Have any of you ever actually listened to the lyrics of “Wheels on the Bus”? With a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old, as you might imagine, this song is requested quite frequently in our household. And, for reasons which I will elaborate on, it grinds my damn gears. Grinds em.
It’s not that I just have a black, cold piece of coal where my heart is supposed to be. I’m not saying that I don’t have a black, cold piece of coal where my heart is supposed to be, I am simply saying that is not the cause of my disgruntlement for this song. I don’t even know if “disgruntlement” is a word, but, I’m sticking with it. I think it properly illustrates my feelings in this context.
It’s not that I just hold a general, blanket disdain for children’s music.
No, no, my friends, it is because the lyrics read as follows:
“The Mom’s on the bus say SHH, SHH, SHH….SHH, SHH, SHH….SHH, SHH, SHH”
And, wait for it…
“The Dad’s on the bus say I love you, I love you, I love you”
Ahem, EXCUSE me? No disrespect to you dad’s out there, and those, in particular, that say “I love you”, which I hope is all dad’s that are visiting this community. But, COME ON. COME freaking ON.
Watching my daughter’s blare the above lyrics honestly elicits a nearly visceral reaction from me. While I may say “SHH” once or twice or a million times a day, I do not appreciate the lyrics of this song contrasting that to a dad’s words of “I love you”. Quite frankly, I find it tone deaf.
Now, I am capable of giving people the benefit of the doubt. MHMMM, yes I am. So, perhaps, the intent was that this “SHH” wasn’t so much a. capitalized, bold, in your face “SHH” but a soft, gentle, delicate “shh”. However, ladies and gents, as we all know, delivery matters. Have you ever heard a toddler deliver this song softly? Gently? Delicately? Haaailllll nooooo. Or maybe it is just my toddlers. For some reason, though, I doubt it.
Anyway, I cannot help but feel resentment towards this song.
