“Thing Two, get your laundry out of the dryer and put it away.”
That’s different than, “get your laundry out of the dryer and imprison it in the guest room…”
“Thing Two, get your laundry out of the dryer and put it away.”
That’s different than, “get your laundry out of the dryer and imprison it in the guest room…”
I suppose some backstory is appreciated if not required for this post. Growing up, I feel like music was playing more often than not. My parents had a record player and the corresponding albums. One of my weekly chores was to dust the downstairs. I wasn't a fan A) being allergic to dust and B) because my parents had ... ornate? complicated? annoying lamps with glass bumps all over them and metallic swirls and man, those babies could be called the original Dustcatchers. Anyway, dusting is a chore I simply couldn't abide performing without music, so every Saturday morning I'd play ABBA, Mary Poppins, Godspell, Oliver, the Muppets Christmas album or what have you. My brother and I got really good at recognizing when it was going to skip and being in ready position to head that off. Generally lots of musicals to help me tackle all our bookshelves.
At some point I acquired a small boombox. Bright blue and yellow with *gasp* a cassette player! Wheeee! So then it was Jive Soweto, Three Dog Night, Billy Joel, the Cure Mixed Up, Led Zeppelin IV (Zoso), and so on. Also listened to when I did the dishes, which was regularly as my brother did the floors because we hated doing the opposite chore.
My Dad listened to classical, my Mom listened to jazz. I have a very fond memory of sitting in their yellow kitchen with my friend Joe who stopped her to ask what tape she was playing. It was Chick Corea and we sat in silence to listen. He was amazed, and I'd taken it for granted that everyone grew up listening to everything. My brother loved the Beatles and told me once that he really wasn't a big fan of female singers. I was a bit offended, but in looking at the following list of songs that come on Pandora and I squeal, "it's my SONG!" he may have a point. The station I've named Iko Iko that is one of my all time favorite stations played these songs while I kept a list so I could share:
1. The Dixie Cups- Iko Iko (hence the station's name)
2. The Tokens- Wimoweh!!!
3. Michael Franti- Good Day for a Good Day
4. Bobby McFerrin- Don't Worry, Be Happy
5. Tim Tim- Rum'n'cocacola
6. John Mellencamp- Hurts So Good
7. Bobby Day- Little Bitty Pretty One
8. Men At Work- Down Under
9. Tracy Chapman- Give Me One Reason
10. Bill Withers- Lean on Me
11. Chuck Berry- You Never Can Tell
12. Paul Simon- the Obvious Child
13. The Proclaimers- I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
14. Eurythmics, Annie Lennox & Dave Stewart- Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
15. Harry Belafonte- Angelina
It got to the point where I was trying to predict what would be played next. Some other regulars are Jimmy Buffett, Caro Emerald, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot.
Other "very favorites" would be:
Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel
Brown Eyed Girl by Ka'au Crater Boys
The Sound of Silence by Disturbed
Jump In the Line by Da Vinci's Notebook
Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
(here comes "Come on, Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners as I'm typing, and I can hear my menfolk joining in from the other room)
Nadine (and Maybellene as well) by Chuck Berry
Mary Lou by Ronnie Hawkins
I've always had a soft spot for "oldies", even pestering my boss at my old Wendy's job to please, please, please change the station to oldies because if I have to hear Paula Cole one more time someone is gonna get hurt. Oldies are bouncy and short and fun and make you want to dance.
Should I be worried that so many of these are about cheating or sketchy lovers? *giggle* Cecilia, Tainted Love, Nadine, Maybellene, Mary Lou, Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon, haha. Goodness. I'm sensing a trend.
Another huge favorite genre has been sea shanties. If you're looking for some good ones besides the Wellermen, I recommend Nathan Evans, Sail North, and Home Free. But man, if you only have time for one, don't miss this one:
If the artist's percussion and/or bass isn't felt in my sternum, I'm not convinced they're doing it right. We've turned that song up as far as it will let us, sat on the kitchen counter, and felt it vibrate all through our bodies. Incredible. Disturbed's cover of "The Sound of Silence" is similar in my mind- I'm so impressed by his control and power.
Anyway, I tell the kids regularly that they're going to have to play this station for my funeral reception/wake/whatever. They may not all be appropriate, but they'll be bouncy and fun and people will be singing along! What more could I ask? 😁"It's my song!"
Not much to report as we're in various stages of "my throat is getting scratchy" and "I can't breathe out of the right side of my head" and "I didn't sleep well last night." Germs are making their rounds, again, and I'm slated to be in preschool next week so I'm trying to get everyone healthy here before bringing home fresh, new germs. Dada's been in town, which is always nice, and the sun is attempting to shine more brightly, which is definitely welcome. It's not supposed to be above freezing here at night for at least the next week, so we'll take our wins where we can get them. I can't WAIT to rescue my sundresses from winter storage, but I know we have a ways to go yet. Some of us are counting down the days until spring break, which don't align this year, so I'll be up early every morning anyway. It's all good. Thankful for heat and sunshine and spring flowers and hot, running water and friends who send funny texts and that we have lots of boxes of tissues. And for cheese.
Sorry, everybody, about not blogging for awhile. The reasons are twofold.
One, I kinda forgot I had a blog. Thing Three's been on the computer a lot and I have books to read and seeds to think about (not that I've started any yet- eep!) and there's been some fun things on Netflix I've been checking out.
Two, I've been subbing a lot. Our teachers have been out with GI issues and sinus infections and covid, so I spent at least some of every day last week in preschool and am slated to spend some time in Kindergarten this week. Wash your hands. It's germy out there! By some miracle we have stayed healthy but I probably shouldn't speak that out into the universe. Time to open the windows and get some fresh air and sunshine!