SkimIt
Artist(s): Little Big Town
Genre: Country
Label: Capitol
Release Date: 07/30/2012
Edited Version Available: Yes
Parental Advisory: No
Other Choices: "Drunk on You" (CD Single), "Take a Little Ride" (CD Single), "Springsteen" (CD Single)
Common Sense Says: Summery country party tune is fun; some drinking.
Common Sense Rates It:
Parents need to know
Parents need to know that "Pontoon" is the first No. 1 single for country group Little Big Town. Musically, the song has a catchy but lazy-summer-days feel to it. The band members sing about sunning, swimming, and drinking with friends. There's no violence, cursing, or sexual language, but the song celebrates the enjoyment of swimming and boating in combination with alcohol, which sets a poor example for kids.
- Families can talk about the dangers of drinking while enjoying water and water sports. What consequences are possible with this mix?
- What's appealing about the atmosphere created in this song?
- Do you think songs about drinking make kids want to drink alcohol? Why or why not?
What's the story?
"PONTOON" is the first No. 1 single for the country group Little Big Town. The music has a relaxed, summery feel, and the lyrics portray friends enjoying a lazy cruise on a pontoon (a flat-bottomed boat) on a hot day, so characters jump in the water and drink beer from a cooler.
Is it any good?
Little Big Town's song "Pontoon" has a nice, relaxed vibe and summery feel. Musically, the guitar and mandolin picking of Jimi Westbrook and Philip Sweet add interest to this catchy tune. Lyrically, "Pontoon" is a sunny party song about cruising on the water, swimming, and drinking with friends. Many parents may find this pleasant-seeming scene gives kids the wrong idea about consuming alcohol while enjoying water sports -- a dangerous combination.
The Good Stuff
Messages: "Pontoon" has an enjoyable, summery party vibe. It's a feel-good song about cruising on a pontoon, swimming, and drinking with friends. Parents may be concerned about the positive spin on combining boating and swimming with alcohol.
Role Models: The characters in the song -- and in the video -- are happy and relaxed, enjoying a day on the water with friends. However, they combine drinking alcohol with boating and swimming, which sets a poor example for kids.
What to watch out for
Violence Not an issue
Sex: Not an issue
Language: Not an issue
Consumerism: The lyrics tell the listener: "Reach your hand down into the cooler / Don't drink it if the mountains aren't blue." This is a reference to the Coors beer can on which the mountains on the label look blue when the beer is cold.
Drinking, drugs & smoking: Characters in "Pontoon" drink beer while boating and swimming. There's a veiled but definite reference to Coors beer, and in the video for the song, the female singers drink from margarita glasses.
