Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Some Songs Are Best Left Unplayed

So…we were negligent in our music appreciation for February.

And by “we” I mean “me”. I have been negligent.

To be fair, though, the PBA made no mention of it if it was not completed on an assigned day. I think they should totally carry half the blame.

At least a third, right?

There are days when I am simply trying to get through the basics. I have let fun stuff such as music appreciation be thrown to the wind. Or left outside to rot. Or some metaphor I am having trouble bringing to mind at the moment.

And why have I let it go? It totally makes no sense, because are finally to the 80’s. The music of my youth.

Yes, my YOUTH. The 70’s don’t really count. I was a mere infant in that decade. OK…up to age 6. But still. Was I paying attention to music then? If it wasn’t on WNAP or in my dad’s vast record collection, I guarantee I had no idea of its existence.

And yet…I was half-assing it right now (that comment is for my sweet friend SV, BTW. And for the record, I am totally back on track now. Promise.)

Sorry but it’s true. I don’t typically cuss but this is the best descriptor I can come up with at this point.

Anyway…we are back on the horse (is that right? Back on the horse…because we’re doing it again?). Well, I am claiming it. Back on the horse. We are hitting the music appreciation again.

And it feels good. If nothing else, I can now feel justified when I quiz the boys in the car “Who sang this?” and at the very least “Well, who does it at least SOUND LIKE?”

Ah…feels so good. (Just a little Chuck Mangione reference for you there…which is 1970’s but still a good reference, don’t you think?)

Well, as I said we are in the 1980s. Which sometimes introduces bands which were formed in the 70’s but didn’t come into their own until the 80’s. So we’re discussing them in the context of the 1980’s.

Recently was Van Halen. And yes, we discussed the differences between Van Halen with Roth and Van Halen with Hagar. And how some people are still not over the fact that Roth left in the first place.

I am more in the Hagar camp, while Mr. AR is in the Hagar camp. I don’t hate him for that. He also enjoys rap music. Which, as an aside, we will not really be studying in music appreciation.

OK, a little bit. We talked about Blondie and “Rapture” and it’s introduction for many people to “rap” (although not really but I don’t have time for this discussion right here)
And we talked about Run DMC. OK…I am not totally rap-opposed. Just mostly.

But I digress.

Anywho…recently we studied Van Halen. The boys didn’t have a preference in lead singer (because I am certain that you were on the edge of your seat to know)…but I think it’s mostly because they didn’t necessarily care for the music.

So…clearly in an effort to be bi-partisan, I played selections from both lead singers.

But some songs I felt were best left unplayed.

“Hot For Teacher,” to name one, just seemed wildly inappropriate.





4 comments:

  1. Have you neglected to teach them about disco, too?!

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    1. Oh no worries, Dyanne! We covered it fully in the 70's "unit"...my 11yo has got the John Travolta moves down cold.

      He also keeps advocating that we do a song by the Village People (and dress up as such...making sure to add an additional person since we are only a family of 4) for our church's Family Camp Talent Show. So that's good...

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  2. Roth all the way! They went downhill after Hagar. I could listen to Diver Down over and over and over... and I have on many occasions. :)

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    1. I'm not even sure we can be friends, Kari...let us never bring this up again.

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