What would you reply...?

[DJ Jules]

I've just had this from a lady at the School disco I did last Friday (after inviting feedback)


"It would be appropriate for certain songs to be omitted from the play list - 'sexy lady' - regardless of if they hear them at home.

Some of the more traditional songs with actions may be more use and encourage audience participation rather than mindless running around - Macarena/Agadoo etc"

She's obviously talking about Gangnam style which I played at the start and again at the end after being pestered for it every 30 seconds throughout the disco. Admittedly I did mix it straight into "Sexy and I know it"... :D

I also did do a couple of party dances with them (Cha cha slide and the Macarena), but the requests I was getting were for current chart and I'm sure she didn't approve of most of them, and she should have heard the ones I turned away (212!!)

What would you reply? This is Junior age kids by the way - 7-11yrs

Julian

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I'm a teacher, albeit high school and the kids are not shocked, or phased or anything like that when they get to us at 11 and 12 years old.

As she already pointed out, they know this stuff from home and if they've not told you before hand not to play certain tunes then the school can't really complain if you do spin them.

I mean unless you were playing stuff with swearing and so on, I don't really think it's inappropriate. Sexy and I know it is more of a daft song than anything else if you ask me and the kids probably don't even have a clue what Aga Do is. If they were going mental to Gangnam Style they've probably not been much different to the staff night out. I know myself and my colleagues had a right rammy when the DJ played it both times at our Xmas night on Friday...

AYou did this as a freebie right?

It's not really an arsey e-mail from them if that's verbatim what they wrote but I would reply back with something along the lines of "Thank you for the feedback. I apologise if you found certain songs inappropriate, I didn't intend to play anything questionable and have had no problems playing them at other school discos, Christenings and childrens parties. I appreciate your points about playing certain more traditional dance based songs, however the vast majority of what I played were requests from your students who wanted modern chart music."

At the end of the day, if they're going to run a school disco, they have to appreciate the fact that the kids don't want to hear the stuff the teachers want to hear / think is appropriate.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

BTW I wouldn't hold my breath over getting any paid work from them in future even if you'd had an astounding gig.

[Excalibur]

Only one I was ever asked not to play at similar functions was "Sex on the beach". As long as you didn't play anything with profanities in them ( thank the Lord for Now albums ) I don't think they have cause for complaint. As Julian said, I bet the requests he got were for far worse than he played. You're on a loser, because you know full well the little darlings have got the ones you daren't play on their phones.

[STEVE HANLEY]

We've just done 2 school discos tonight and the first thing the head teacher said as we walked through the doors was "Please tell me you have Gangnam Style for them" I wouldn't have got out the building alive. The second most popular request? Of course Sexy and I know it.

Talk about political correctness gone mad. The teachers asked if they could put 2 cuddly toys of The Angry Birds on the deck stand? No problem and asked us to keep telling the kids if they wanted them they were on would have to visit (Get this) The Cross Birds Tombola stand. You're not allowed to say Angry Birds:D:D

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Talk about political correctness gone mad. The teachers asked if they could put 2 cuddly toys of The Angry Birds on the deck stand? No problem and asked us to keep telling the kids if they wanted them they were on would have to visit (Get this) The Cross Birds Tombola stand. You're not allowed to say Angry Birds:D:D

:bang:

Madness.

We can't use brainstorm any more because apparently that's a medical phrase for something that happens during an epilectic fit and it could offend epilectic pupils. Instead I've got to use the much more PC: "thought shower"

Which defeats the purpose when you say "OK, let's thought shower" then have to explain to the kids wtf a thought shower is and why I'm not allowed to say brain storm.

[STEVE HANLEY]

:bang:

Madness.

We can't use brainstorm any more because apparently that's a medical phrase for something that happens during an epilectic fit and it could offend epilectic pupils. Instead I've got to use the much more PC: "thought shower"

Which defeats the purpose when you say "OK, let's thought shower" then have to explain to the kids wtf a thought shower is and why I'm not allowed to say brain storm.

:lol:

[Kernow]

:bang:

Madness.

Instead I've got to use the much more PC: "thought shower"

Which defeats the purpose when you say "OK, let's thought shower" then have to explain to the kids wtf a thought shower is .

Something which is clearly deeply offensive to those with hydrocephalus (water on the brain) ? :eek:
;)

[DazzyD]

Macarena and Agadoo? It seem's that this lady was hoping to relive her own youth rather than let the kids express theirs.

By the way, I find V2 of Macarena a lot more shocking than SAIKI -

"Now don´t you worry ´bout my boy friend
the boy who´s name is Nicorino
I don´t want him, ´cause sent him
he was no good so I - hahaaaa
Now, come on, what was I supposed to do ?
He was outta town and his two friends were soooo fine..."

This has sexual innuendo written all over it! :lightbulb: Ah, but it's got a dance that the teacher knows!! She's not down "wit the yoof" and is probably feeling her age!! ;)

How would I reply? Pretty much the same as Jim, I would have thought.

By the way, my two eldest are 6 and 7 and, from their older teenage sister (and dad being a DJ!), they know loads of chart music and they think it's great doing the dances. To see them dancing, laughing and having fun is one of the things I treasure most in life. Katie is 6 and she loves singing along to Starships (radio edit version, obviously!) and Firework and she's got a good voice, too. I think schools, even from this young age, should be encouraging an interest in music, of all types, and nuturing musical talent instead of stiffling it by being so restrictive. Of course, this is just my opinion. At my primary school, music was a big thing so I was taught well so maybe I'm a little biased!!

[DJ Jules]

I'm a teacher, albeit high school and the kids are not shocked, or phased or anything like that when they get to us at 11 and 12 years old.

Mine are 4, 8 and 9. My 9yr old is a bit eccentric with his musical tastes so he finds Gangnam Style "awful", but the 8 and 4yr olds are right into it. I think my eldest was the only kid not dancing to the song at his school disco as I put the video up too (and I'm including the teachers and parent helpers in that too!)


As she already pointed out, they know this stuff from home and if they've not told you before hand not to play certain tunes then the school can't really complain if you do spin them.

In fairness to her when I did the first disco for this school she asked me to check the tracks for lyrical suitability as well as profanity, but that was 3yrs ago and she hasn't complained since.


I mean unless you were playing stuff with swearing and so on, I don't really think it's inappropriate. Sexy and I know it is more of a daft song than anything else

It is a daft song, but it does encourage some outlandish dance moves which aren't appropriate for younger children (I'd be concerned if I saw my 7yr old daughter copying them) - the video definitely isn't appropriate for primary age children, which is why I don't show it :D


And you did this as a freebie right?

Nope, paid gig (albeit at a reduced rate that I offer all of the local schools), and I've been doing three a year for them (Xmas, Spring and Summer/Leavers) for the last 3yrs or so and next year they're making a big deal of the leavers do and holding it away from the school so it'll become 4 a year. The lady giving the feedback is a teacher in the school who was helping supervise the children on the night and not part of the Parents Association who actually make the bookings!


At the end of the day, if they're going to run a school disco, they have to appreciate the fact that the kids don't want to hear the stuff the teachers want to hear / think is appropriate.

I did leave this off the end of her second sentence : "maybe I'm just too old to supervise" :D

My response to the school was that I am happy to abide by whatever music policy they decide to set and I am generally careful to vet the lyrics and language in anything I play, but Gangnam style puts me in a difficult position because it was requested multiple times by the children from the second they walked through the door right until the end of the night and there is a strong expectation that I will play it as it is the single biggest song of the year (for school disco's anyway). I then put that I'm happy to discuss this in more detail in advance of any future events.

I did another disco last night for another school and asked the organisers beforehand if they thought that Gangnam style was appropriate or not to play. She replied that I'd be strung up if I didn't play it and she'd take any flack from the school and parents if there was any. I had the projector up (showing snow/xmas scenes throughout the night) so I put the video up as well (this is for 5-7yr olds) and the kids all watched and copied the dance. The Head of the school walked around while they were doing this and took photos of the kids dancing for the newsletter and then came over to me after the track finished and told me that the visuals were brilliant and really enhanced the whole evening!!

It all just goes to show how different the attitudes can be between teachers...

Julian

[DJ Jules]

By the way, I find V2 of Macarena a lot more shocking. [...] This has sexual innuendo written all over it! :lightbulb: Ah, but it's got a dance that the teacher knows!! She's not down "wit the yoof" and is probably feeling her age!! ;)

If you think about the lyrics in most songs from the last 20yrs or so, there isn't much you can play if you're avoiding references or insinuations about sex, alcohol, drugs, gang culture and guns.

Julian

[Jonathan Ford]

Honestly.....I'd very politely tell her to shove it. I stopped doing school discos a couple of years ago as simply not worth it.

[ukpartydj]

I've had kids ask if I can play a track but make sure it's the one with swearing! Haha, obviously I didn't.
Kids don't know what the songs mean... I felt really embarrassed when I realised some of my favorite tracks that I'd sing to my parents when I was a kid are very sexually orientated... explains why they'd always laugh so much!

[DeckstarDeluxe]

One of the last school discos I did earlier this year I played "Sexy and I Know It". Its a horrible feeling because if you play it then your on edge and may get a complaint (I did from one of the teachers) and because I can understand where they are coming from it makes it difficult when on the other hand you have tons of kids not only wanting it played, but played many times over.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

School discos are more trouble than they're worth. I pretty much keep the DJing job on the low down because as soon as people find out I do it they start asking me to play at school functions. They even offer to pay more than I would take for a private school function but it's a fate worse than death IMO because you tend to either please the kids or the powers that be, not both.

I suppose the woman is aware that she's probably being a prude if she added that she's maybe a bit too long in the tooth to be supervising discos (fwiw at high school discos teachers are too busy making sure none of them are drunk, doing unspeakable stuff in nooks and crannies then listening to the lyrical content of the songs...)

One way to look at it, if it's a song you would play at a wedding (where there's bound to be younger guests) or a christening / birthday party, why is it an issue at a school disco? S&M or anything with profanity in it might be a bit OTT but an LMFAO song and Gangnam Style?

Schools and teachers have a duty of care but it stops way short of coddling the kids from the stuff they're already more than aware of.

[ukpartydj]

One way to look at it, if it's a song you would play at a wedding (where there's bound to be younger guests) or a christening / birthday party, why is it an issue at a school disco? S&M or anything with profanity in it might be a bit OTT but an LMFAO song and Gangnam Style?

I personally think if it's on the radio which I know I used to listen to when I was a kid then it shouldn't be an issue. Although I think the edited version of starships doesn't really help -

flying high like a mother *wizz sound* ucker I personally think isn't enough! The kids all sound like they are swearing when they sing along.. maybe they are!

[musicologydisco]

You invited feedback and got it. Don't get into a discussion over it with her, just take her comments on board or not. It's up to you. Either just thank her for providing feedback or don't reply at all. Honestly, you don't heed to defend yourself. You did your job. If she wants you back again I should think twice because it's going to be very difficult to avoid what she obviously finds offensive yet give the kids what they want. If she does ask you back, that would be the time to discuss music with her. If she continues to be awkward then I would turn away the booking because it ain't gonna work and that does nothing for your reputation!

[Kernow]

If you think about the lyrics in most songs from the last 20yrs or so, there isn't much you can play if you're avoiding references or insinuations about sex, alcohol, drugs, gang culture and guns.

Julian

And before that even ;)..... listening the the 'non-stop oldies' on Radio 2 yesterday was the distinct lyric "Making love in the green grass. Behind the stadium with you" :eek:.

Van Morrison and his 'Brown-eyed girl" have a lot to answer for ?
:D

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

And before that even ;)..... listening the the 'non-stop oldies' on Radio 2 yesterday was the distinct lyric "Making love in the green grass. Behind the stadium with you" :eek:.

Van Morrison and his 'Brown-eyed girl" have a lot to answer for ?
:D

It's a valid point actually.

What's worse: singing about the actual act of having sex like our gravelly voiced Irish songsmith, or singing about being attractive to the opposite sex which is what Sexy and I Know It is all about....

[DJ Jules]

It's a valid point actually.

What's worse: singing about the actual act of having sex like our gravelly voiced Irish songsmith, or singing about being attractive to the opposite sex which is what Sexy and I Know It is all about....

I think it depends exactly how you refer to each thing :D And if you happen to be dressed in Shiny gold pants at the time (LMFAO that is, not me :D )

Julian

[DazzyD]

On the flip side of this PC-gone-mad story, my two oldest kids had their school Christmas Party on Tuesday. And the dance they rehearsed before the party so that everyone could join in? Yep, Gangnam Style!! And my kids are 6 and 7. It's amazing how two schools react very differently about the same thing.

[Kernow]

I think it depends exactly how you refer to each thing :D And if you happen to be dressed in Shiny gold pants at the time

And even that depends on how big a star you are ? ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaGS3Uts704

:D

[DJ Jules]

Quick update on this...

I'm booked for their school Disco and Leavers do at the end of this term. They even changed the date of the disco to book me so apparently the PA don't agree with the feedback received. :D

Even Haven holidays are using Gangnam style as a party dance this year (with Rory the Tiger singing ALL the lyrics) so it can't be that offensive, can it??

Julian

[mattydj50]

I did a kids football presentation last Saturday and could have put Gangnam Style on loop all night! I've had minimal request for Gentleman though (thank God) and only twice have I been asked for Haarlem Shake, which I proudly don't own!

[DJ Jules]

I did a kids football presentation last Saturday and could have put Gangnam Style on loop all night! I've had minimal request for Gentleman though (thank God) and only twice have I been asked for Haarlem Shake, which I proudly don't own!

From personal experience, kids ask for Harlem Shake and then have absolutely no clue what to do when it comes on and just stand around! Gentleman is junk, Psy is starting to look like a one hit wonder.

Julian

[ukpartydj]

From personal experience, kids ask for Harlem Shake and then have absolutely no clue what to do when it comes on and just stand around! Gentleman is junk, Psy is starting to look like a one hit wonder.

Julian

My opinion is Gangnam style was junk ... nobody knows what the lyrics say other than "hey sexy ladies" and "gangnam style", it has a generic beat.
I think it would have flopped if it wasn't called "gangnam style" and had a funny dance.