Recently, Britney Spears released her new single, Gimme More, which peaked this week at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. I listened to it and was, as all individuals born prior to 1990, utterly confused. So to help me understand what she was saying I googled the lyrics and read them over. This didn’t help matters:
“(It’s Britney, b****)
(I see you, and I just wanna dance with you)
Everytime they turn the lights down
Just wanna go that extra mile for you
You got public display of affection
Feel’s like no one else in the room (but you)
We can get down like there’s no one around
We’ll keep on rockin’ (We’ll keep on rockin’)
We’ll keep on rockin’ (Keep on rockin’)
Cameras are flashing while we’re dirty dancing
They keep watchin’ (They keep watchin’)
Keep watchin
Feels like the crowd is saying
[CHORUS]
Gimme gimme more
Gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme (Uh)
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme (Uh)
Gimme gimme more
A center of attention (Can you feel that?)
Even when they’re up against the wall
You got me in a crazy position (Yeah)
If you’re on a mission (Uh-uh)
You got my permission (Oh)
We can get down like there’s no one around
We’ll keep on rockin’ (Keep on rockin’)
We’ll keep on rockin’, rockin’ (Oh ah ha)
Cameras are flashing while we’re dirty dancing
They keep watchin’ (Wait)
Keep watchin
(Feel’s like the crowd is saying)
[CHORUS]
Gimme gimme more
Gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme (Uh)
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme (Uh)
Gimme gimme more
(I just can’t control myself, oh)
(They want more? Well I’ll give’em more, oh!)
[CHORUS]
Gimme gimme more
Gimme more
Gimme gimme more (Gimme more)
Gimme gimme more
Gimme (Uh)
Gimme gimme more (Ooh)
Gimme gimme more
Gimme more
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme more (Gimme more, oh yeah)
Gimme (Uh)
Gimme gimme more
Ohh, gimme more, gimme more (More)
Gimme more, gimme more baby
I just wanna more
[CHORUS]
Gimme gimme
Gimme
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme
Gimme (Ooh)
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme
Gimme
Gimme gimme more
Gimme gimme
Gimme (Ooh)
Gimme gimme”
Makes you feel dirty just reading it, doesn’t it? I used this as an illustration for our high 
school group last week and in order to show a little contrast I went back 50 years ago and found a #1 hit that was a bit controversial at the time. In fact, some radio stations banned it from airplay. I give you the Everly Brothers, Wake Up Little Susie:
Wake up little Susie, wake up, wake up little Susie, wake up
We both fell sound asleep, wake up little Susie and weep
The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock and we’re in trouble deep
Chorus:
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
Well, what’re we gonna tell your mama, what’re we gonna tell your pop
What’re gonna tell our friends when they say ‘ooh la la’
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
Well, I told your mama that you’d be in by ten
Well, Susie baby, looks like we goofed again
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie, we gotta go home
Wake up little Susie, wake up, wake up little Susie, wake up
The movie wasn’t so hot, it didn’t have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
Well, what’re we gonna tell your mama, what’re we gonna tell your pop
What’re gonna tell our friends when they say ‘ooh la la’
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
Quite a difference between “You got me in a crazy position, if you’re on a mission, you’ve got my permission,” and “The movie wasn’t so hot, it didn’t have much of a plot, we fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot.”
