Barenaked Ladies

Music has always been an important part of my life, but my guess is that most everybody can say that. I know it's nothing unique to me. The only thing that is unique (about any of us) are the memories, experiences, people, and emotions that are associated with so much of the music we listen to. The music that makes us laugh or cry, or reminds us of a certain time or place, or someone that may or may not still be a part of our lives.

I'm slightly jealous of other's music abilities. I figure my job is to appreciate other's talents. Somebody needs to be in the audience. I don't sing, couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, never played an instrument, there was never a piano in our home growing up, so no piano lessons. (sometimes I do think about breaking out my kid's lesson books, but I'm not sure I want to go down that road yet) I briefly was interested in playing the violin was I was in 5th grade, but my dad wasn't interested in listening to me practice, so that was a "no." By the 6th grade I was glad, because all my friends had to practice their instruments and do their chores before they could play, but I only had chores to do, so that was a bonus. My little brother did have the opportunity to play the trumpet. He was awesome. I was so proud of him. He was always first chair. He had a real talent for it. In college he had to pick between that and swimming and he chose swimming (he got a full ride scholarship for swimming, so it was understandable) but it broke my heart. As someone with no music talent whatsoever, it kills me to see someone waste it like that.

I grew up listening to oldies- 50's and 60's stuff- Beatles, Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, Peter Paul and Mary, Rolling Stones... to name a few. I didn't know there was anything else out there- it's just what my dad listened to. The radio in the living room belonged to him, and you didn't touch it if you valued your life. (same with the car) I still have a huge soft spot for this music. Always will. ( I spent a good portion of the 80's thinking I was born in the wrong decade, but have since learned to appreciate much of what I missed out on music-wise)

When I finally got a clock radio and realized that there were musicians out there still making music, I was floored. "We built this city (on rock and roll)" was the first song I heard, and I was in love. I mean, you know, wow. I'm just flipping through the channels and there it is. A city built on rock and roll. What a concept. In the 5th and 6th grades my bff Michelle was madly in love with one of the members of A-ha. She had all his Teen Beat and Bop magazine posters taped all over her room. She made me sing back up to her "Take on me" rendition. I still think of her every time that song comes on the radio. Those were my first memories of "experimenting" with music.

I got the best job ever (even if the pay was lousy) working in the music section at a Media Play my senior year in high school. Loved that job. Spending hours surrounded by music, and talking about music and being introduced to new types of music and being influenced by all of it. Eye opening experiences in more ways than I can count. (mostly good, but admittedly some not so) I was sad when I had to quit to move away to college, but when they opened up a new Media Play in the same town as my college, I jumped at the opportunity. (Good thing too, because that's where I met John.♥)

So suffice it to say, as a parent it's been important to me to pass along that love of music to my kids. I make them take piano lessons. And when Nick said he wanted to play the viola, I let him. And one of my dearest desires is that one of my kids will be the next Harry Connick, jr. But being the music snob that I am, I try to guide their music tastes (Beatles, Depeche Mode, Phantom of the Opera = Good; Rap and Country = Bad).

When Nick got his first stereo, I set out to buy him some CD's. That was more difficult than I expected. There's so much junk out there. I ended up in the soundtrack section and bought him the scores to Harry Potter and Star Wars, and just for fun, the Shrek soundtracks. They seemed harmless enough.

I didn't realize that some of those Shrek songs were going to give me so much grief. His three favorite songs quickly became "La Vida Loca" (Ricky Martin? Really???) "Funky Town" (disco? Are you kidding me?!?!) and "Holding Out For a Hero" (not as bad as the others, unless he ever decides he wants to belt it out in public -"...I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night, He's gotta be strong, And he's gotta be fast, And he's gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero...").

So when the Easter Bunny brought the kids itunes gift cards instead of a bunch of junk, (which I thought was pretty clever of the Easter bunny, but Madison wasn't so thrilled- she wanted a puppy) Nick looked at me and said "I still have my gift card from Santa. I just don't know what to buy."

Conundrum. He's just not that in to mainstream music (for which I am grateful- there's a lot of trash out there) I already own a bunch of more appropriate CD's I'd gladly share with him, but his tastes tend to lean a little towards the clean, upbeat, but quirky, (my music library is lacking in the quirky) and as someone who once earned a (very meager) living helping people find music, I felt a little responsible (and maybe a little OCD) about helping Nick find some new music we could both be happy about.

And then it hit me! Barenaked Ladies! (Nick was very wary about the name- I had to assure him that I, personally, had never found anything really offensive about the group or music- but I've never really looked either)

So we downloaded a few songs, and he loved them so much (especially "If I had a million dollars") that I am now totally sick of it. (Really, how many times can one listen to the same song in a row?)

(Just in case anyone is wondering, Madison is a completely different story. She's all about Hannah Montana, Jonas Bros, or basically anything with the Disney stamp on it- I am afraid to say that she most likely would have been an NKOTB fan if she had gone to jr high 20 years ago- and I was NOT!, but I encourage her anyway, because like I said, there's a lot of trash out there)