The Britney Song

I haven’t checked a celebrity gossip site in many months, maybe even a year. I do click on the occasional headline on MSN.com, my start page at work. This keeps me informed of the big stuff, but I’m not wasting my time with photos of celebrities getting their morning coffee, or constant baby bump watches. I knew I was cured of my addiction when I saw that Gwen Stefani had had another baby, and I didn’t even know she was pregnant.

So what brought about this change? Several things – going from a part time job to full time left me with less web surfing time and it just wasn’t worth the time anymore. That’s the practical answer, but the heart answer is this – Britney Spears. Her meltdown broke my heart. Until then, I had never seen the footage of paparazzi surrounding people and cars to get those shots, I had only seen the resulting photos. This footage made me sick. No wonder she runs over people’s feet! How could she not? And no wonder she was completely losing it! I had to separate myself from the whole situation. I have prayed and prayed for Britney. I know I’m not the only one.

Bebo Norman was so kind as to put his feelings about it into words, and it’s like he read my mind as well. If you get a chance, check out his new song Britney (lyrics below). Here’s what he had to say about the inspiration behind the song:

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.

"Britney"

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
We stood aside and watched you fall apart
I'm sorry we told you fame would fill you up
And money moves the man, so drink the cup

(chorus)
I know loves goes around the world, we know
And you never see it coming back
But I can see it coming back for you
It's coming back for you

Britney, I'm sorry for the stones we throw
We tear you down just so we can watch the show
Britney, I'm sorry for the words we say
We point the finger as you fall from grace

(chorus)

Britney, I do believe that love has come
Here for the broken, here for the ones like us

repeat chorus