ABBA- is there any harm in them?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tybourne
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tybourne

Guest
Having protected DS (now 6) from pop music up to now, he has suddenly gotten into ABBA of all groups! This interested has been sparked by listening to one of their albums with my wife, from whom I’m currently separated and who has lapsed from the faith. Compared to the likes of lady gaga, they seem innocent enough. However, I see popular culture from the 1960s onwards as a kind of re-enactment of the Fall. In an attempt to ‘lighten up’ I allowed DS to dress up as an ABBA man for a kids fancy dress activity today, with blond wig, 70s sunglasses and a medallion. All the time, I kept thinking “what am I doing?” Are ABBA a way into the narcissistic world of popular music and celebrity, which I’m still trying to extricate myself from, or are they just a bit of harmless fun?
 
Tybourne said:
Having protected DS (now 6) from pop music up to now, he has suddenly gotten into ABBA of all groups! This interested has been sparked by listening to one of their albums with my wife, from whom I’m currently separated and who has lapsed from the faith. Compared to the likes of lady gaga, they seem innocent enough. However, I see popular culture from the 1960s onwards as a kind of re-enactment of the Fall. In an attempt to ‘lighten up’ I allowed DS to dress up as an ABBA man for a kids fancy dress activity today, with blond wig, 70s sunglasses and a medallion. All the time, I kept thinking “what am I doing?” Are ABBA a way into the narcissistic world of popular music and celebrity, which I’m still trying to extricate myself from, or are they just a bit of harmless fun?
Click to expand...
You will not be able to monitor everything that your son comes into contact with if you and your spouse are not on the same page. Clearly she sees nothing wrong with pop culture.

ABBA music, most music, is not one extreme or the other. You will have to come to terms with how you will handle pop culture, not whether you will handle it. It will be coming in when he is with her if not you.

It seems like you are being a little paranoid, maybe scrupulous, about allowing him to dress up or listen to the ABBA music. If like most 6 year olds he will be fixated on this until he moves on to the next thing he wants to listen to or watch 1,000,000 times.
 
Tybourne said:
Are ABBA a way into the narcissistic world of popular music and celebrity, which I’m still trying to extricate myself from, or are they just a bit of harmless fun?
Click to expand...
ABBA? Are you kidding? I know you just want what’s best for your son, but if you’re getting your knickers in a twist over ABBA, I predict a very rocky road ahead. Just wait until he wants to dress up like Marilyn Manson. :eek:
 
I loved ABBA when I was little… Even hearing the name makes me feel a little homesick for the past. There is no harm in ABBA that I can see. They were four people who wrote music to entertain people and make money. They didn’t try and persuade their fans to do all kinds of creepy things, break rules and laws and moral codes, or get into drugs. They were fun… their music was fun. Your boy could do a lot worse! (And yes, Marilyn Manson qualifies as worse. A LOT worse.)
 
I loved ABBA when I was 15 and at 53 I still like their music. I can think of worse groups they could be listening to.

Mamma Mia…here I go again…
 
BettyBoop416 said:
ABBA? Are you kidding? I know you just want what’s best for your son, but if you’re getting your knickers in a twist over ABBA, I predict a very rocky road ahead. Just wait until he wants to dress up like Marilyn Manson. :eek:
Click to expand...
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Yeah, I can really think of worse groups/music. Most of rap, for example, though I don’t consider that music at all, but, you know what I mean…
 
maltmom said:
I loved ABBA when I was 15 and at 53 I still like their music. I can think of worse groups they could be listening to.

Mamma Mia…here I go again…
Click to expand...
That’s my story, with those exact numbers! However, I can claim a little kudos. When I was fifteen it was very uncool for Aussie boys to like ABBA, but I bucked that trend. History has vindicated my musical judgement. 🙂

It was S.O.S on Countdown which convinced me they had some exceptional musical talent. It wasn’t just the Agnetha and Annafrid… I promise! :o

What I find interesting is that while Abba’s music has survived better with the public than almost anything from else from the 70’s, the verdict of the rock press seems not to have altered. Whenever I read a Top 100 group, album, song, etc, list there’s usually no ABBA. IIRC, Rolling Stone’s top 500 groups didn’t include ABBA!
 
OH man flashback to my mom singing danncing queen.

Def safer than my childhood when I thought I was Billy Idol. Still do sometimes!
 
The only time I heard abba growing up was at the roller skating rink in junior high. Other than that it was considered girl music, any boys listening to it would be given a hard time.
 
I thank the Lord that I was into progressive rock and fusion in those days, and didn’t have to listen to the likes of ABBA. 🙂

With regard to 6 year olds, they go though stages. This time next year ABBA will likely be a long-lost memory.
 
Thank you all, dear brothers and sisters. You were right to point out possible scrupulousity here on my part. I guess I was just seeing ABBA as part of the whole 60s/70s scene in which morals were cut loose (‘When I kissed the teacher’), a whirlwind which we are now reaping in the UK as the full extent of the predation on children by the DJ Jimmy Saville (who was a hero to me as a child) and other celebrities is now coming to light. Also, I suppose I was just thinking ABBA today, Lady Gaga or even Marilyn Manson tomorrow. Today DS also announced that he is a One Direction Fan. I think I’ll tell him that I prefer ABBA to 1D and let him dress up as an ABBA man if he wants to this Christmas.

Wishing you all every blessing in the Child Jesus as His season approaches.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top