Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Every Child Should Have Early Exposure To Jefferson Starship

It’s been my experience that every one thinks they have good taste in music.  This probably isn’t true, just as it isn’t true that every one looks good wearing capris, or that there’s no such thing as bad sex.

Still, I recently became the proud owner of Flogging Molly’s newest album, Speed of Darkness.  It’s been playing at my house non-stop, while Preschooler accompanies with an off-key rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” spliced with refrains from the “A-B-C” song. Hey, they really have the same melody, which probably makes my child some sort of musical genius.

Anyhow, this got me thinking about whether or not Preschooler is really aware of the music I’m playing, which then got me thinking about the first non-nursery rhyme music I became aware of.  Which is....wait for it....


Yes, Starship’s 1985 rendition of “Sara” and their later hit “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” are the earliest “real” songs I recall enjoying, and this coming from the child who once spent an entire trip to the shoe store singing the “My Little Pony” theme song.

Oh yes there was a theme song, back around 1985 or so when kid’s tv shows 
were created solely as advertising ploys.

Now, my parents were pretty liberal about playing music they enjoyed around the house, so I can only attribute my infatuation with Starship to them playing the record at home.  After all, my first record (yes, record) was Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet. Plus, I was named after the Rolling Stone’s “Angie,” and my sister’s name was inspired by Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon,” which goes to show that my parents were either kind of cool OR kind of hippies.  Probably the former. Probably.

My parents often had friends over and they’d play card games and board games, while my sister and I and their children choreographed interpretive dance routines based on whatever songs were playing on the record player. And the song that was played the most was....wait for it.... Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”

AKA Everybody Must Get Stoned

A seven-year-old that creates a dance routine to this song, complete with sequined costumes and feather headbands, should be off to a bright start.

Despite all this high culture, my own taste in music had to go through some growing pains of it’s own.....

12 comments:

Lindsay Schultz said...

I've met Craig Chaquico of Jefferson Starship. Beat THAT name drop.

Laura said...

I remember signing Elvis using my hairbrush as a microphone, tossing it down to play air guitar for my mom's girlfriends. They would pay me to stop.

SarcasmInAction said...

OHMYGOD I loved Starship!!!!

Angela@BeggingTheAnswer said...

@Sayschu - can't top that. Only star I ever met was Mark Walberg (game show host, NOT actor/rapper)

@Laura - Maybe you have a future in karaoke?

@Sarcasminaction - I STILL love Starship :)

Rhiannon said...

Ahhh memories! I am more screwed up than most people would guess. I apparently have Bob Dylan to blame. Anyhow, I hide it well, so no worries!

Ali - My Suitcase Full of Tricks said...

That's interesting food for thought. I really hope my kids don't remember the Bel Biv Devoe I have on my iPod. I do however hope they remember the ABBA dancefests we have in our kitchen.

Nicole Leigh Shaw said...

My all time fave from a childhood spent listening to my dad's classic rock is Lola. L-o-l-a, Lola. Because trannies are for all ages!

Angela@BeggingTheAnswer said...

@Suitcase - I figure my children's exposure to music I listen to will drive them to listen to the exact opposite kind of music when they get older. We can then have heated debates on what to listen to on road trips. It'll be a family bonding experience.

@Nicole - I always liked the song Lola, even though I was in college when I finally realized what they were talking about. My middle name is naive.

Handflapper said...

My almost-21-year-old son put the music on my iPod from his own collection. Dave Matthews Band. Bob Seger. Metallica. Bush. Todd Rungren. Elvis. . . Henry Mancini? Floyd Cramer???

Angela@BeggingTheAnswer said...

@Handflapper - Henry Mancini? Like Pink Panther and Baby Elephant Walk? CRAZY!

Marianna Annadanna said...

I remember so many songs! One of my favs "Bermuda, bahama, come on pretty mama..."

Angela@BeggingTheAnswer said...

@Marianna - ahhhh.... Kokomo. Back when Tom Cruise was just an ambitious bartender instead of a crazy douchebag.