Brent and I started the morning off with a live Killers cut, "T in the Park." I love the younger, angst-y vibe that comes from that era of their music. In one song in particular, I swear I could hear the Cure's influence. There was a distinct, Robert Smith quality in the vocals which led me to think of all the great Cure songs I listened to as an adolescent. Just Like Heaven? My thoughts exactly.
Itunes then skipped around and played some GREAT, classic Simple Minds, "Let There Be Love" and "See the Lights." Two of their best. Followed those up with a little R.E.M., "The One I Love," and Led Zeppelin, "Thank You" to round it out. Ahhhh. Nostalgic? Perhaps. Flipping good quality music? Definitely.
A sure sign of aging is complaining about the modern music. Well I must be getting old, because they don't really build them like they used to. One can hardly compare One Direction's "Forever Young" with Alphaville's or Prince's "Lets Go Crazy" for that matter. If the world IS going to end, I would much rather it did to a Prince song. And let's not even talk about "Purple Rain." A true masterpiece. Yes, I'm getting impatient, old and crochety. Pretty soon, I'll be quoting my dad, "What is the crap?"
There's the rare exception, but for the most part, I shudder to think of the musical influences in my kids life--shallow, repetitive, lameness. I couldn't call myself a mother should I fail to attempt a proper musical education. (December was the KILLERS month after all--nothing but the Killers played in the car.) But so far, it's just not taking.
I DO also understand that I have to allow for my kids to find their own soundtrack to life. Unlike me, they are children of the 21st century.
But for me, on this bright, frosty morning, I salute those bands and artists who provided (and continue to provide) the soundtrack to my life. My love for all of the great 80's bands, the hair bands, the modern/alternative bands who made sense of things for me--none more so than the Smiths who single handedly got me through adolescence--tops the list. But, I'm also grateful for the corny crooning of Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Frank Sinatra and others who provided a great backdrop for childhood in the 70s, as well as the few bands now, (Coldplay, The Killers) who still, in spite of everything, continue to BRING IT!
I never could sing, but I could always feel--deeply. The fact that these artists could do both and give it back to me made all the difference. So, in gratitude I simply echo another great, ABBA, and say:
"Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me."
ROCK ON!
