I hadn't paid much attention to this song until I notice many youngsters including my kids either humming the tune or singing parts of the lyrics. It was quite catchy and I started to get curious about what this song was about.
And then I discovered that it was a song from a Walt Disney animation called "Frozen". I haven't watched it and I don't think I want to either. But after a little search, I learned about the story and the song.
And guess what...? It's bad news!
Apparently the movie was very famous 2 years ago. The story is about two sisters - princesses - Elsa and Anna. And as usual, yes, it's got magic. Here they go again...
Elsa could freeze things. She could turn things into ice. Once by mistake she had frozen her sister Anna. But then she had to keep this a secret and she tried hard to control herself.
But as they grew older, Elsa was angry at Anna because Anna had found a prince called Hans. This coincidentally was before Elsa's coronation. The misunderstanding grew into a fight and Elsa lost control. As a result, the entire setting was frozen.
Elsa runs off into the mountains into her icy aboard. All by herself, she sings Let it go...
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation,
And it looks like I'm the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried
Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know
These seem like words of sadness and guilt. but in a very strange way... From the above words, she recalls how she had tried to keep the whole thing a secret. But she failed and 'now they know'... And as she continues, Elsa tries to feel comfortable about what she has done.
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care
What they're going to say
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway
It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can't get to me at all
Looks to me like she's made up her mind that there's no looking back. What an attitude, especially for someone who was going to be made queen? Seems like his part is basically building up hatred, selfishness and carelessness using sadness as a channel. Definitely not the way we want our kids to grow.
Don't you see how she admits her 'fear' in the past? Fear of hurting others. But now she just doesn't care.
And next, she comes up with a very nasty attitude... She sings:
It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free
Really? Does she think that she's in control? What on earth is she saying? She doesn't distinguish right from wrong - it's all the same to her. And worse, she claims that she's free to do what she wants! Seriously, is this what our kids are singing? I don't think they even know the context of the words.
This also reminds me of my childhood. How many nursery rhymes we sang and most of them were destructive or bad news.
Jack and Jill... Jack broke his head.
Rock a by baby... cradle falls.
Humpty Dumpty... just gone into pieces
The London Bridge... you know what happens
Georgy Porgy... what a pervet who kissed the girls to make them cry.
But until I really grew up, I never took a moment to think of the words. We just enjoyed singing them. But this song "Let it go" is way worse than all of the songs I've known in my childhood.
Back on the song, Elsa sings these words as she reaches the final part:
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on
My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back,
The past is in the past
This shows Elsa's heartless attitude of never going to cry. And what's that crap about one with the wind and sky? Is she a witch? She confirms her place in the mountains; in her icy-home where she plans on staying without going back to her sister and her people. She builds this attitude like she's powerful. Any kid singing these words simply forgets that there's the one true creator (in Arabic we call Allah) who has full power over all things. These words are designed to make one deny the truth. It inculcates in young minds to forget about the past and not learn from it. To ignore your true creator. To deny that you have limited strength.
And the final words:
Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway
Selfishness beyond imagination! I have seen people in the real world who speak such words. But that's when they're on something really high (yes, like drugs). Otherwise, they're not able to even imagine such evil. So I'm starting to think if Elsa is on drugs.
As the story closes, Hans tries to take advantage of the opportunity. The sisters reunite and things become good again. So goes the crazy magical story...
But all of this is pulled out of context when kids around the world who don't even know what they're saying go about singing "I don't care... right or wrong... I'm free"! And for a child who is attached to this tone of singing, it can make them very troubled and sad when they're told not to do this. All those values and manners we teach the kids just get wiped out by something like this.
I really hope that more adults (parents in particular) will pay attention to this and discourage their kids from singing this. At least it would be nice to see someone rewrite the song with a more positive approach.
Additional note: To the muslim folks out there... Please pay attention to these points and remind yourselves and your children of them:
- We accept that Allah is our Creator. In fact he is the only creator.
- We do not believe in magic. What people call magic are usually evil acts done either using the jinns (demons), or they're trickery.
- We should teach our kids acts of kindness and teach them not to hurt others. Teach them to care and share. Not to be selfish.
- The story and the song promote shirk (making partners with the creator) and this is clearly forbidden in Islam.
