Debate the lyrics...country song

[Peanut]

OK, my husband likes country music. It is a tough confession to make, but isn't admitting there is a problem the first step to recovery?

Lately, he will return from work or "wherever" singing these lyrics (actually parts of tnem...over and over and over again :twitch:) at the top of his lungs, as if he is in the highest point of hog heaven.

To be perfectly honest, I find the song itself to be the epitome of testosterone-driven ignorance, and even somewhat misogynistic in the first verse, using one of the quintessential idiotic male sexual fantasies to demean "female twins" as sex objects. (Rarely am I out in public with our daughters and I am NOT asked by at least one person if they are twins, for what it's worth...) HE considers it "just a song with catchy lyrics".

What do YOU think? (I am particularly interested to see if there is a difference between the genders regarding this song.)

"As Good As I Once Was"
by Toby Keith

She said, "I've seen you in here before."
I said, "I've been here a time or two."
She said, "Hello, my
Name is Bobby Jo
Meet my twin sister Betty Lou
And we're both feeling kinda wild tonight
And you're the only cowboy in this place
And if you're up for a rodeo
We'll put a big Texas smile on
Your face"
I said, "Girls,"

[Chorus]
I ain't as good as I once was
I got a few years on me now
But there was a time back in my prime

When I could really lay it down
And if you need some love tonight
Then I might have just enough
I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was

I still hang out with my best friend dave
Ive known him since we were kids at school
Last night he
Had a few shots
Got in a tight spot hustlin' a game of pool
With a couple of redneck boys
One great
Big bad biker man
I heard David yell across the room
"Hey buddy, how 'bout a helping hand."
I said, "Dave,"

[Chorus]
I ain't as good as I once was
My how the years have flown
But there was a time back in my prime

When I could really hold my own
But if you wanna fight tonight
Guess thouse boys dont look all that
Tough
I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was

I used to be hell on wheels
Back when I was younger man
Now my body says, "You can't do this boy"

But my pride says, "Oh, yes you can

I ain't as good as I once was
Thats just the cold hard truth
I still throw a few back, talk a little smack
When I'm feelin bullet proof
So don't double dog dare me now
'Cause I'd have to call your bluff

I ain't as good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was
Maybe not be good as I once was
But I'm as good once as I ever was

with "thanks" to http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tobykeith/asgoodasioncewas.html for supplying the lyrics...

[Peanut]

Similar link in a non-debate forum...http://70.84.193.18/~theconv/forums/showthread.php?p=188783&posted=1#post188783

Such "accoutrement" on one's vehicle seem to appeal to a similar part of the male brain.

[Michele]

I love this song. :paranoid:

[Mabel]

Snort :howling:

[PlayBall40]

To be perfectly honest, I find the song itself to be the epitome of testosterone-driven ignorance, and even somewhat misogynistic in the first verse, using one of the quintessential idiotic male sexual fantasies to demean "female twins" as sex objects. (Rarely am I out in public with our daughters and I am NOT asked by at least one person if they are twins, for what it's worth...) HE considers it "just a song with catchy lyrics".

What do YOU think? (I am particularly interested to see if there is a difference between the genders regarding this song.)

ITA. As the mother of twins, I find this 'song' insulting and demeaning. But admittedly I am NOT a Toby Keith fan, especially after his "Boot in your A--" song.

[Demona]

Never heard of the song, but I think it's funny :D

It does depict a kind of tough testosterone driven loner which I would find unappealing in real life, but it's just a song. It's a description of a character, not an endorsement of a way of life. I quite enjoyed it in that context.

[Peanut]

ITA. As the mother of twins, I find this 'song' insulting and demeaning. But admittedly I am NOT a Toby Keith fan, especially after his "Boot in your A--" song.

My military husband liked that one, as well...if I could multiply the eyerolling smiley to infinity it would be posted here at this point.

Demona, reading the lyrics and scoffing it off as amusing is one thing, but having the icky thing sung in your home EVERY SINGLE DAY is another!

Related to this debate: my husband's birthday is coming up and we asked him last night at the dinner table what he would like (within reason) and he rambled off a few CD's, to include this one. I told him I would NOT be purchasing it for him due to the lyrics of this song and how utterly foolish I found it to be (not going into too much detail because the kids were present). No problem with the others, even though they would not be what "I" would chose for him. He stated, "I have bought YOU music that I don't like before".

I asked him if anything he has purchased--musically-- for me, was patently offensive to him and encouraged poor decision making on the part of adults who should Know better; and his brilliant reply was "I don't know, I haven't listened to any of it". Then I pointed out that he was FORCING us to hear this crap by singing it perpetually.

"What's the difference if I buy it for myself and if you gave it to me for my birthday?" was his next question. "I am going to buy it for myself, anyway."

Truth be told, superficially there IS no difference. I am currently NOT earning any money "personally" to contribute to the family coffers that would be used to purchase his gifts. "It's his money" was the underlying message to me...further encouraging the ugly undercurrent and misogyny in such "songs".

In reality, the difference, of course, is that I am making a stand for myself and setting an example for my female children and not actively endorsing testosterone driven stupidity in the guise of "entertainment".

[jamie]

I stopped like Toby Keith after he turned pubie and made that awful "What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico" song.

I think Keith is really playing into the whole stereo typical male thing lately and i'm not really that into it.

[kingclick]

Um....what the heck?

Give me a list of all the songs and CD's you listen to during a week and I promise I will pull some doozies out that are way worse than a twin fantasy.

Of course I've never understood the twin fantasy....what is the point if they look the same? If there are gonna be women in my bed, I want them to taste, feel, sound, look and act TOTALLY different, but that is just me.

[Peanut]

Um....what the heck?

Give me a list of all the songs and CD's you listen to during a week and I promise I will pull some doozies out that are way worse than a twin fantasy.

Of course I've never understood the twin fantasy....what is the point if they look the same? If there are gonna be women in my bed, I want them to taste, feel, sound, look and act TOTALLY different, but that is just me.

This week, King, you will hear us listening to newstalk radio in the car (clearly prefaced with NOT Rush Limbaugh and his ilk of close-minded and opinionated drones). This is the general default setting on the am radio, as well as an Hispanic station to help keep my Spanish up to par; oldies stations and a classic rock stations on FM.

In the home...we have a 5 CD changer and 4 slots are currently full of Allsion Krauss and Union Station. (Easy music to quilt by.) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002PCH/qid=1123254724/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-1167471-6426301. If memory serves me correctly, "Forget About it", "Lonely Runs Both Ways", "New Favorite", "Now That I've Found You", and the fifth slot is empty.

In the car...Tommy James and the Shondells Anthology http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000032R3/qid=1123255116/sr=8-3/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-1167471-6426301?v=glance&s=music&n=507846; At the bottom of the Amazon link to that you will also find the Lovin' Spoonful CD in the car...in the car console you will find Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Shooting Straight in the Dark", "Come on, Come On", and "Stones in the Road" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-1167471-6426301 " ; the "For Our Children" compilations http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00001WRKW/qid=1123254625/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-1167471-6426301?v=glance&s=music (the ones labled 10 and Too), and a Mama Cass Composite CD "Mama's Big Ones" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002PCH/qid=1123254724/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-1167471-6426301,


If you are TRULY that bored, go right ahead and find something as patently foolish and offensive as the lyrics to this song in the original post on any one of them. I truly doubt you will, but I will defend whatever you find in the context as understood by my young children. They have NEVER asked about anything they have heard on ANY of them...but the song in question has raised a question or two when heard in the presence of their father. (I would have changed the station.)

It isn't just the twin fantasy, KL...but the whole song altogether and the general gist of the song...

[kingclick]

What "general gist"? That he isn't as good as he used to be? Are men not allowed to grow old now?

[Peanut]

What "general gist"? That he isn't as good as he used to be? Are men not allowed to grow old now?

Don't be obtuse. The "general gist" encourages sexual promiscuity with multiple (simultaneous) partners; pool hustling and barrrom brawling; and generic testoterone-driven male stupidity...even though he could succeed in such "ventures" far more suceesfuly in his younger years, the lesson was apparently never learned and he continues with the folishness.

Would YOU sing this song repeatedly around your six and eight year old daughters? (Not just the chorus.)

[kingclick]

Don't be obtuse. The "general gist" encourages sexual promiscuity with multiple (simultaneous) partners; pool hustling and barrrom brawling; and generic testoterone-driven male stupidity...even though he could succeed in such "ventures" far more suceesfuly in his younger years, the lesson was apparently never learned and he continues with the folishness.

Would YOU sing this song repeatedly around your six and eight year old daughters? (Not just the chorus.)

Darn it! Who told you about my six and eight year old daughters! My wife doesn't even know about them!

Anyway...probably not because I SUCK at remembering lyrics without the song. And of course it would depend on the tune...I've never heard that one before.

But sure. I've sung along to worse songs.....

This is a VERY tame song compared to most of the music out there. My children know their dad isn't the Red Neck Toby is singing about.

But I do want you to read the lyrics again.
With the Twins he does say.....I could be good once. That implies being with one of them.
He isn't the one STARTING the brawl. He is being drug into it by one of his buddies.

This song is really no big deal.

[Peanut]

OK, so this song is "very tame" compared to some out there...but I don't subscribe to that line of reasoning, and I don't expose my children to those songs, either. Let's face it, so much of thr "popular music" today is so difficult to understand the lyrics, much of it DOES go over the younger and more innocent child's heads. But I still don't expose them to it, and prefer not to personally hear it.

"Because Eminem sings about worse, my husband should sing THIS around our children instead"? :purplebou

ETA: Maybe if Toby Keith just mumbled the lyrics more and made them less obvious, added a techno/synthesized background, etc. etc...it would be less patently offensive to me? Damn country music for being so blasted intelligible!

[Poetmom]

Have to say, it's one of my current favorites. :D

[Keri]

ITA. As the mother of twins, I find this 'song' insulting and demeaning. But admittedly I am NOT a Toby Keith fan, especially after his "Boot in your A--" song.

:werd: Word for word.

[kingclick]

"Baby, Now That I've Found You"

Baby,
now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so,
baby even though
You don't need me
now

Baby,
now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me,
You don't need me oh, no

Baby, baby,
when first we met
I knew in this heart of mine

That you were someone I couldn't forget.
I said right,
and abide my time

Spent my life looking
for that somebody
to make me feel like new
Now you tell me that you want to leave me
But darling, I just can't let you

[guitar & fiddle solo]

Baby, baby,
when first we met
I knew in this heart of mine
That you were someone I couldn't forget.
I said right,
and abide my time

Spent my life looking
for that somebody
to make me feel like new
Now you tell me that you want to leave me
But darling, I just can't let you

Now that I found you
I built my world around you

I need you so, baby even though
You don't need me now

Baby, now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me
You don't need me no, no

Yep. Stalker songs are always good for kids to hear!

"Let Me Touch You For Awhile"

It's been a long time coming,
As you shed a lonesome tear.
And now you're in a wonderama,
I wonder what you're doin' here.

The flame no longer flickers,
You're feeling just like a fool.
You keep starin' into your liquor,
Wonderin' what to do.

I don't hardly know you,
But I'd be willin' to show you,
A way to make you smile!
Let me touch you for awhile.

I'm gonna ruin my black mascara.
You're drinkin whiskey when it should be wine.
You keep a-lookin' into that mirror.
But to me you're lookin' really fine.

I don't hardly know you,
But I'd be willin' to show you,
I know a way to make you,
Laugh at that cowgirl as she's walkin' out your door.
I know a way to make you smile.

Just let me whisper things,
You've never heard before.
Just let me touch you, baby.
Just let me touch you for awhile.

I don't hardly know you,
But I'd be willin' to show you,
I know a way to make you smile.

It's been a long time,
Let me touch you for awhile.

Yep. Always good to have the kids hearing this stuff! LOL

"The Lucky One"

You're the lucky one
So i've been told
As free as the wind,
Blowin' down the road
Loved by many, hated by none
I'd say you're lucky 'cause I know what you've done
Not a care in the world
Not a worry in sight
Everything's gunna be alright
Cause you're the lucky one

You're the lucky one
Always havin' fun
A jack of all trades a master none
You look at the world with a smilin' eye
And laugh at the devil as his train goes by

Give you a song and a one night stand
And you'll be looking at a happy man
'cause you're the lucky one.

Well you're blessed i guess
By never knowing which road your choosin.
To you the next best thing
To playin and winning is playin and losing

You're the lucky one i know that now
Don't ask you why, when, where, or how
You look at the world thru your smilin' eye
And laugh at the devil as his train goes by

Give you a song and a one night stand
And you'll be looking at a happy man
'cause you're the lucky one

Well you're blessed i guess
By never knowing which road your choosin.
To you the next best thing
To playin and winning is playin and losing

You're the lucky one i know that now
Don't ask you why, when, where, or how
No matter where you're at, it's where you'll be
You can bet your luck won't follow me
Just give you a song and a one night stand
And you'll be looking at a happy man
Cause you're the lucky one.

One night stands?

See just a few minutes looking at Alison Krauss lyrics pulls up stuff.

And just to let you know I do own ALL of the Alison Krauss albums and listen to them around my children.

[Book Wizard]

All of these songs are reasons why I do not listen to Country Music. I would much rather listen to a symphony or Shaker music.

[Peanut]

Yep. Stalker songs are always good for kids to hear! Stalker? She doesn't sing about hanging outside of the dude's bedroom window after being ditched post-fornicus. Read the lyrics again and she is telling this dude he is breaking her heart and she can't bear it.

Yep. Always good to have the kids hearing this stuff! LOL

One night stands? "Give you a song and a one night stand"--could be referring to a one night musical gig, King.

See just a few minutes looking at Alison Krauss lyrics pulls up stuff.

And just to let you know I do own ALL of the Alison Krauss albums and listen to them around my children.

I knew you were also a fan, KL. In these songs, however, she isn't talking about picking up the Wonder-skank Twins in a bar and "feeling kinmda wild tonight" and seeking blatant sex...or expousing hanging out with idiots that get you involved in bar fights with rednecks and bikers.


"Let me touch you for a while" doesn't go on and on about the wild dude and his skanky brother wanting little more than physical contact. Have you never been "touched" outside of sexually, King? Never made a connection with someone you didn't know up until then and shared their sorrows as you've drowned/shared your own? Two lonely people talking to each other over a bar and voicing their sorrows doesn't mean they are going to get naked and start humping each other madly. The two characters in the song may indeed be sexually attracted, but you know what, they aren't discussing wild twin sex and showing off their (presumedly) Viagra tablets in the video. (As Toby Keith does in his.)

There is a certain subtlety and nuance and actual emotion in any one of those songs that transcends the basic testeosterone message, "I'm a dude and I have a dick and can fight. Maybe not like I used to, but I can still do it every now and then."

[abcNKH]

It sounds like pretty typical country music to me - full of either testosterone or misery. We don't really listen to it here too much, but I don't think this particular song would bother me. Just a question, though. Would it bother you as much if the word 'twin' was removed?

[kingclick]

I knew you were also a fan, KL. In these songs, however, she isn't talking about picking up the Wonder-skank Twins in a bar and "feeling kinmda wild tonight" and seeking blatant sex...or expousing hanging out with idiots that get you involved in bar fights with rednecks and bikers.


"Let me touch you for a while" doesn't go on and on about the wild dude and his skanky brother wanting little more than physical contact. Have you never been "touched" outside of sexually, King? Never made a connection with someone you didn't know up until then and shared their sorrows as you've drowned/shared your own? Two lonely people talking to each other over a bar and voicing their sorrows doesn't mean they are going to get naked and start humping each other madly. The two characters in the song may indeed be sexually attracted, but you know what, they aren't discussing wild twin sex and showing off their (presumedly) Viagra tablets in the video. (As Toby Keith does in his.)

There is a certain subtlety and nuance and actual emotion in any one of those songs that transcends the basic testeosterone message, "I'm a dude and I have a dick and can fight. Maybe not like I used to, but I can still do it every now and then."

Hmmmm. Now I'm confused, at first you said that you don't subscribe to that line of reasoning....but now you are saying that Alison is tame compared to Toby.