Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, October 24, 1985
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Opinion
‘Evils’ of music not confined to rock ’n’ roll
EDI T OR ' S
NOTE: Eli is is the
first in a two-part
series on the re
cent Senate hear
ings concerning
the lyrics of rock
music.
Last month a
Senate hearing
was held to deter
mine if rock ’n’
roll albums should
Karl
Pallmeyer
be given ratings to warn parents that the
album they are about to buy for their
impressionable children may contain of
fensive material. The hearing was held
at the request of the Parents Music Re
source Center, a group wanting to
“clean up" the rock music industry. The
PMRC was founded by a couple of
women who just happened to be mar
ried to the senators who presided over
the hearing.
The PMRC'. wants all rock albums to
have a label that warns concerned par
ents of the album’s lyrical content. The
albums will be given an “X” for sexually
explict lyrics, a “V” for violent lyrics, a
“D/A” if the lyrics deal with drugs or al
cohol and an “O” for lyrical references
to the occult.
The PMRC wants to warn parents of
the evils of rock ’n’ roll. Although I’m
not married to a senator I plan to start
my own group, the Karl Pallmeyer Mu
sic Resource Center, to warn parents of
the evils of other forms of music. The
KPMRC will use the same rating system
as the PMRC to warn people of the evils
of country music.
The country musical “The Best Little
Whorehouse in Texas” deserves an “X”
rating. I don’t think parents should al
low their children to be exposed to an
entire musical that deals with a house of
prostitution. Charlie Rich’s “Behind
Closed Doors” and Barbara Mandrell’s
“Midnight Oil” also should get “X” rat
ings for their stong sexual content. Jean
Knight’s “My foot Toot” is another vul
gar song that may cause young children
to become sexually promiscuous.
Violence is common in country mu
sic. Mel Tillis, in his song, “Ruby, Don’t
Take Your Love to Town,” says he
would kill his unfaithful wife if he
wasn’t paralyzed. Johnny Cash, in “Fol
som Prison Blues,” is serving time be
cause he “shot a man in Rent) just to
watch him die.” Not only is “Folsom
Prison Blues” a violent song, its violence
is without a reason.
Alcohol abuse is also a common
theme in country music. Willie Nelson’s
“Whiskey River,” Jimmy Buffet’s “Mar-
garitaville” and Tom T. Hall’s “1 Like
Beer” are songs about drinking. Gene
Watson’s “Drinking My Way Back Ho
me” not only deals with drinking but
drinking while driving. Merle Haggard
mentions smoking marijuana and tak
ing LSD in “Okie from Muskogee” while
Hoyt Axton mentions herion in “My
Snowblind Friend.”
There are even country songs that
deal with the occult. Terri Gibbs in “So
mebody’s Knocking” is about a women
having an affair with the devil. In the
Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went
Down to Georgia,” Satan is wanting to
take the soul of a mortal. Only Johnny
the fiddle player can stand up to Satan.
If a young child were to hear this song
he or she may get the idea that God is
dead and our only savior is a fiddle
player from Georgia. “The Devil Went
Down to Georgia” is a sacrilegious song
that deserves an “O” rating for its occult
references.
David Allen Coe’s “Up Against the
Wall Redneck Mother’-’ is the best exam
ple of the evils that country music pro
motes. The song deals with sex, vio
lence, alcohol
and the occult. In
the song, Coe
promotes having
fun with loose
women, drinking
lots of beer, beat-
ing up hippies
and raising hell.
Anyone who calls
for “raising hell”
is obviously a Sa-
tanist.
It is upsetting
to me to think
that young, im
pressionable chil-
d r e n listen to
country music.
It’s not only the
music that is bad
but lifestyles of
country artists
could cause
5
young, impres
sionable children to be drawn astray.
Hank Williams died because of alcohol
ism and his son. Hank Williams Jr., also
has had drinking problems. Johnny
Cush, Freddie Fender David Allen Coe
and Merle Haggard have all spent time
in prison. Willie Nelson Charlie Daniels
and Waylon Jennings play up an “out
law” image to sell albums. I wouldn’t
want my children t< grow up like any of
those country stars.
Once the KPMRC cleans up the coun
try music industry, we will concentrate
on warning the public about the evils of
classical music.
In Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s op
era “Don Giovanni” the main character
is a man who boasts about having sex
with 640 women in Italy 231 women in
Germany, 100 women in France, 91
women in 'Turkey and 1,003 women in
Unlltd Fratur* Syndicate
a- y
Spain. Any young child that hears about
a man who has had sex with 2,065
women across Europe may try to imitate
his lifestyle. Mozart also wrote an opera,
“The Abduction from the Seraglio,”
which takes place in a 18th century who
rehouse. I don’t think parents should al
low their children to be exposed to an
entire musical that deals with a place of
prostitution. Many of Mozart’s works
should get an “X” rating for strong sex
ual content.
In Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” a soldier
and a toreador fight to the death for the
love of Carmen. This musical display of
violence might lead children^ to settle
their differences in a less than humane
way. Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto”
shows rape and suicide in a romantic
fashion. Considering the high number
of teenage rapes and suicides, young
people should not be allowed to be cor
rupted by Verdi. The operas of Bizet
and Verdi should be rated “V” for the
horrible violence they present.
Alcohol abuse is a common theme in
9pera.-Giacomo Piuxinfc opera "La Bo-
heme’^htkes place th£‘l^itin T^uarter
of Paris. Various Bohemian chart
including a poet, a seamstress, a pan
a musician and philosopher sitarj
and discuss offensive subjects
drinking wine. The youth of A®
should not view this as a favorable
style. Claudio Monteverdis “Ori
one of the first operas, deals witbi
through Hades. The title “Orfeo
only be a 17th century halianwori
"opium.” Operas like “La Boheme'
“Orfeo” should be rated “D/A"
they deal with drugs and alcohol.
The way classical composers usei
occult in their songs and operassb
be distastef ul to all good, Christian;
ents. The works of many classicala
posers should be rated “0" for the
erences to the occult. Franz Schulj
“Erlkonig” is about a child wholoa
life to a demon. Richard Wagnei
Nordic gods and mythical beto
many of his works. In “Gotterdan
rung” all of the gods, dwarves
ants are destroyed in a huge
fire. Wagner’s works inspiredl |
Marx to write “The CommunistSI ^
ifesto” and Adolf Hitler to writeH i
Kampf.”
It is upsetting to me to thini
young, impressionable childrenlise
classical music. It’s not only thee
that is bad but lifestyles of classic!
ists could cause young, impress®
children to be drawn astray. Peterb
Tchaikovsky was homosexual. Rid
Wagner was a racist. Franz Lisz
hann Sebastian Bach, Joseph Hi
and Franz Schubert were well knot
their sexual exploits. ManyptB
thought Niccolo Paganini waspM |
by the devil. Anyone who basses |
movie “Amadeus” knows that Wolf
Amadeus Mozart was an immoral
son. I wouldn’t want my chiMra
grow up like any of those classicals
I am shocked and amazedattbtl I
of music that country and dassid
ists are making. Why don’t web
club to make sure that ourchildrc
not corrupted by this ev/7music
Karl Pallmeyer is a seniorjount
major and a columnist and music
for The Battalion.
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Bi
Peat
Not intimidated
by the razor's edge
People always
ask me why I like
the rugged look.
The answer is easy
— I hate to shave.
After four years
in the military,
when I had to
shave at least once
a day and some
times more often,
1 rebelled. I grew
3,350 hours — that’s L/s months!
Even at $3.35 an hour (minimum
whiskers cost a man $1 1,242.50in B
wages. For you women, if you 4 I
about twice a week that’s almost®
hours — $3,350.
John Hallett
Mail Call
a beard right away but found that it got
messy at times. It was embarrassing to
go to a dinner party and come home late
that night to find I’ve been wearing hol-
landaise sauce since cocktails and hors
d’oeurves were served at 6 p.m. So off it
came.
Even if I have time to shave,
ways to procrastinate. Who in his!
mind looks forward towakingupis
morning to do battle with 15/
ers, each as as strong asathinpitf
copper wire? To me, shavingisata
invigorating as taking a
when the wife has a headache.
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 3U0 words
in length. The editorial staff reserves the right to
edit letters for style and length but will make every
effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter
must be signed and must include the address and
telephone number of the writer.
lated by lawsuits is not the answer, we
agree, but neither is it a step in the right
direction. You cannot in American so
ciety, punish the manufacturer of a per
fectly valid product because of its poten
tial abuse.
Find another solution
EDITOR:
We disagree with your editorial
printed on Oct. 16 concerning the
Maryland Supreme Court ruling on Sat
urday Night Specials.
If this were the case, automakers
would be held responsible for drivers
who unintentionally or intentially ran
over pedestrians, and alcohol mamifac-
turers would be liable for any and all in
juries arising from alcohol abuse. In
short, all manufacturers could be held
responsible for the misuse of their prod
ucts. This is clearly unacceptable, and
another solution must be found.
why. I think maybe it is that the GRO-
DEY yells have reached a point where
they are no longer “good bull”. They
are downrightrepulsive, Ags. I regret to
say that I almost would rather be called
a “two-percenter” than to be subjected
to such tastelessSEXIST yells.
Now I shave once or twice a week,
and I am asked every two or three days
if I’m growing a beard again. The an
swer is NO! — so don’t ask again. If
something important comes up, I’ll
shave.
I hardly consider myself a moral ma
jority, but I know I am not the only one
who feels this way. I’ve seen many fe
males leaving yell practice and many
more who refuse to even attend. Even
some true gentlemen refuse to bring
their dates to yell practice and a lot of
old Ags also havi expressed their dis
may.
I can think of a lot of things more
productive than shaving. First of all, I
can sleep late. Many times I don’t get off
of work until the wee hours of the
morning, so Z time is precious.
Did you know that the average male
spends nearly 3,350 hours of his life
keeping facial hair off an area of about a
third of a square foot? Just imagine,
I know what you’re wondering-
answer is yes, I bathe daily. F
better things to do with my
spending all morning in the wastin’
The worst part about shaving/ I
someone is getting rich from out
ery. According to one industryoffi
razors and blades account for P
lion in annual retail sales,
in’s by any means.
So I’ve finally reached a
you can’t beat ’em, join 'em.Toslu 1
not to shave, that is not the quest*
won’t compromise myself for anti 1
but money. And there’s gold
thar blades.
John Hallett is an unshaven sen/ 1
litical science major, a columnist
News Editor for The Battalion,
The statement that a Saturday Night
Special is useful only for criminal activ
ity is ludicrous. Obviously, the intended
use extends beyond crime. This gun can
be, and is, used for protection by many
people primarily because it is inexpen
sive. But it is not “inaccurate” and “un
reliable” as stated in your editorial. The
gun is accurate and reliable within its
limit: short range.
Jon Jernigan ’87
Neil P. Keeter ’87
Nathan S. Phillips ’89
Tone down the grode
EDITOR:
One brave soul foresaw this demise
and wrote a concerned letter to The
Battalion. This letter was ignored by
many but especially by the yell leaders. I
also approached the yell leaders who lis
tened intently, thanked me for my opin
ion, yet refused to act on my opinion.
ARMY! ARMY! Got a little story for
you Ags! WHOOP!
Therefore, protection from criminals
is a valid use of this weapon. For exam
ple, it will frighten off all but the most
crazed rapists and attackers. No one
wants to be shot, regardless of the qual
ity of the weapon.
How many times have you been a
part of this yell at midnight yell prac
tice? In my four years at Texas A&M, I
have witnessed many a “GRODEY” yell
at dozens of midnight yell practices.
Listen yell leaders, we don’t want the
grodey stories banned, just toned down
a bit so that yell practice will remain a
time-honored tradition, not a new
found disgrace.
Leaving the handguns to be regu-
This year, though, something is dif
ferent and I have yet to understand
Fellow Aggies, if you support me in
my plea, please write to The Battalion.
If you too are upset, let’s let those yell
leaders see it ir print.
Donna Brownlee
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
- • RhonclA,Snidor, Editor
Michelle Powe, Managing Editor
Loren Steffy, Opinion Page Editor
. ” Karen Bloch', City Editor
John Hallet, Kay Mallett, News Editors
Trayis Tingle; Sports Editor
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