just yeah, I, I hadn't really focused on that line, but you're absolutely right.

Speaker 2: 33:29

Like that is so bizarre and I don't know what it means. Yeah, I don't know what it is and what this main character is trying to convince this poor, this poor girl to do. You know, like it can't be good, especially because, like, literally, the opening lines are hey, little tomboy, sit here on my lap, already, right Already, like you have you in that one line you've painted the like the main character of the song, older, you know and then you're telling, like you're talking to this young girl and telling her to sit on your lap, and already it's like no, no, you've got to stop.

Speaker 1: 34:08

Oh, it's, it's not like hey, little niece, come here and sit on my lap where it's like okay there's a familial relationship. It's like no, no, just, hey little tomboy come here. Yeah, that's weird yeah, awful uh, all right, so this one again, the first reading the list. I was a little surprised to see it, so I want to hear your take on it.

Speaker 2: 34:28

It is do they know it's christmas by band-aid I found the song so deeply offensive to like the entire, to the entire continent of africa. Do you know what this, what this song reminded me of? Do you remember or have you seen forgetting sarah marshall?

Speaker 1: 34:45

yes okay.

Speaker 2: 34:46

So remember how I think that in the beginning, um, his character from infinite sorrow, um the the right like, gets canceled.

Speaker 2: 34:50

I think that in the beginning, his character from Infinite Sorrow, right like, gets canceled basically in the show because he releases this horrible song that he was like trying to help the people but it just ends up being so offensive and everyone said this is like the worst song ever written.

Speaker 2: 35:06

That's what I kind of feel like with this song, because here's a group, it's like a super group, who's coming together. They're trying to raise money for like famine and whatever, but they just again chose like the worst possible way to talk about it, because they suggest that you know, a no one in Africa knows that it's Christmas, that be that it's like some kind of barren wasteland and there's no water and there's only violence, and like completely ignores what a diverse landscape the africa is. It's like it's five times larger than north america, right, like it is an enormous continent and that they don't even know what snow is. And then I also get really annoyed because they say like oh, you know some line about how, um, like there's no snow at christmas time and like how awful that is. I'm like like come on, the United States doesn't isn't blanketed in snow during Christmas time. You know, you're telling me that people in like South Texas are getting snow and Christmas. No, this is not happening. And should we sing about them?

Speaker 1: 36:03

Anyway, I could go on and on about this song but I just found it to be the people in Africa. That's the people in africa. That's that's their summer, that they're on the other side of the equator. So if there were snow in africa at christmas, I would be very disturbed, I would not be celebrating I mean right, it's, it's like, so it's awful, they it?

Speaker 2: 36:22

they just diminish the entire continent down to, down to this one little trope here and and sing about it.

Speaker 1: 36:28

So execution zero, basically yeah, I thought this was. First of all, this led to the song we are the world um being made, because harry belafonte heard them do this and they were like. And he was like, why? Why are those british pop stars helping the people of africa? We should be helping the people of africa, right. And so that led to him kind of starting to organize we are the World. But this one. First of all, the artists. In this you get George Michael, who sounds fantastic. Okay, like I'm just going to put the lyrics aside for a second. His voice is amazing. Simon Le Bon, duran, duran. You got Bono making an appearance.

Speaker 1: 37:07

I think the best way to describe this, sam, or the more I thought about it is that it's a very pre-internet song, because you can tell there was no one there who could be like hey, uh, does it snow in africa? No, that's terrible. And it's like there's no one there who could google it and be like you know, it's summer there. No, it's not supposed to snow. Oh, okay, okay, let okay, let's everybody settle down. Hey, do they know it's Christmas in Africa? Ethiopia's got a large Christian population. Oh, okay, all right, all right, somebody just read that on the internet, we're okay. Like it said, it's like oh my, they probably don't even know what Christmas is. Right, like it's just pre-internet. There was no way to research this or fact check this. It was just a bunch of musicians, kind of like piling bad idea on top of bad idea. Plus, it was the 80s, so probably a fair bit of cocaine involved as well.

Speaker 2: 37:58

I mean, certainly that's a given. I think that the name of their band Band-Aid, is actually very appropriate, because they're just basically trying to slap a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound and call it a day Right, Like that's. They're like you know how we're going to solve famine in, in quote, unquote Africa, where we're just going to sing a song and that's going to do it.

Speaker 1: 38:23

Well, and Bono gets the line. You know the real emotional line like well, tonight thank God it's them and not you, or something like that. Right like this still gets played at christmas, just like baby it's cold outside like this is a lot of run um, but yeah you're right very uh. If anybody does any research on the continent of africa, they're gonna see this is. This is way off incredibly so.

Speaker 2: 38:49

Okay, so the last one one. What a great way to go out on. I almost don't even want to read the title.

Speaker 1: 38:55

Oh, I want you to read the title.

Speaker 2: 38:59

The Poor Chine by George.

Speaker 1: 39:01

Jones Okay, it's the Poor Chiney, okay.

Speaker 2: 39:04

Oh, that's even worse. I tried to make it a little bit better, but it's as offensive as as I thought.

Speaker 1: 39:12

Yeah great, the poor chinese, george jones, okay. So first of all, I want everyone to know that I can be even-handed when it comes to country music. Okay, so I can. I get. I like to point out the good and I like to point out the bad, okay. So I think that's important, that when I say something's good, I'm being objective and I can call the bad ones as well. So I I wanted that to be a well said.

Speaker 1: 39:34

George Jones is a legend of country music. He has a lot of fantastic songs, and Samara I won't speak for you, but for myself this is not one of his best songs. Okay, I don't even know how to describe this song. Okay, no, it's not something you want to sing along to or that you can even sing along to, because the lyrics almost just sound like gibberish at times, even given it was. I think this song is from 1960, something I can't even believe that.

Speaker 1: 40:13

George Jones walked into the studio and was like hey, hey, guys got something new I've been working on. It's called the poor chinese. Two, three, four, and then just launched into this, which is just two minutes of like him, kind of talking a little stereotypically, like a, like an asian person, just a really kind of offensive Asian accent, but then he just kind of loses it at one point, like he just sort of stops. So is that even well produced throughout? It feels like it's one take, feels like they just needed a song to wrap up the album and it feels like George Jones might've had some issues with the Chinese.

Speaker 2: 40:48

I mean, yeah, I don't know what more to add to this. This is this, and I wrote in all caps in my notes this is so offensive. I mean it's this might actually take the crown of all these songs, of the most offensive song that's ever been recorded, and it's insane to me that, like that, that you could find it, you know, like yeah, I thought for sure.

Speaker 1: 41:11

I read about this song and I was like wow, is this a real song. And then, sure enough, like to find it still on apple music, I was like, wow, there it is huh, yeah, yeah, exactly yeah.

Speaker 2: 41:22

Like you have to wonder where is the responsibility line. You know, at some point, someone, somewhere, should probably be like no, we're not going to play this song.

Speaker 1: 41:29

I'm, you know, like well okay, but here's the other side of that right is. Is it actually better that it's like no, we're not, we're not going to save this artist from themselves, right, you put out this part of your catalog, okay, yeah right right like yeah no, that's true. It's hard to say yeah, that is true like they're sending george jones a check for the millions and millions of plays that I'm sure the poor Chinese gets every year.

Speaker 2: 41:55

I made sure not to listen to any of these songs in full. I didn't want to protect any royalty pennies from being sent.

Speaker 1: 42:01

Oh, I've listened multiple times and I think oh goodness.

Speaker 2: 42:09

But yeah, no, country music can often be problematic and this is beyond that, this is beyond genre, it's just problematic outside of all measures.

Speaker 1: 42:19

Basically, oh man. Well, there you have it, folks. A very interesting and somewhat offensive mix for your collection, but did we miss one? Please let us know, okay, cause I find these songs hilarious. It is at super awesome mix, so please hit us up on social media. We've got plenty of mixes to get to, hopefully more listenable than this one, but we hope you enjoyed the commentary and and just the eyeopening journey that we just took. So for Sam, or this is Matt, and we'll see you next time.