"This Too Shall Pass" (CD single)

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Fun videos support kid-friendly song about staying positive.
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
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this song contains nothing worrisome in the way of adult content other than one mention of the word "hell."


What's the story?

The single "THIS TOO SHALL PASS" is known as much for the music as the two hilarious videos that accompany the song. Created by the band OK Go -- a collection of four Chicago guys with a reputation for wacky music videos -- the song features two elaborate mini-films. One includes the guys dressed up in full marching-band regalia, performing the song to a growing crowd of additional marching band members that ultimately includes even the baton twirlers. The second shows a complex "Rube Goldberg machine" (an elaborate system of chain reactions, like dominoes) that was made just for the video. In fact, there's more to the videos than the song itself, which includes mostly repetitive, overwhelmingly clean lyrics about not letting the turkeys get you down. For example, "You can't keep letting it get you down / Is it really all that much to lug around / When the morning comes, let it go, this too shall pass."


Is it any good?

 

While it's no great feat of musical prowess, "This Too Shall Pass" has a feel-good tone that makes it as fun to listen to as to watch enacted on screen. Its power-pop style is reminiscent of another clean contemporary band, Weezer: both acts share driving guitar hooks and college-anthem-style lyrics that have made them fixtures on the pop-rock scene.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about music videos for songs. Why might the guys in OK Go put so much time and effort into their extremely elaborate music videos?

  • Do the videos steal some of the thunder from the songs themselves -- or help to enhance the music? Why or why not?


This review of "This Too Shall Pass" (CD single) was written by
Kid, 10 years old
February 17, 2011
 
a great message
the message they used were about letting problems not drag you down its good "great" they just use the h word but still great
What other families should know:

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 16 years old
July 3, 2011
 
Uplifting.
Seriously, there is no reason to shelter your children from music, but even if you do, there is a problem here if you don't want them listening to this song. It has an uppy tune, the video is just fun creative destruction, and it's about just letting things go. The band members are never the people you see in tabloids, and almost all of their music is uplifting.
What other families should know:

Flag as inappropriate 

This review of "This Too Shall Pass" (CD single) was written by
Artist:OK Go
Release date:March 12, 2010
Label:Capitol
Genre:Alternative Rock
Parental advisory:No

This review of "This Too Shall Pass" (CD single) was written by
 

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