Anyone can tell you that I am really not in touch with pop culture. There are very few points in my life when I have been. In 2nd grade I enjoyed the Beach Boys while others were listening to Metallica, White Snake, Poison, and Bon Jovi. In high school I fell in love with the Beatles. In college I started listening to some pop music and today I do as well.

Even though I was out of touch with pop music and culture, I would like to believe that I was aware of its existence. Today on NPR they reviewed Katy Perry’s new Album, Teenage Dreams. The California Girls song is everywhere on the radio, you’ve probably heard it. While somewhat offensive, it turns out to be the least degrading of all the songs on her new album. I don’t think that the kind of garbage Katy Perry discusses in her music could ever have been considered mainstream in my youth. Am I wrong?

NPRs reviewer gave a positive review of the album, but based on the comments on the news page none of the NPR listeners agreed. The album is marked EXPLICIT on iTunes and with good reason, although the real reason is probably the F-Word usage because there is a radio-edit version of the album not marked as Explicit. More than half of the songs on the album (remember its titled Teenage Dreams) chronicle rampant teenage alcohol abuse, casual sex, and demoralizing relationships.

. . .

When I first heard California Girls on the radio I asked myself, Would this be appropriate to be played at a church dance? It is after all the most played song on the radio right now. The album cover depicts a naked Katy Perry floating on a cloud of cotton candy (with her sensitive parts barely covered). I actually un “liked” iTunes on Facebook because I was sick and tired of that album cover showing up on my Facebook page. That for me is reason enough to not play the song at a church dance, but thankfully it also has a cuss word in it so it is a really easy decision. And now that I know what the rest of the albums songs are about I wouldn’t let a Latter-day Saint youth near that album with a 10 foot cord on their ear buds. It’s filth! but it’s on the radio!

I guess I’m glad I have the guidelines in For the Strength of the Youth to remind me that “unworthy music may seem harmless, but it can have evil effects on your mind and spirit. [You should] choose carefully the music you listen to. Pay attention to how you feel when you are listening. Don’t listen to music that drives away the Spirit, encourages immorality, glorifies violence, uses foul or offensive language, or promotes Satanism or other evil practices.”

Katy Perry, I’ll change the station when your songs come on the radio.