Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Love on a Farmboy's Wages


Today I turned off the television. My children were not pleased. The poor dears had to read or color or clean their rooms. It is downright shameful the way I treat them. Shameful.

Our quiet living room was also confused. Where was the noise? The perpetual sound? It wanted, no it needed, music. How else is one to hang up loads and loads of laundry? But we're not talking just any music. We're talking vinyl. LPs. Records.

You see last week my husband found a steal of a deal at a garage sale ... a record player, with built in speakers! Now we have something on which to listen to our collection. For the past 15 years we've been hauling records from place to place to place. Yes. Records. And you know what? I love them. I love the pop and click that comes with vinyl. I love picking up the needle, sliding it over the record and gently releasing it onto the spinning surface. This action is much more satisfying than the simple push of a button. It reminds me of my brief days as a college DJ, setting a record in place and cueing up a song. And, perhaps, I am stuck in the eighties. Our collection includes David Bowie, The Psychedelic Furs, Elton John and The Sugar Cubes. Currently I'm listening to Crowded House and I just finished The Jazz Butcher.

The thing that cracks me up is my son, at twelve, also loves eighties music. He's downloaded the likes of The Clash, The Kinks, Jane's Addiction and Men at Work to his ipod.

There is a meme cavorting around Facebook that has you put your music selection on shuffle and then answer a series of questions. I thought it would be fun to do this with both my music collection and my son's collection. Strangely I found songs on my computer I didn't even know I had. Anyway - here goes ... my answers are in pink, my son's in blue.

1.) If someone says “are you okay” you say?

When I Come Around - Green Day

I Miss You - Blink 182

2.) How would you describe yourself?

Photograph - Weezer

All that I Want - the Weepies

3.) What do you like in a guy/girl?

Just Because - Jane’s Addiction

Sailor - Hem

4.) How do you feel today?

A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash

New Soul - Yael Naim

5.) What is your life's purpose?

I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash

Rose and Hips - Keren Ann

6.) What's your motto?

I Miss You - Blink 182

Beethoven’s Bagatelle in A Minor - Alfred Brendel

7.) What do your friends think of you?

Bad - U2

The City and the Traveler - Hem

8.) What do your parents think of you?

With or Without You - U2

Heart of the Matter - Moon Mountain Ramblers

9.) What do you think about very often?

Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen

Veterinary Rhythm and Blues - Jonathan Hoffman

10.) What is your biggest turn-on?

When the Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys

Wake Me Up - Norah Jones

11.) What do you think of your best friend?

Pigs in Zen - Jane’s Addiction

Drifting - Four Non Blondes

12.) What is your life story?

Close to Me - The Cure

Fly Me to the Moon - Jazzamor

13.) What do you want to be when you grow up?

Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

All that I’m Good For - Hem

14.) What do you think when you see the person you like?

Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2

Baba O’Riley - The Who

15.) What will you dance to at your wedding?

Down with the Sickness - Disturbed

Cha Cha Cha 57 - The Tao of Groove

16.) What will they play at your funeral?

Yellow - Cold Play

My Lady Blue - Eric Serra

17.) What is your hobby/interest??

Jesus of Suburbia - Green Day

The Cruise of the Dolphin Tribe - Eric Serra

18.) What is your biggest fear??

I Stand Corrected - Vampire Weekend.

The Simple Story - Jane Birkin Feat and Feist

19.) What is your biggest secret?

Santa Bring my Baby Back to Me - Elvis Presley

On Your Porch - The Format

20.) What do you want right now?

Love on a Farmboy’s Wages - XTC

Lazyhead and Sleepybones - They Might Be Giants

21.) What is your obsession?

Sweetest Thing - U2

Funky Picante - Marc Antoine

22.) What will your child's first words be?

A-Punk - Vampire Weekend

Happiness Runs - Donovan

23.) What do you say when you look in the mirror?

I Fought the Law - The Clash

North (World) - Peter Kater

24.) What is your opinion of sex?

Unless it Kicks - Okkervil River

Crying Shame - Jack Johnson

25.) What will you post this as?

Apeman - The Kinks

Espuma Bossa (acoustic mix) - Panaphonic Feat

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

your son has excellent taste in music...im a HUGE XTC fan.

but i love some crowded house too.

Anonymous said...

What a fun post!

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about this post all day.

I hope my son grows to be a bit like yours, and I hope to be as warm, loving, creative and open a mother as you are. What a fantastic thing to do together.

Anonymous said...

Heehee, that was an awesome musical list. I think you and I probably have very similar musical tastes AND I adore vinyl. Have always had a player and we use it every evening.
Is Radiohead in your collection??...that's a must on vinyl.
a.

kd said...

Thanks for leaving a comment after visiting my blog! I too have been hauling a (small) vinyl collection around with (so far) no purpose... Maybe I'll scout the garage sales this spring and see if I can get as lucky. Fun meme, too.