How has your children affected your music taste?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I am pretty sure I'm to be blamed for my mom's fondness for Raffi, the Gheto Boyz and Michael Jackson.

― The Macallan 18 Year, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 15:50 (eighteen years ago)

My Dad really liked "that Pulp song" I used to play that went "it coood ap-ponn.."

(Blur's The Universal.)

― Finefinemusic, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 19:55 (eighteen years ago)

It may be selfish of me, but I've done my best to keep the kiddie music out of my house aside of some Laurie Berkner and stuff from their toddler music classes. I'd much rather play them They Might Be Giants, Jonathan Richman, The Beatles or numerous other things that are fun for everyone. They have been requesting this awful Hi-5 show lately, though.

― Mr. Odd, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 21:16 (eighteen years ago)

I don't remember ever hearing "children's music" as a child - did that shit even exist in the 70s? It seems like a largely lamentable phenomenon, there's plenty of regular music kids can enjoy without having to be exploitatively marketed to.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 21:22 (eighteen years ago)

Not selfish, Mr. Odd! We do the same thing in my house. You can't help hearing a Laurie Berkner track or two when Noggin is on, but (as I said in the other thread), Belle & Sebastian and '60s Motownish soul.

― mike a, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 21:24 (eighteen years ago)

I don't remember ever hearing "children's music" as a child

I remember having Sesame Street and Electric Company albums as well as spoken-word comic book story 45s from Marvel. But, yeah, it does seem like a cottage industry sprung up in the 90s around Baby Einstein, The Wiggles, Barney, etc. *shudder*

But I do fear for the possibility that my kids will get ensnared by the endless mass music marketing from TV shows and American Idol.

― Mr. Odd, Thursday, 19 April 2007 15:54 (eighteen years ago)

spoken-word comic book story 45s from Marvel

*rushes off to eBay*

― m the g, Thursday, 19 April 2007 16:00 (eighteen years ago)

hmm yeah I guess I had Muppets/Sesame Street/Disney stuff as a child. Somehow that material seems different though.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 19 April 2007 16:13 (eighteen years ago)

Somehow that material seems different though.

Urgh, Disney. Well, it shouldn't feel different (aside from the fact that the insufferable Elton John / Randy Newman pair have monopolized Disney theme songs). Hasn't it always been calculated for mass appeal, artistic merit be damned? Of course that's true for some huge percent of released music I suppose.

It only feels different because it was OUR childhood. Rose colored glasses and whatnot.

― Mr. Odd, Thursday, 19 April 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

As a teenager, I tried pretty hard to make my musical tastes rub off on my parents, who mostly listen to golden oldies, showtunes and cowboy songs. They also bought The Joshua Tree and Graceland back in the 80s, but hey didn't we all?

Despite my best efforts Anthrax, the Ramones, the Toasters and many other phases failed to make much of an impression. The most positive response I got was my mom's reaction to Phish: "I don't quite understand it, but at least it's musical."

Apparently my sister has got my dad listening to Sufjan Stevens, but only based on the tenuous point of reference that they're both from Michigan.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 19 April 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

"It only feels different because it was OUR childhood. Rose colored glasses and whatnot."

you're probably right, it may just be a question of scale in that there's so much MORE marketed to kids now. Also I never conceived of any of the makers of those childhood products of mine as distinct personalities - they weren't a BAND or a group of weird adults (like the Wiggles or the Doodlebops), they were either puppets or cartoon characters. (Did the Electric Mayhem even put out any records? The music just seemed like a natural part of other formats - a variety show, a movie, a cartoon).

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 19 April 2007 16:29 (eighteen years ago)

spoken-word comic book story 45s from Marvel

*rushes off to eBay*

The few of these I have are DC characters, and LPs not forty-fives! I've got a Batman one and a Superman one! Not very good stories, though.

― ian, Thursday, 19 April 2007 18:23 (eighteen years ago)

Hmmm.. is my Alfred E Numann "It's a Gas" flexi worth anything now?

― factcheckr, Thursday, 19 April 2007 19:51 (eighteen years ago)

I still like 'Kiss the Girl' from some mermaid type disney film

― roger whitaker, Friday, 20 April 2007 02:01 (eighteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.