Music Review: "Baby" (CD single)
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that the new single "BABY" represents more of the same from Justin Bieber. It's a squeaky-clean song that finds the singer once again pouring his heart out to a girl he likes. Though his crush breaks his heart in the end, Bieber still doesn't resort to cussing, name-calling, or other dirty tricks in an attempt to demean her. Despite the presence of the famous rap star Ludacris, this single is OK for tweens.
- Families can talk about ending relationships. What lessons can tweens learn from the way Justin Bieber handles a break-up in this song? When a relationship ends, why could it cause problems to say mean, negative things to each other?
- What are some more healthy and constructive ways to deal with a break-up besides hurling harsh words at the other person?
Justin Bieber's back with "BABY," the first single off his forthcoming second album titled My World 2 -- not to be confused with his debut record called simply My World. On this second go-round, Bieber brings out the big star-power once again: while his initial album featured a guest appearance from Usher (the man credited for discovering the young star), his new single includes a verse by rapper Ludacris. In "Baby," both Bieber and Ludda discuss getting their hearts broken for the first time. Despite the painful topic, however, each keeps his recollections clean, steering clear of profanity or other mature content.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to be Justin Bieber's motto, since most of his songs -- including " Baby" -- sound very similar. Here, Bieber falls back on the heavy synth-presence and formulaic pop beats that characterize his entire last album. Though his vocals and I-want-to-be-sweet-to-you approach are still somewhat endearing, the pattern is starting to wear thin. The most interesting part of the song is the Ludacris verse, where the rapper sounds almost amused, no doubt at the fact that the normally hardcore MC is guest-starring on a G-rated tween record.
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