Songs for Sex Ed
May 19, 2010 4:34 AM Subscribe
Songs with a safe(r) sex message?
I'm a sex educator who doesn't know music. I'd love to compile a repertoire of songs that have a strong sexual health message. I work with teens, and the only song I know is "Let's talk about sex," which, uh, shows my age a bit.
I work with all sorts of teens, including Spanish-speakers, so I'm looking for all genres. The more positive and less "shame-on-you" the better. A Hip Hop concentration would be nice, as would songs that are newer.
I'm a sex educator who doesn't know music. I'd love to compile a repertoire of songs that have a strong sexual health message. I work with teens, and the only song I know is "Let's talk about sex," which, uh, shows my age a bit.
I work with all sorts of teens, including Spanish-speakers, so I'm looking for all genres. The more positive and less "shame-on-you" the better. A Hip Hop concentration would be nice, as would songs that are newer.
Though it's pretty dated in an 80's sort of way production-wise, Living Colour's Under Cover Of Darkness covers the topic pretty succinctly. I think the guest rapper on that song is Queen Latifah, though I could be wrong.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:44 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:44 AM on May 19, 2010
Best answer: Also some of The Yearn by Lost Boyz.
Also, Jimmy Hat by, er, Snow. I'm sure there must be more recent stuff, though.
posted by nthdegx at 4:45 AM on May 19, 2010
Also, Jimmy Hat by, er, Snow. I'm sure there must be more recent stuff, though.
posted by nthdegx at 4:45 AM on May 19, 2010
Response by poster: From a friend: Kool Moe Dee:Go See The Doctor
posted by Stewriffic at 4:50 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by Stewriffic at 4:50 AM on May 19, 2010
Best answer: Vageuly relevant, or possibly for a different discussion... DJ Vadim/Sarah Jones' Your Revolution.
posted by nthdegx at 4:50 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by nthdegx at 4:50 AM on May 19, 2010
Best answer: We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off (from 1986) by Jermaine Stewart, who sadly died of AIDS-related liver cancer.
posted by amyms at 4:54 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by amyms at 4:54 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Cherry Wine (I know I know, but it's the right theme).
posted by monkeymadness at 4:55 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by monkeymadness at 4:55 AM on May 19, 2010
Best answer: Let's Wait Awhile by Janet Jackson (also from 1986).
posted by amyms at 5:02 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by amyms at 5:02 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
More old hip-hop: Biz Markie and Chubb Rock's 'No Rubber, No Backstage Pass' appears on the America is Dying Slowly compilation, which is the rap installment in the Red Hot series.
posted by box at 5:12 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by box at 5:12 AM on May 19, 2010
Back in the 80's, there was a blues hit "Wrap It Up, I'll Take It". It was sung by a hetero male and the video was predictably sexist. But I've always envisioned Bette Midler singing this with a sly, saucy wink and using it to promote condom usage.
posted by marsha56 at 5:22 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by marsha56 at 5:22 AM on May 19, 2010
For those absinence only sex ed fans out there: Relax
posted by Pollomacho at 5:25 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by Pollomacho at 5:25 AM on May 19, 2010
Amo a Laura is in Spanish, but it is about waiting for sex until marriage. It is extremely goofy though.
I'm Happy Just to Dance with You is a Beatles song about just that. It's also pretty goofy.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 5:30 AM on May 19, 2010
I'm Happy Just to Dance with You is a Beatles song about just that. It's also pretty goofy.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 5:30 AM on May 19, 2010
Also, how could I forget the Specials: Stupid Marriage and Too Much Too Young
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 5:35 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 5:35 AM on May 19, 2010
Best answer: TLC's Waterfalls video seems to make the song about how unsafe sex causes problems, but the lyrics seem to be about drug use leading to HIV. Huh. The only line I can think of with the word "condom" in it is Wyclef Jean's Gone Til November: "Tell my cousin Jerry wear his condom / If you don't wear condom, you see a red line".
A google search for condom lyrics gives me Roy "Chubby" Brown's "It's A Condom" which will probably not exactly resonate with your youth but is pretty straightforward!
Final contribution which doesn't seem to be completely about safe sex, but about healthy relationships in general, is a blog post from an acquaintance of mine about popular songs about positive (and negative!) relationships.
posted by knile at 5:38 AM on May 19, 2010
A google search for condom lyrics gives me Roy "Chubby" Brown's "It's A Condom" which will probably not exactly resonate with your youth but is pretty straightforward!
Final contribution which doesn't seem to be completely about safe sex, but about healthy relationships in general, is a blog post from an acquaintance of mine about popular songs about positive (and negative!) relationships.
posted by knile at 5:38 AM on May 19, 2010
Anvil - Safe Sex
Gotta new lover
Better take cover
Got some advice
You'd better think twice
Arrow's in the quiver
When you're ready to deliver
Weenie wrap
To collect the sap
Stretch and Seal a meal
It just don't feel real
12 or 24 to the pack
Find them on the drugstore rack
Safe sex
If I abstain
I'll go insane
Safe sex
Give me sleaze
And not disease
Electro-tested for tears and leaks
Lubricated prophylactic sheiks
Get it up, get it on!
yank it, crank it
Piggies in a blanket
Clean your gun
When it's all done
Vacuum packed for your protection
Sanitized to fight infection
posted by Chrysalis at 5:42 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Gotta new lover
Better take cover
Got some advice
You'd better think twice
Arrow's in the quiver
When you're ready to deliver
Weenie wrap
To collect the sap
Stretch and Seal a meal
It just don't feel real
12 or 24 to the pack
Find them on the drugstore rack
Safe sex
If I abstain
I'll go insane
Safe sex
Give me sleaze
And not disease
Electro-tested for tears and leaks
Lubricated prophylactic sheiks
Get it up, get it on!
yank it, crank it
Piggies in a blanket
Clean your gun
When it's all done
Vacuum packed for your protection
Sanitized to fight infection
posted by Chrysalis at 5:42 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Michael Franti's song Positive talks about waiting for the results of an HIV test.
What I'm gonna do if I'm HIV
First have a cry, then tell my mother,
get on the phone and call my past lovers
If I love you, I better get tested.
posted by mearls at 5:44 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
What I'm gonna do if I'm HIV
First have a cry, then tell my mother,
get on the phone and call my past lovers
If I love you, I better get tested.
posted by mearls at 5:44 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
The haunting '2 become 1' by the Spice Girls has the gnomic couplet "Be a little bit wiser baby/Put it on, put it on." Insiprational.
posted by robself at 6:18 AM on May 19, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by robself at 6:18 AM on May 19, 2010 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Jimmy Bosch's "Impacto Tendremos" is specifically about preventing HIV through safe sex practices. It's a modern take on plena, a Puerto Rican song/dance genre that's often about topical political issues.
posted by dr. boludo at 6:28 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by dr. boludo at 6:28 AM on May 19, 2010
Lady Saw's Condom is entirely about safe sex. I didn't find a link to a video of it, but the link goes to an article with the lyrics translated into standard English:
A condom can save your life (men)
Use it even with your wife (yes)
And even if she huffs and puffs
Tell her you're not performing without the condom
Don't bother pretend to be shy - tell the guy
No bareback ride - no, no, no
Don't get taken in by the the pretty smile
Remember that Aids will take your life
The Amazon page for that album seems to have samples to listen to.
posted by Forktine at 6:28 AM on May 19, 2010
A condom can save your life (men)
Use it even with your wife (yes)
And even if she huffs and puffs
Tell her you're not performing without the condom
Don't bother pretend to be shy - tell the guy
No bareback ride - no, no, no
Don't get taken in by the the pretty smile
Remember that Aids will take your life
The Amazon page for that album seems to have samples to listen to.
posted by Forktine at 6:28 AM on May 19, 2010
Best answer: Javelin - Std fury !!! (It's been stuck in my head the past few weeks.)
posted by puffin at 6:33 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by puffin at 6:33 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm showing my age too, but Romeo Void (a band with a sassy female lead singer) did a cover of the song Wrap it Up, I'll Take It mentioned above.
posted by matildaben at 6:37 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by matildaben at 6:37 AM on May 19, 2010
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" makes a pretty compelling [albeit negative] "don't rush into things" argument.
posted by chazlarson at 7:11 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by chazlarson at 7:11 AM on May 19, 2010
Seconding 'Sexuality' by Billy Bragg. Possibly the only song about safe sex which references Red Star Belgrade, Robert De Niro and the Mitsubishi Zero
posted by ninebelow at 7:13 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by ninebelow at 7:13 AM on May 19, 2010
People have mentioned Billy Bragg's "Sexuality," but also on the same album as that he has a song called "Trust" which is written from the perspective of someone who's just had unsafe sex and is scared about it.
He's already been inside me
And he really didn't say
And I really didn't ask him
I just hoped and prayed...
posted by dnash at 7:43 AM on May 19, 2010
He's already been inside me
And he really didn't say
And I really didn't ask him
I just hoped and prayed...
posted by dnash at 7:43 AM on May 19, 2010
"Lollipop (Remix)" by Lil Wayne featuring Kanye West has the following (albeit brief) mention:
Safe sex is great sex
Better wear a latex
Cuz you dont want that late text
that "I think I'm late" text
So wrap it up
Going waaaaaay back, on the subject of "Wrap It Up," there's also a great Eurythmics cover of it that might fit the bill (in terms of imagining a non-traditional hard rock approach to it). The linked video is a performance at the gay club Heaven in London in 1983, probably the height of when that kind of message needed to be heard loud and clear. Nothing louder and clearer than Annie Lennox belting it.
posted by blucevalo at 7:53 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Safe sex is great sex
Better wear a latex
Cuz you dont want that late text
that "I think I'm late" text
So wrap it up
Going waaaaaay back, on the subject of "Wrap It Up," there's also a great Eurythmics cover of it that might fit the bill (in terms of imagining a non-traditional hard rock approach to it). The linked video is a performance at the gay club Heaven in London in 1983, probably the height of when that kind of message needed to be heard loud and clear. Nothing louder and clearer than Annie Lennox belting it.
posted by blucevalo at 7:53 AM on May 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: A somewhat complicated song on this subject is Tribe Called Quest's song The Infamous Date Rape. It talks about what men can do to prevent date rape but also has what appears to be a false reporter in there [i.e. they have sex, she says "rape" afterwards] and a sort of bitchy "Oh I get it, you don't want to have sex because you've got your period." aspect. It's a good catchy song and probably useful for discussion even if it doesn't have one clear message.
posted by jessamyn at 7:54 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by jessamyn at 7:54 AM on May 19, 2010
This is neither hip-hop nor newer but it's a great song: Don't Give a Dose to the One You Love Most by the incomparable Shel Silverstein from "Freakin' at the Freakers' Ball."
Don't give a dose to the one you love most.
Give her some marmalade...give her some toast.
You can give her the willies or give her the blues.
But the dose that you give her will get back to youse.
I once had a lady as sweet as a song.
She was my darlin', and she was my dear.
But she had a dose, and she passed it along.
Now she's gone, but the dose is still there.
So, don't give a dose to the one you love most.
Give her some marmalade...give her some toast.
You can give her a partiridge up in a pear tree,
But the dose that you give her might get back to me.
So if you've got an itchin'...if you've got a drip,
Don't sit there wishin' for it to go 'way.
If there's a thing on the tip of your thing or your lip,
Run down to the clinic today, and say...
"I won't give a dose to the one I love most.
I'll give her some marmalade...give her some toast."
Give her the willies or give her the blues,
But the dose that you give her will get back to you.
posted by Sculthorpe at 8:00 AM on May 19, 2010
Don't give a dose to the one you love most.
Give her some marmalade...give her some toast.
You can give her the willies or give her the blues.
But the dose that you give her will get back to youse.
I once had a lady as sweet as a song.
She was my darlin', and she was my dear.
But she had a dose, and she passed it along.
Now she's gone, but the dose is still there.
So, don't give a dose to the one you love most.
Give her some marmalade...give her some toast.
You can give her a partiridge up in a pear tree,
But the dose that you give her might get back to me.
So if you've got an itchin'...if you've got a drip,
Don't sit there wishin' for it to go 'way.
If there's a thing on the tip of your thing or your lip,
Run down to the clinic today, and say...
"I won't give a dose to the one I love most.
I'll give her some marmalade...give her some toast."
Give her the willies or give her the blues,
But the dose that you give her will get back to you.
posted by Sculthorpe at 8:00 AM on May 19, 2010
"You Suck" by the Yeastie Girls. (NSFW!)
When you hear 'safe sex' you snicker under your breath
We've gotta take cover we're flirting with death
AIDS is our problem, we've gotta talk
Break out your dental dam and your latex sock
I'm your latex lover wrapped like a gift
Got my microwave plastic wrap heating up my clit, wooh!
Dinner's on, get busy with my booty
Got a couple of flavors, sweet licorice and fruity
I know you said luscious pussy with a cover
I'm aching too, we can't taste each other
There's no slacking off with an unprotected stroke
This aint no joke
posted by ShadePlant at 8:37 AM on May 19, 2010
When you hear 'safe sex' you snicker under your breath
We've gotta take cover we're flirting with death
AIDS is our problem, we've gotta talk
Break out your dental dam and your latex sock
I'm your latex lover wrapped like a gift
Got my microwave plastic wrap heating up my clit, wooh!
Dinner's on, get busy with my booty
Got a couple of flavors, sweet licorice and fruity
I know you said luscious pussy with a cover
I'm aching too, we can't taste each other
There's no slacking off with an unprotected stroke
This aint no joke
posted by ShadePlant at 8:37 AM on May 19, 2010
If video is an option to you, and you'd like something a little more... exotic, you may wish to show The Indian Condom Song video.
posted by koeselitz at 8:57 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by koeselitz at 8:57 AM on May 19, 2010
Lots of Pansy Division songs fit, notably "No Protection".
posted by asperity at 10:52 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by asperity at 10:52 AM on May 19, 2010
For the little kids, the old nursery rhyme gives a good model for when to have sex:
[boyname] and [girlname] sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First come love
Then comes marriage
Then comes the baby in a baby carriage.
I was the playground mom at at elementary school when some first graders were singing it. They got all embarrassed when they knew I had heard them - it's about SEX!!
I didn't say anything, but I was thinking YES - wait until you're married to think about having kids.
posted by CathyG at 2:15 PM on May 19, 2010
[boyname] and [girlname] sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First come love
Then comes marriage
Then comes the baby in a baby carriage.
I was the playground mom at at elementary school when some first graders were singing it. They got all embarrassed when they knew I had heard them - it's about SEX!!
I didn't say anything, but I was thinking YES - wait until you're married to think about having kids.
posted by CathyG at 2:15 PM on May 19, 2010
Response by poster: These are all excellent. It's going to take a while for me to listen to all of them!
BTW, the parody of Amo a Laura (Me peto a Laura) is hilarious.
posted by Stewriffic at 4:59 PM on May 19, 2010
BTW, the parody of Amo a Laura (Me peto a Laura) is hilarious.
posted by Stewriffic at 4:59 PM on May 19, 2010
Response by poster: Still going through...lots of awesomeness.
posted by Stewriffic at 6:35 PM on May 19, 2010
posted by Stewriffic at 6:35 PM on May 19, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Ice Cube - Look Who's Burnin' (may be highly unsuitable for other reasons)
KRS-One - Jimmy
posted by nthdegx at 4:37 AM on May 19, 2010