Kids songs lyrics can describe many types of things. Illegal activities are sometimes the topic and for good reason. By allowing the children to sing about natural things in life that occur, deep thought and discussion can come after. It is a good teaching tool, about what things in life they can expect and how to handle them.
Examples
One song, Eeper Weeper is quite popular, but few realize the song is speaking about the crime of neglect. The man ‘could not keep his wife’ and ‘had another but didn’t love her’; he allows the women to waste away, having dominion over the women’s fate. That topic is quite heavy to children who should be taught of equality. Who Killed Cock Robin speaks about the most illegal thing of all: murder. ‘With my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin’. The admission of committing a crime is quite blunt. The song Oranges and Lemons follows this deadly trend as well. Staring with owing money, the character hears ‘here comes a chopper to chop off your head’. Killing any of the characters, and getting a sense of the fear they may feel in anticipation of their murder, is a stimulating thought for any young child.
Why Include Them
The reasons many children’s songs and rhymes are about less than savory things are great in number. Some songs evolved on their own, with people fascination for death and the fear it brings. It makes the song exciting, almost taboo for children to sing which is why many are drawn to them. However, as some simply speak of daily life; perhaps death/murder would not have been chosen under other circumstances, so it begs further moral questions while letting the children see the real sides of life.
The Benefits
Having grown up topics could slowly allow them to see things rather than have a possible situation thrust upon them that is hard to explain. Including diverse scenes and activities may help them establish a good relationship with change, its effects, and the possibilities of the world. Do not shelter them from things that are inevitable, but embrace them alongside.
The Test of Time
Many of the songs about prohibited things stem from past ones, as the topics of past centuries tending to be more macabre and honest. Great amount of abuse and death were rampant, be it from illnesses or crime. Over time, the songs have changed and lost some of the harder lyrics and have been rewrote to appease some. Being accustomed to so called bad things however could help children prepare for the real world, and have an easier time navigating through its trials.
So, make sure to include a tune or two about unlawful things when singing with your children. While it may sound negative, the songs and messages actually have the opposite effect, stimulating different areas of thought and reason in most children. Give them their own tools to make good decisions themselves by practicing a few light rhymes.