I introduced my daughter to the soundtrack to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode (Once More With Feeling) a couple of days ago in the car. It's one of my favorites, both to watch and to listen to. Chock full of humor and wacky nods to well, I don't want to bore you so I'll just say that I love it. It used to be a staple in the car for B and I, but it hasn't had much play lately. I tricked Gus into listening to it over the weekend and surprise surprise, she loved it. As we were getting out of the car tonight, she said "Mommy. You must roll me a copy of that for my room." I asked, "do you mean burn? You want me to burn you a copy?" She replied, "I just want it in my room, OK???" So, I "rolled" her a copy and we rocked to it this evening at bedtime. I can still hear it playing in her room as I write this. That's my girl!
Music was always a big part of my world, right from the beginning. I never played an instrument but I can play the hell out of the radio. Ba-dum-bump! My folks always had good music on, and I remember being the only kid in Kindergarten who could name (or cared about) the Beatles. I got into an argument once with my best friend Meagan about the song "Copa Cabana" – I insisted it was 'Copa' while she remained convinced that it was 'cobra'. The first single I ever begged my mom to buy for me was "Dust in the Wind". My first album bought with my own money was Kool and the Gang. I was obsessed with Brit pop in the early 80s due to our easy access to British tv featuring Top of the Pops (we lived in Germany near a large British Army post). I was sure I would marry one of the Duran Duran boys. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" got me through a particularly rough fifth grade year (girls are MEAN!) and Prince got me through well, he still gets me through. The Cure. The Church. Psyche Furs. REM. The Replacements. All that great stuff my brother got me into in high school. My first concert was BB King. I hate Blues Traveler right down to my core. I was ticked with the gal seated in front of me sang along out loud with Johnny Mathis. Yes, I said it. I saw Johnny Mathis. I've also seen Jane's Addiction, Violent Femmes, Bad Brains and handed Bjork a plastic spider to keep in her pocket. Movie scores are a current love of mine. I walked down the aisle to "You're So Cool", Hans Zimmer's tune for the film True Romance. I could listen to the Shakespeare in Love soundtrack every day and never tire of it. Ravenous is another great one that never gets old, and still gives me the creeps every time I hear it. I just might wear out my copy of the Once soundtrack. Then there are albums which are my own personally adopted soundtracks. There's my old standard go-to disk, "Love Everything" by the Glitter Kicks, featuring my good friends Craig (best drummer of all time) and Tawni (when I grow up, can I please be T?). I flew to Chicago last summer to see a once-in-a-lifetime show with my best friend. Well, mostly to see my best friend, but also to watch Liz Phair perform her album "Exile in Guyville" live and in its entirety on its 15th anniversary (with Suz, who introduced me to that album in the first place). Though I'm not by any means a Neil Young fan, I'm back in the living room at 1001 Rhode Island with every annoying little off-key note. I love how a song can take you back into a moment right from the introduction. I hear the single opening note to "Here Comes Your Man" and I'm suddenly riding around Leavenworth with Shannon. I hear the beginning of "I Love Rock and Roll" and I'm back in third grade with Carol Cullum. We are wearing matching knickerbocker pants and singing our hearts out. There are about 85 songs I can't listen to without thinking of my mom, but the list is topped with "You Can Call me Al". And Meredith Brooks "Bitch". Not because my mom is a bitch (she isn't) but because she loves that song, and now I do too because of her.
I'm not trying to cure cancer here, I'm just sayin I love music. And I love that my girl does too. I get a kick out the fact that she can identify a Coldplay song, or that she knows the sound of Glen Hansard's voice (I love it even more that she calls him Glen Handsome). I not-at-all-secretly love that "Don't Stop Believin" fills her with joy and calms her down when she's upset. It's a great song and you know it. I'm determined that she will have a well-rounded appreciation for music. Much like my dad educated me on great stuff like the Four Tops, the Bee-Gees (before they were disco, even!) and the aforementioned Beatles (great bunch of guys, you really should check them out sometime), I want my girl to know what she likes and have an appreciation for the rest of it, even if it's stuff she doesn't care for. She's got a pretty good head start, if you ask me.
