"1 + 1" (CD Single)

Review

Common Sense Media says

Love song uses violent metaphors to describe feelings.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the single "1 + 1" doesn't include profanity or overtly adult content, but it does contain some strong metaphors about shooting, fighting, and violence (in relation to being in love), and it repeats the line "make love to me" several times throughout the song. Overall, these traits make the tune too mature for younger ears.

  • Positive messages0
    Mostly a message about loving someone a lot, mixed in with somewhat disjointed metaphors about fighting and dying: "And I don't know when I'm gonna die, but I hope that I'm gonna die by you / And I don't know much about fighting, but I know I will fight for you / Just when I ball up my fist I realize that I'm laying right next to you."
  • Positive role models0
    No role model behavior one way or another, just a description of being in love.
  • Violence2
    A gun metaphor used to describe falling in love: "I don't know much about guns, but I've been shot by you." Strong metaphors about shooting, fighting, and violence.
  • Sex2
    Several lines about "making love."
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What's the story?

Beyonce's power-ballad "1 + 1" debuted on the finale of the 2011 season of American Idol and is featured on her full-length record, 4. The song is squarely about love, only with an unusual twist: It employs aggressive metaphors about shooting, fighting, and death to get its points across. Though there's no profanity or extremely graphic descriptions, the violent overtone and repeated references to "making love" are things that parents will want to consider before allowing younger kids to listen to the song. 

Is it any good?

 

As usual, Beyonce's incredible pipes make this track a cut above the rest. While the standard piano-based slow-song arrangement is nothing extraordinary, it's still a pretty tune that will strike at the hearts of all those who are suckers for a good love song.  

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about how Beyonce uses violent examples to describe her feelings for the person she loves. Does feeling like you've "been shot" by someone you love seem like a healthy way to feel?

  • Why do you think so many songs compare love to violence? What's the connection?

This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese

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This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
Artist:Beyonce Knowles
Type:Single
Release date:May 25, 2011
Label:Columbia
Genre:R&B
Parental advisory:No
Edited version available:No
This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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