It's got me thinking. I wonder if my little song 'I'm a knight' (from J is for Jesus) is leading kids astray. For the uninitiated, here it is:
I'm a KnightI’m a knight from long ago
If you’re in trouble, let me know.
I’m brave as brave and strong as strong
I ride my horse and sing my song
La, la, la. La, la, la.
I’m a knight from long ago
La, la, la. La, la, la.
If you’re in trouble, let me know.
I’m a princess sweet and fair
With sparkling eyes and golden hair
I’m kind and loving all day long
I dance around and sing my song.
La, la, la. La, la, la.
I'm a princess sweet and fair,
La, la, la. La, la, la.
With sparkling eyes and golden hair.
But Jesus is the best of all
He heals the sick and helps the small
He’s brave and strong, he is our king
He loves us more than anything
La, la, la. La, la, la.
Jesus is the best of all.
La, la, la. La, la, la.
He heals the sick and helps the small. **
© 2007 Simone Richardson
We've used it quite a bit in school RE ('scripture' for those in NSW), play group, and kids club, but always with my very un-princessey theology surrounding it. I've never told any little girl that she's God's princess. We do knight and princess dress ups, tell a few heroic stories, and then explain that Jesus is far better than any of that.
But the song is out there now. I wonder if it's being used to promote ideas that I don't share. Not that there's much I can do...
* Basically, 'princess culture' is telling little girls (and grown women too) that they are God's princesses. So special, beautiful etc etc. Kerri Newmarch argues that it promotes vanity and narcissism. I agree.
** I wrote another verse for this song which I sometimes use, even though the big and mean emu management :-) wouldn't let it go on the cd (for the feeble reason that it's got nothing to do with Jesus!) Here it is for anyone who's interested:
I’m a dragon from the mire,
My claws are sharp, my breath is fire
I’m sad and lonely as you see,
‘Cause everyone’s afraid of me!
La, la, la. La, la, la (etc)
I think your song is fine - because, as the article says, princesses is just what little girls do, and so your song starts there but then says Jesus is better. Maybe it's a fine line between that and imagining you are Jesus' princess, but a line worth keeping ... Funny, because it wasn't really the "princess" thing that leapt out at me in Captivating, but all the other false ideas ...
ReplyDeleteThe emu management children are now singing it!
ReplyDelete!!!
ReplyDeleteI have this CD and MY KIDS LOVE IT. Especially the Alphabet song, my son learnt that one really quickly. I must admit, when I first heard this song, I thought, "Hang on, that doesn't fit with the kind of theology I thought emu was on about" (we also have their other kids' CDs) but then when I heard the last verse, it all fitted together. I've been thinking a lot lately about the differences between boys and girls, and upon reflection, I think it is a good idea to include a song like this which celebrates both girly-ness and boyish-ness and also celebrates what Jesus has done for girls and boys the world over. So thanks for it!
ReplyDelete~ Sharon from Equip Academy.
PS I found your blog through Nicole's 168 hours, just today. I'm always glad when I find another blog by an Australian Christian.
Welcome, Sharon. Lovely to have you here. Glad you like the song!
ReplyDelete