by I was innocently listening to the radio yesterday when a song popped on the public airwaves called “Don’t Trust Me” by 3oh!3. Here is part of the disgusting lyric set to a bouncy beat and a bubblegum melody:
Don’t trust a hoe
Never trust a hoe
Won’t trust a hoe,
Won’t trust me!Shush girl
Shut your lips
Do the Helen Keller
and talk with your hips
The entire song is teenybopper misogynistic, but the real disgust of the song is how it views the disabled: Just be still, spread your legs, move your hips, and take it without speaking to, or listening to, or looking at, me. Be blind. Be Deaf. Be “Helen Keller” during sex.
What does this barbaric song — with its glossy backbeat — say about us as a society?
Does the public propagation of this song as entertainment confirm we, as a nation, are tolerant of hate speech and the denigration of the disabled?
How do songs like this infect the young and inexperienced mind?
Here’s the tune being “performed” live in Denver, and I suppose the one saving grace is how awful the performers are, and that means they won’t have much staying power —
— but how much psychic damage has already been done?
Disgusting.
It’s not even music. It’s just an insult to women everywhere.
It is barely music, Gordon — but why was it chosen to be brought to the marketplace? What niche did the record company executives think they were filling?
I wonder if maybe the song just wasn’t screened before they allowed it on the album. Some recording artists have total freedom to record any garbage they want.
The disturbing part Gordon, is they made a music video! The images in my article were pulled from that ridiculous thing and they didn’t even have the guts to “go all the way” with the Helen Keller meme. Chickens!
So all through the production line there are people who were willingly involved with this crud to make money — including my local NYC radio station!
One of the many, many reasons I quit radio years ago. I’d rather have the steering wheel over what sounds get pumped into my brain space. 🙂
It is fascinating how radio does set a cultural sub-agenda, Gordon. Radio primes and then poisons the young mind.
This qualifies as discrimination to me! Gordon is absolutely right, it is an insult to women everywhere!
The music is cheap and their vocal talents are deplorable. Their disparaging sound is certain to fade in a very short span of time. Why anyone would want to listen to this rubbish is beyond me!
Rubbish is right, Kimberley! How can this get passed and entertainment? It’s an absolute outrage! I think they’re a “one hook” band — too bad their hook is so disgusting.
Do the Anne Frank, and watch your family get killed.
Do the Adolf Hitler, and kill all the Jews.
Just throw a glossy beat behind one of those two, and you have yourself a pretty great hip hop song these days. I’m from the 303 area now in the navy and I’m actually going to change my number to the local 360 because I’m pretty disgusted by this. I know it wont change anything, but every time i here this crappy song and think of how many people in my home town are so proud that somebody from there made it big to write songs like that lost my taste for that place.
I’m glad you’re standing up to that horrible song!
There was a time in America when we tried to help the disabled and give them a helping hand against their disability. That’s fading now with the resurrection of Helen Keller jokes and this crummy song.
We can, however, still change minds and fight the good fight together!
I think thats its funny this statement coming from you since your a male! Im a women and I love this song! And the sush girl…Do the helen keller and talk with your hips… is my fav. part!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love that part of the song! I feel that theres nothing wrong with it, atleast from my point of view if your having sex with someone and you dont mind being dominated like that then i dont think theres anything wrong with it!
That line is so retarded/Helen Keller…. She didnt even talk with her hips. They just needed something that rhymed with lips and are not talented enough to come up with something that made sense. This band is a disgrace, but i agree with you on the dominating in bed preference. Sometimes you cant help it.
I think you’re right about the want to just find a rhyme — then it was so “outrageous” that they kept the placeholder rhyme — and made it the hook for the song.
Honestly I am a young woman and I take no offence to this song I think that if people like it they should be able to listen to what or whom ever they like just because you don’t approve of this type of music doesn’t mean noone should listen to it
Firstly, do each his own. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. If you met these two people, you’re opinion would change. They’re incredibly nice even if they have the mindset of an 18 year old in half of their songs. They’re just having fun and enjoying life, even if some of their songs are a little degrading. It’s all in fun. :]
Why do you believe that “degrading” the Deaf and Blind is “fun?”
I don’t think the song is degrading Helen Keller in anyway. I think that people feed into songs too much and try to bring something out of it, that’s not there. When they say this it isn’t sexual it’s about dancing and talking to someone with body language. And I love how because you all don’t like just one song can say that they’re horrible performers and that they have no talent whatsoever. While you’re all sitting here blogging away about a song and it’s fourteen words that offend you. You don’t know these guys as human beings. You shouldn’t be so quick to judge. And if you take offense to this song then I take offense to you dissing this band as a whole. People like to view this world with their eyes closed. The “effect its having on the youth” that’s right blame it on the music, when your children’s problems are deeper than the music they listen to. Honestly this is shallowness, you should all be ashamed. You’re judging about something you know NOTHING about.
Let’s see — I’m shallow and should be ashamed because, as a person who works with the disabled — I find the song offensive in every depth and respect and you, on the other hand, as the defender of the indefensible and the juvenile… are what, exactly? Disillusioned? Immature? Uneducated in the ways and means of human compassion?
Let’s pause for a moment and accept your argument that the song is not about sex and is really about body communication and dancing. What’s the point of bringing Helen Keller into the lyric? What was the intention of invoking her good name and spirit into that immature and degrading song?
I’ve watched them sing the song live on YouTube and there is no doubt they are talentless and why you choose to stand anonymously with them instead of alongside Helen Keller is beyond the ken of any rational human being with an ounce of spirit and joy yearning within them.
Can I just point out that 3 kids out of 10,000 would have any clue to whom Helen Keller actually is. I consider myself to be fairly well informed but still had to google her. I think the more pressing issue is not to do with the diabled but more to do with portrayal of women in general.
I’m not sure about the point you’re making. Are you saying because kids are stupid and uneducated today they have no idea who Helen Keller is in the history of humankind? Or are you saying that because Helen Keller is so unknown by selfish modern minds it’s okay to pick on her in a song?
Helen Keller was invoked for a reason in the song — “talk with your hips” — is clearly making fun of her communicative lips and hands, and to excuse the band as uneducated, or that she was invoked by lucky happenstance, is disingenuous and unkind.
There is no doubt that some people will be offended by any crass reference to disability, or female sexuality – although as with most things it it entirely subjective.
I can only assume that since the BBC radio edit of the song replaces the Helen Keller lyric with a repeat of “shut your lips”, the powers-that-be decided the song’s potential to offend is greater than any artistic or entertainment value it may possess. Nobody can say without having spoken to the band (or whoever wrote the song) whether this was intentional, or even recognised on their part.
From a personal perspective I believe the error lies in the reference to disability rather than the derogatory way the song addresses women. Many Western songs feature similar lyrics – some of which are even sung by or feature women, I think that’s a societal issue rather than a musical one….
Contemporary popular music is full of insults and crassness — I just hope that if that sort of attack is the point of a song and the purpose of a group — the experience can, in some way, be unique and sustainable.
Really, I accept your reaction, but I do not think this video song has to be taken as a very sad and bad message and example to the young people.
Those who are parents must be aware of the music that their young children listen andenjoy with friends, but do not set an alarm forbidding, because then, all of you will get from them completely the opposite.
THEY ARE ATTRACTED FOR THE FORBIDDEN, we all know that, and I seriously think that the best is to TALK TO THEM, instead of forbide everything yo thing they are nor prepared to listen or misunderstood the meanning of a song that the only thing that wants to transmit is fun, erotic relationships, and people that is not very balanced and obssesed with affaires even having a couple…. It is not a ggo message, I agree, but do not be so alarmistic, please. And it is a 37 old woman who writes this answer… Thank you for your attention.
I appreciate your thoughtful message.
Here’s where I disagree with you with concern: Our society is based on laws and rules and values and forbidden things.
If we are scared of our children, and if we refuse to forbid them from doing harmful things, or participating in blatant cruelties — for their own good, because being safe and kind are important in an evolving, cogent, society — then we are intentionally damaging them and preventing them from becoming appropriately formed adults.
It is the parent’s job to teach and lead and reward and punish. For us to care that forbidding something creates the opposite intended effect is a failure of parenting and the success of an immature child testing the values boundaries of their parents.
I listen to that song because of the beat and i never really paid attention to the words until looked up the words and I’m like isn’t Helen Keller the blind and deaf woman that was still able to make it somewhere in her lifetime? What is the Helen Keller? I’m a 17 year old senior and only two of my friends was able to tell me that doing the Helen Keller was acting like you was deaf and blind during sex and I was like thats not cool at all
I’m glad you were able to go beyond the catchy melody, Elaine, and begin to ask, “What is this song really about, and what am I going to do about it?”
We appreciate your comment here.
What do you friends think of the song since they already knew what it it all meant?
Waste of music really they don’t like it and when i was singing it at their houses they was shut up with that stupid song listen to something else.
(sorry it been so long that i replied back)
I appreciate your return, Elaine, thanks!
Why were you listening to the teenybopper music station anyways. 3Oh!3 said themselves they’re just out to make hits and don’t plan on the music scene keeping them for very long. Next time you turn ont he radio do yourself a favor and turn it on the classic rock station and start jammin’ to some real music.
Helen Keller was an important Socialist, IWW member, and Women’s Rights advocate as well as helping others with their disabilities. She was not ‘Shushed’, nor should she be. I did find the song sexist and offensive on that level but I didn’t think much of that. It was only when it clicked who Helen Keller was that I got pissed off. It would have made more sense if they had chosen, say, a silent movie actress typecast as the love interest or whatever, but a Blind Deaf? I don’t care if some people who like the song are women. Most women are bloody misogynistic and a hell of a lot of people are ignorant and insensitive, and encourage their own abuse lightheartedly.
Yes, if you know and respect Helen Keller and how she dedicated her life to writing and learning — you quite quickly see how the degrading ploy of the hook of the song is wholly indefensible from the point of profound human suffering.
Why doesn’t anyone here protect the right to free speech and artistic expression? It doesn’t matter if you like the message or not, it’s that fact that individuals are free to make statements/songs/musings/stories etc…, is what is at stake, and the commentors here want nothing to do than censor based on personal beliefs. You don’t get to do that. You do have the right to not listen, I suggest your employ that right.
You wonder why our country has become overly sensitive, overly PC and plain soft – just look at some of the responses here.
Before you begin the flame war, understand that I did not advocate for the content, rather the ability to create the content. There is a difference.
If you’re a free speech advocate, then you should support our want to speak out against this awful song — and it is within our purview to want the song removed because of its Hate Speech against the disabled.
just a word of thoughts
This qualifies as discrimination to me! Gordon is absolutely right, it is an insult to women everywhere!
The music is cheap and their vocal talents are deplorable. Their disparaging sound is certain to fade in a very short span of time. Why anyone would want to listen to this rubbish is beyond me!
Reply
David W. Boles says:
June 4, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Rubbish is right, Kimberley! How can this get passed and entertainment? It’s an absolute outrage! I think they’re a “one hook” band — too bad their hook is so disgusting.
AND THAT ONE
Do the Anne Frank, and watch your family get killed.
Do the Adolf Hitler, and kill all the Jews.
Just throw a glossy beat behind one of those two, and you have yourself a pretty great hip hop song these days. I’m from the 303 area now in the navy and I’m actually going to change my number to the local 360 because I’m pretty disgusted by this. I know it wont change anything, but every time i here this crappy song and think of how many people in my home town are so proud that somebody from there made it big to write songs like that lost my taste for that place.
I SEE ALLOT OF YOU TALKING LIKE THIS SONG SUCKS JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A DISCRIMINATIVE COMMENT TOWARDS A DISABLED PERSON AND I BET IF IT WAS ANY OTHER PERSON WHO WAS BLIND AND DEAF BUT WASN’T FAMOUS YOU PEOPLE WOULDN’T BE HERE AND AS TO ITS A DISGUSTING BAND WELL APPARENTLY OVER 16 MILLION PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH YOU OVER 40K PEOPLE STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH YOU AND ONLY ABOUT 2 AND A HALF K PEOPLE AGREE WITH YOU IF YOUR GOING TO RAG ON SONGS DON’T PICK ONE OUT JUST BECAUSE OF A SLUR LIKE DO THE HELEN KELLER AND BTW FOR THE LAST COMMENT YES IT WOULD MAKE A GOOD SONG AND WHAT HITLER DID WASN’T WRONG IT HELPED GERMANY OUT THEY WOULDN’T BE WHERE THEY ARE IF HE HADN’T TRIED THAT OH AND BTW THANK YOU FOR THE NEXT NEW HIT I AM GOING TO WRITE LMAO WHILE ROFLING DOWN A HILL. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH MAKING A COMMENT AGAINST DISABLED PEOPLE PERSONALLY I THINK SEX WOULD BE ALLOT BETTER IF IT WAS A DEAF PERSON AND IF SHE WAS BLIND I AM PRETTY SURE IT WOULD BE JUST THAT DAM MORE INTERESTING TO HER NOT KNOWING HOW THE PERSON LOOKS. I DON’T KNOW THIS WEBSITE TOO MUCH SO IF THERE ANY REPLIES SEND THEM TO MY EMAIL [email address removed] NOW “SH*T YOUR LIPS DO THE HELEN KELLER AND TALK WITH YOUR HIPS”
[Comment edited by David W. Boles for content.]
I removed your email address and I also removed the curse word.
Your comment proves our point about the viciousness of the song.
Hey David, I have a question. I am unfamiliar with this site, but I am just wondering why do you care so much that you have continuously gotten on to rebute peoples opinions for over 2 years? Perhaps you should have thought about something more important like a cure for deafness/blindness. I mean no offense when I say that, but one thing that really annoys me is a person who ignorantly argues about a subject without accepting that there may be more than one way of looking at things
No, seriously, there are starving children in Africa and there you sit writing a comment on this blog? Why aren’t you feeding them?
Why aren’t you researching a cure for cancer instead of reading this comment?
No, really…