| 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. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that there's no sex, no violence, and not even one bit of attitude in this feel-good tune. With lyrics that are all about not giving up and succeeding despite adversity, the message is one parents can't object to (unless the cliched sentiment gets on your nerves).
As is the tradition with American Idol grand finales, each final episode gives viewers a new American Idol and a new "winner's song." This is the song that is sung by the two final contestants and the first song to ultimately be released by the competitors. This season, that song is NO BOUNDARIES, a piece co-written by Season 8 judge Kara DioGuardi with Cathy Dennis and Mitch Allan. The song has become a success and a popular download for both the winner, Kris Allen, and runner-up, Adam Lambert.
American Idol is a singing contest, so for vocal aptitude and singing style, Kris Allen gets high marks on this debut. His tone is controlled and he doesn't go in for melodrama. However, the flowery platitudes in "No Boundaries" know no bounds in the cliched lyrics. Does the world really need any more metaphors about scaling mountains to achieve an aspiration? Too bad these songwriters couldn't be voted off the competition.
Families can talk about how this new American Idol differs from previous winners. What do you think of the different versions of this song? Do you prefer Allen's version or Adam Lambert's rendition? Does the thrill of the television competition help promote this song? Would you think differently about the song if it hadn't been featured on the show's finale?
| Artist: | Kris Allen |
| Release date: | May 21, 2009 |
| Label: | Sony Music |
| Genre: | Pop |
| Parental advisory: | No |