Monday, February 2, 2009

A Lesson in Musical Diversity

Before the Test That Consumed My Life happened, I was working on a portion of my New Year Anti-Resolution. That particular project involved tackling the massive amounts of debris reproducing in my basement. The project started out innocently enough, as I sifted through haphazard boxes that took up residency there when we moved in four years ago. At about box number three, I found the music. I spent hours and hours sorting through CD’s, reuniting orphaned discs with their dusty delinquent parental-unit cases. This duty required extensive trips down memory lane, some glorious and some so nauseating that it made me throw up in my mouth a little.

It wasn’t all that disturbing to find decades worth of music in my basement. What was disturbing was to locate a plethora of CD’s from the 90’s. A decade old and not only do I own them, but I remember when they were popular. You might as well knock me over, put support hose on me and paint the blue eye-shadow on, as I am sailing straight into old age.

The exhilarating bonus to locating all of this music is that I have found myself in a never-ending supply of new music. Admittedly, all music that I am not nearly cool enough to be listening to. Verve Pipe. Phish. Sublime. Rusted Root. Talking Heads. Pearl Jam. Seriously, who was the person that took my musical-taste hostage in 1996? At least I've been overwhelming entertained by this historic journey through my alter-ego.

Incidentally, Kate has recently moved from the random-inquisitive-stage to the questioning-everything-freaking-possible-until-mom’s-head-spins-180 degrees-stage. Not surprising is that Kate’s obsession with questioning has included music. What song is this mom? Who sings this mom? What song is this? I said what song? Who sings this song mom? Needless to say, I've answered more than my fair share of these questions over the past few weeks.

Over the weekend, we were driving down the road and Kate nonchalantly says, “I want to listen to the Smashing Pumpkins.”

Excuse me.

My first thought is the myriad of people who do not know that the Smashing Pumpkins are indeed a musical group. What exactly are they going to think of my wild three-year old asking for Smashing Pumpkins? I am assuming that it will be the proverbial nail in the coffin, an affirmation to what they already believe about the parenting taking place in this house.

On second thought, on the premise that they are familiar with the Smashing Pumpkins, perhaps worse assumptions could be made about both our parenting style and Miss Kate’s musical taste.

12 comments:

Ann Imig said...

Lyndsay. I'm a total music nerd. Not a cool-I-know-all-about-music-nerd, more of a completely-unhip-have-never-downloaded music nerd.

C. Beth said...

Ha! I'm sorta like Ann, not really into music. But I still think it's awesome that Kate likes the Smashing Pumpkins. And probably at least as acceptable than Chickie pointing out various Simpsons characters on merchandising in the stores, and calling them by name. I have serious mommy guilt that my daughter knows who Homer Simpson is and is excited to see him.

Everyday Goddess said...

Smashing Pumpkins, did 1979 right? That's a good one. Good thing she isn't into Nirvana.

Unknown said...

Hehe wait til she wants Godsmack and Metallica- sorry I never went the crappy kiddy music route with my kids. (Yep, I'm one of THOSE moms.)
Somehow they have become concerned, giving individuals that I can be totally proud of.

Rachel Cotterill said...

When I was at primary school (somewhere aged between 4 and 10, but I'm honestly not sure where on that spectrum) I asked my parents, in all seriousness, whether there were any songs that weren't hymns or nursery rhymes. Because it seemed a bit of a waste if there weren't any. (Music I knew included Chopin, Holst, Beethoven, etc... not a lot of words there!)

Anonymous said...

Hey it could be the Backstreet Boys or something...or heaven forbid....barney.....so go with the Smashing Pumpkins....there's certainly worse choices......
However, I may not be the best person to ask since my summer plans include Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish, Ben Harper and the Relentless7, and whoever else on the Bonnaroo lineup looks interesting.......

Crazy Mo said...

The Husband has quite an eclectic music library. It ranges from AC/DC to Tchaikovsky. The Girl seems to have inherited her father's tastes. Maybe it's hereditary. It will be interesting to see (hear?!) what Kate listens to when she's older.

Call Me Cate said...

I'm totally down with Kate's tastes. Who doesn't love Smashing Pumpkins? I'm sure the name really struck her as awesome.

Our cd collection includes many of the bands you listed. And so many others I would never admit to in public. Or on my blog.

Special K said...

I love it! I was introduced to Rusted Root early in college and came across them in concert at a music fest many years later. I was way too excited to sit on the bleachers and hear them for free:) But it was aw-some!

Divine Chaos said...

I wouldn't worry too much about Smashing Pumpkins (my daughter is 10 and likes them too, by the way). My daughter asks for Jimi Hendrix, Lynard Skynard, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc. .. *ahem* I have no idea why.

Yellow Beads said...

that's funny! We dont' listen to more than Disney songs (not my choice!)

Kristin said...

My 3 year old asks for specific Ben Folds songs by name (he loves Zak and Sara and Hiroshima). He loves music, and I also completely skipped the kid-music stuff. Thank goodness! We have a 30 minute commute together morning and evening, and if I had to listen to Barney, I might drive us right off the road.