Music Review: "Not Myself Tonight" (CD single)
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this single describes a girl who
wants to escape her good-girl image by going to a club,
drinking shots, and kissing "boys and girls." The explicit
version of the song includes the f-word in parts, and overall,
the song includes a somewhat alarming message about trying to
be someone you're not.
- Families can talk about the danger in trying to escape problems through partying and sex. What can happen to your problems when you avoid dealing with them?
- Instead of acting out, what are five things you can do to try to resolve difficult feelings?
"NOT MYSELF TONIGHT" is the first single off the forthcoming album Bionic from power-pop princess Christina Aguilera. The album will be the first collection of new songs from the singer since her 2006 record Back to Basics. In the debut single, Aguilera reverts back to her former wild-child ways, talking about escaping her everyday self by hitting the club. While there's nothing inherently wrong with wanting to blow off some steam every once in awhile, Aguilera's lyrics go a bit beyond just a harmless night of fun, mentioning "I'm dancing alot and I'm taking shots ... I'm kissing all the boys and the girls / Someone call the doctor 'cause I lost my mind, 'cause I'm doing things that I normally won't do / And if you don't like it, f--k you." The edited version of the song bleeps out the f-bombs, but the troubling message about engaging in risky behaviors to avoid problems remains.
Though it doesn't break any creativity boundaries, " Not Myself Tonight" is an undeniably danceable song, with a catchy beat backed by Aguilera's consistently fantastic vocals. It's this voice that always makes even the more mundane among Aguilera's songs sound just a little different than anyone else's.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
Join Us