day 39

I realize that I have been on this planet a great deal longer than the children I teach but I am still boggled by the fact that these children are totally clueless when it comes to good music. All fingers of blame point directly towards the parents. When raising a child you are not only responsible for their health and well being but you are also responsible for raising them to be musically savvy. Please parents do not assume that those kiddie programs on TV will do the job. I mean with the exception of Yo Gabba, Gabba. children's television programs do a piss poor job of educating children in the what qualifies as "good music".   Yo, Gabba Gabba introduces them to the artists and it is up to the parents to guide these children towards the artists body of work.  Guide them along the way parents and the children WILL listen.

I think if it were not for my own parents love of music I would probably be a Nickelback fan right about now or worse, I'd be free basing Fun Dip off of New Kids on the Block album covers. The Irish Queen schooled me in Classical as well as Opera, Swing, Jazz, Show tunes, Big Band, old school R&B, rock and roll,  folk music and so much more. The Captain was a fan of The Who, well 70's and 80's Who music but, hey that ain't so bad. He also liked The Police (not as much as me), Queen, Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Buddy Holly, Chubby Checker, David Bowie, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, The Ramones, and even Blondie. He lost me with his fondness for Meatloaf and The Village People, but we all have our guilty pleasure music.

Music has always been present in my life, lingering in the background to ease my mind.  No matter what my mood, I can always turn to music to take me away to where I need to be to feel safe. My earliest musical memory is listening to mom play Hoagy Carmichael tunes on the old stereo which was an actual piece of furniture in our household. I remember going on family outings and listening to the radio and we'd play this game. The parental units would play a mere blip of a tune and then turn the volume down and turn to me and say "Name that tune." Well 97% of the time I got the tune correct and 100% of the time I could name the musical artist. I chalk it up to that old memory of mine which I always describe as a blessing and curse.  That evil thing that is my sister was so very jealous because if I was not naming the tune, I was entertaining the grown-ups with my vocals. You know,  I still play that tune game in the car or just about any place but of course no one is asking me to "name that tune", I just name it. That could account for all those odd stares I get in the grocery store or dentist office waiting room.

When I hear a child tell me they don't know who sings a song or they don't even know the song or EVEN worse, they can't sing any songs other than the alphabet or songs we've learned in music class, I die a little inside. One young lad even told me that his daddy only listens to music in his truck and his mom never listens to music.  To me, a household without music is like a night without stars, very dark  and scary.   Well, I felt like Jack Black in the School of Rock film as I began to educate this boy.  

Now when we speak of playing music at lunch time, he often requests The Shins or Bob Dylan. He is a good kid and I certainly hope what I have taught him remains with him for eternity. How flipped was my wig when these young souls sitting my classroom confessed to me that they had never even heard of The Beatles. The Beatles!!  WHAT ARE THESE PARENTS TEACHING THESE CHILDREN!?!?!?!?  They can tell me all about Silly Bandz, what jibits go well with what Crocs and  even what Spongebob did on TV last night but not one single one of them can name an Elvis song. They are being robbed, ROBBED I tell you. I often think of calling Children's Services on these parents but I fear that wouldn't do any good. Something tells me that the employees of that establishment wouldn't know a good tune if it bit them on tukhus.



My plight is a simple one. If you have a toddler or you know someone who does, please, please, PLEASE educate them early about the dangers of listening to bad music. Life is more than The Wiggles and Barney tunes. Test the waters with those young minds and ears and expose them to high quality music for humanity sake!   If you know of someone with poor musical taste who is raising a child or even pregnant, an intervention is vitally important to that child's very existence. If you need assistance at any time, please contact me. I also have friends in the area as well as in New York, South Carolina, Florida,  California, Arizona and even, yes even Alabama who could jump in and assist with their vast knowledge of the decent music that is out there waiting to entertain young humans with delight. Stop raising your children to enjoy rubbish and start them on the righteous path today!




off to enjoy another sunny, SUNNY day!