BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Bloomington High School North's marching band isn't taking any risks when it appears on national television for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

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Band Members React To Decision

Band leaders decided not to play Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as part of the group's routine for the parade because of the child molestation charges against the pop superstar.

Band director Thomas Wilson told the New York Times that "Thriller" would not be "appropriate for the morals and the ideals and the sense of pride that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade represents."

RTV6's Jennifer Carmack caught up with the band members and their parents Sunday as they were boarding buses for the trip to New York.

"We wanted the attention on these terrific teens who have worked hard to get here and are playing great music. Let's not worry about what song they're playing," band booster President Legene White said.

The band will now play John Mellencamp's song "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."

"When Mr. Wilson was changing our show, we were like, 'How are we going to do this?' but it's worked out fine," band member Caitlin White said. "We just wanted it to be about the music, and about our show, and about us being there, and it's so awesome that we didn't want that distraction, and that's kind of why we chose to do the other piece."

Only 12 bands in the country were picked to march in the parade, Carmack reported.