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STORY BEHIND THE SONG: Bebo Norman’s “Britney”

Britney

“Britney” is a song about what our culture says and does to young women these days. It’s a collective apology for the struggle girls face growing up too fast in today’s overly adult-oriented world. The song confesses, “I’m sorry for the lies we told… We took you into our arms then left you cold/I’m sorry for this cruel, cruel world… /We sell the beauty but destroy the girl.” It’s about the lies we tell them about fame and money and what’s beautiful and what will give them life. It’s an apology for those lies. But more than that, it’s an invitation to the truth about a God who is bigger than the pain this world so often leaves them in.

I was up late, couldn’t sleep, watching some news channel, when yet another story about Britney Spears came on. My first instinct was to scoff and write it off, but then there was this freeze-frame shot of a look on her face of utter and absolute despair and confusion and brokenness—a look that I recognized. And I remember thinking “This girl is a child of God.” Suddenly, I saw her story not as something to mock, but as a real-life tragedy that is desperate for redemption and hope—a story not so different from any of our stories. Take away all the lights and cameras, and it’s really just a narrative of a girl so clearly in need of love, so clearly in need of the redeeming love of our God.

And suddenly, all I wanted to do was just apologize, over and over. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry...on behalf of this fallen world, on behalf of our consumerism that so consistently devours what it wants and leaves the remnants in the wake of the search for the next fix, on behalf of believers, like myself, who mock and hurl stones rather than scribbling a message in the sand.

I think that night I saw her through the eyes of Jesus for the first time. I imagined what Jesus would say to me in my darkest hour and realized that those are the words we should speak to this world, to this culture, and even to Britney Spears in their darkest hour. “I’m sorry. Hope is here.” –Bebo Norman

“Britney” can be found on Bebo Norman’s self-titled project via BEC Recordings. For more info, visit bebonorman.com.

Britney

Norman/Ingram

Britney I’m sorry for the lies we told

We took you into our arms then left you cold

Britney, I’m sorry for this cruel, cruel world

We sell the beauty but destroy the girl

Britney, I’m sorry for your broken heart

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COMMENTS

deannacook15 6/20/2009 11:39 AM

I think this song is very true! That is how society is today towards women. And I think 'Britney' describes it very well. I think it's sweet that you thought of all the women in the world and what they have to go through today. I don't understand why people have been so negative about it. By the way, I love all your songs! I like the way you write:)

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biscuit531 4/4/2009 10:24 PM

Just heard this song. Not a daily CCM listener. Interesting to see where Bebo's coming from, and it's totally valid that the culture pushes girls into early sexuality, but what do we (Bebo and other believers) have to apologize for? We weren't pushing her (or Jessica Simpson, her contemporary) into the skanky videos they've done. Both these girls talked about Jesus and their faith and their thankfulness for their success early on, but seems to me that if they didn't get sound guidance from their parents and other believers with influence in their lives back when it was obvious to anyone with eyes and ears that their songs were not pleasing to God, those are the people who should apologize. The "world" has always been associated with sin (see "world" in New Testament). Young girls have always been sexualized. (There's nothing new under the sun.) The need for repentance, it seems to me, comes when Christian parents and leaders, personally and publicly, fail to make clear to each upcoming generation that obedience to the Lord trumps all. It doesn't matter how much money you might make, how "successful" you might be, how many people will know who you are who you can influence for good (that worked out nicely, huh?) if you're singing about fornication and grinding for VH1.

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mostshy 3/15/2009 10:22 PM

Wow, Bebo. How magnanimous of you. Comfortably writing a song to Britney Spears with your irritating pseudo-philosophical attitude. At the end of the day, you are still making money using her name. And really, do you consider writing an "apology" song adequate? Is that really an apology? Why don't you call her up or make some effort toward a human connection with these women society sees as trainwrecks and whores? I suppose it might be too much for your complacent self to stomach.

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