Bully, Bystander, Bullied: Which One Are You?

Gr 1–8—This concept album from singer/anti-bullying activist Lyle Cogen challenges kids to determine what role they play each day in school. Two pieces, "Bully, Bystander, Bullied: Which One Are You?" and "No Put Downs," are from her one-woman musical play "Sticks and Stones." Opening with the Latin-infused production number "Bystander," Cogan shows the bystander's point of view and encourages the change necessary to become more involved to help those being bullied. "You Ain't Nothing but a Bully" is a techno-pop/rap about what motivates the bully's behavior. "Don't Laugh at Me," the pop tune/ballad by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin, gives the viewpoint of the victim of bullying. With a defiant attitude, Cogen recites the unifying poem for the album, "Bully, Bystander, Bullied: Which One Are You?" The hip-hop tune "No Put Downs" offers an alternative behavior to bullies. The album closes with the Billy Steinberg/Tom Kelly classic ballad "True Colors," adapted so it fuses the text to form a pop/rap song to appeal to a wide range of musical interests. Cogen is an impassioned, polished performer. While probably not a golden ticket solution, this could be a very useful tool in combating bullies by encouraging boys and girls to place tags on the various roles and encourage bystanders to speak up.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH