Read To find out cuz i can't think of a good title.

[BassboyCUA]

Hello again. I try to write songs that kids can relate to and i feel i do an ok job. I just wanted to know what kids in general want to hear songs about. I usually write songs that i get from personal expiriences and i only write them if i think that kids could relate to it. I also write songs about goofy things and they are all ok so just let me know what kids want to hear songs about.

[Dani Pace]

It depends on who you mean by "kids," do you mean preschool? Some of us are old enough to refer to people in their 30s as kids, get my point?

[andyhix]

"Kids" wanna hear about how tough their life is and how it sucks that they have to drive a 2001 mid-sized sedan, when all their friends drive brand new Escalades. Also, they will relate to crap about how they can't get any action from the chicks. Oh, and of course about how much their parents suck. and how much school sucks. And apparently the "kids" like to dance real stupidly - taking thier shirt off and spinnin' it 'round their head like a helicopter, or simply leanin' back, or raisin' up. This might give you a few starting points.

[glynb]

Originally Posted by andyhix

"Kids" wanna hear about how tough their life is and how it sucks that they have to drive a 2001 mid-sized sedan, when all their friends drive brand new Escalades. Also, they will relate to crap about how they can't get any action from the chicks. Oh, and of course about how much their parents suck. and how much school sucks. And apparently the "kids" like to dance real stupidly - taking thier shirt off and spinnin' it 'round their head like a helicopter, or simply leanin' back, or raisin' up. This might give you a few starting points.

You missed drugs, satanism, shooting/killing, making/not having lots of money, not conforming, oh and skateboarding of course! LOL

[Songwriter333]

I too have a desire to play and/or write songs for kids, and I believe I may have a few suggestions. First, I have to say that andi is correct to a degree- kids in the adolecent stages are very selfish, and it's all about them in many ways- and like some of us, when we were their age, we can't conceive of an adult having any clue as to what they are going through. So, the question is whether you'd ever want to appeal to their high-maintenance, emotional stage- that of adolencence, or the easier route of younger kids. My take on it is appeal only to the innocence and low-maintenance of the younger child because after all, it is this innocence that many of us seek and accept during the other 'stages' of our lives, and deep down, under the teenage turmoil, I think they can still appreciate innocence and magic. Enough rambling, I'd suggest that
1. Take a moment to know what songs are being done in the schools of the age group you are targetting. The songs at school, what they are doing today, can provide insight to fuel your creativity.
2. Re-make an old tune or two (if you haven't already), the kind that have not lost their popularity- even the Hokey Pokey or You Are My Sunshine.
3. Remember the subject matter of stories like Harry Potter, The Hobbit, The Neverending Story, and such, and remember that those successes happened for a reason and can appeal to a wide range. Also, Disney and WB animation should be a study of ours.
4. Other subject matter that seems to have lasting appeal with kids- Dinosaurs, magical stuff, gross stuff (I've found web sites that have just gross songs, much of it geared toward camping, and much of it parodies of other songs).
Last note on the older kids- what the kids are purchasing in CDs, the videos they are watching, etc., tell us about marketing with them, but in my humble opinion, is not the noble fight to help kids remember the "magic" of ages.

[Fat_Satchel]

I have an almost 13 yr old girl. I talk to her about music alot (I stay pretty damned current for 35 hehe) When I hear the kinna rap that makes me wanna dance around a fire I make her change it but for the most part I can listen to alot of variety. Im a headbanger at heart.

Her tastes break down into two varieties.

The boy-band kinna "ok, whos got ahold of my nuts!" girl-dont-break-my-heart-AGAIN sing-along stuff...which is for just that, singing along. Think Usher here (her current thing ). Any negative comments are quickly and harshly objected to due to the industries on-target, six-pack, shirt-off, soul-wrenching high-C marketing model...

the psychological satisfaction derived from this music is two-fold.

(1) she is able to "feel" the repeatedly inflicted pain that is sung about. (what teenage girl is not either breaking up or wishing she wasnt broken up any day of the week?)

(2) She is able to, through fantasy, imagine she is the one being sung to by her very own marketing model...err hot guy. Again, she is able to feel the repeatedly inflicted pain that is sung about. But now she can imagine that she is the heartbreaker he is singing too and that my friends is the power of marketing to easily influenced kids.

The other variety is any black man rapping anything to that same old tired 20 yr old bass beat/rap cadence (for the love of gawd homies!!!! find a different fucking melody!!!)

Why??? cus a girls gotta dance guys. No fancy psychological allure to rap fellas...its just gotta have a beat

She says she dont listen to the words...she just likes the beats.

Sorry I rambled on

[Ace S. Whyld]

Satchel,

Dude, dug that post! And I agree.