Monday, September 21, 2009

Saxophones and Synthesizers

We take in and put out a whole lot of music here in the Jones house. The girls have always just gone along with it. Every once in a while we throw in a kid's song, but for the most part they hear what we like. This way, when they latch onto a song and want to hear it over and over, it's usually something awesome and nobody minds listening again. For the most part, they like what we put on. Their favorite bands happen to be our favorite bands, too. No quarrels at the DJ booth.
But Mazzy, at five, is just beginning to develop a musical taste that's distinct from ours. There's been something cooking since she first heard "Beat It." (Which we now perform regularly with Maz on the electric guitar and me on Micheal's part. We've almost got it down.) Couple that with the fever pitch she puts on when she sings "Eye of the Tiger" on Rock Band. I didn't really catch on until the other day when a song I didn't recognize came on the car radio. A little dramatic spacey intro led into some funky horn-heavy synth rock. She kept asking me what it was and I couldn't tell until the chorus. It was this,

and she was rocking as hard as one can rock while strapped into a five-point harness. That's when it hit me: this kid LOVES eighties music. Well, what's not to love? The acid-wash, the boppy dances, the catchy tunes, the hair?!
So we've been having some fun with that (though we're trying to keep our hair out of it). We use Pandora to keep a fresh supply of sing-along hits coming. It's like when I was young and my mom would always have the oldies station on. These are our golden oldies. Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Hall & Oates, INXS, it's been an all-out revolution. We even borrowed SpaceCamp from the library, just to round out the experience. She's not quite ready for Dirty Dancing.
We invite you to come along on our little trip down memory lane. Comment your favorite eighties song or movie or line from a movie or whatever. I might bestow a hand-knit gift on one of you.
One of her newest favorites is "Voices Carry." I think I'd go with "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" if I had to pick one.
Loving the mohawks and mullets!

9 comments:

Madge said...

oh my goodness, the 80's. I know I'm getting on because I love the music from my childhood - the 80's. Hard to pick because it's all so awesome. For some Australian inspiration check out Men at Work, Dragon, Ganggajang and The Hoodoo Gurus. Have fun!

Margret said...

sorry, was logged in to my inactive account for my message above. I also love "One Perfect Day" by The Little Heroes and all Talking Heads

momcnl said...

Love the eighties. My greatest childhood memories are in the eighties. Dibbie Gibson was a fave and Tiffany. However,I rocked out to Madonna, Cyndy Lauper, Wham, Michael Jackson. I remember being so darn happy my BIG sister bought me my first tape and it was Madonna. How very wonderful to be able to rock out wih the one of your most loved ones :)

Sister Goldenhair said...

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me. Time after time.

I have a tape recording of me singing this at the ripe old age of three, cuteness abounds. Now my ten year old son serenades me with it time after time.

Amy said...

My very first tape was Whitney Houston. "I wanna dance with somebody"... I would sing it all the time. I also loved the Pointer Sisters, Barbara Mandrell & Phil Collins. Clearly I was mainly exposed to my parents music. My dad used to come home and bump "I can feel it coming in the air at night..." in his truck while I would dance in the pickup bed. I can remember it like it was yesterday.

mhp said...

um, not quite in the same vein, but thinking of music in the eighties made me think of fifth and sixth grade sleep overs and daring each other to yell the words to 'welcome to the jungle' out the window in the middle of the night....we danced a lot to tiffany and debbie gibson and belinda carlisle too...

Mrs. Jones said...

OK, eighties ladies, Mazzy picked one name from the six of you and the winner is...Sister Goldenhair!
Some rocking fingerless gloves will be coming your way just in time for cold weather.
Thanks for playing.

dariasquirrel said...

ok, i missed out on the game, but i sometimes get "come on eileen" stuck in my head (dexy's midnight runners) or what about basically any of culture club? "church of the poison mind" or "it's a miracle" are goodies. adam ant might be fun to dig up again. wow, i'm getting insipired to take a trip back...OH- haircut 100 "love plus one" another goody...god, help me....

afunhouse said...

Oh! I have 4 girls and we are reliving the 80's music here, too! The beats are so danceable and lyrics so singable! Lately, favorites here are Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper and Love Cats by the Cure! But, were eating it all up- Prince, Wham, Boy George, The Smiths, Psychedelic Furs.....so good!