In my ear
About two months ago, out of the blue, I stopped listening to country music. I was driving along, listening to a pop radio station, when I realized, "Hey, I like this song." That thought turned into a stream of thoughts about how limited my musical preferences have been for so long, and what that says about me. I decided that I did not want to be so narrow, so confined. It didn't feel like "me."
I started listening to country in the early 90's, as sort of a backlash against the "Seattle Sound." Based on a few personal experiences with musicians of that era, I wanted nothing to do with grunge or it's trappings. (I still despise Pearl Jam but developed an acceptance of Nirvana after KC died -- probably because there would not be any more forthcoming) I spent my weekends dancing to live R&B and the rest of the time I listened to pop country.
Even after marrying the Music Nazi (according to HL), I did not expand my repertoire. In fact, it contracted. Odd thing for a music store owner, and I knew it. But I seemed helpless to change. I became more and more entrenched in this one limited sound until I was simply listening to the same 8 or 10 CDs over and over.
So what am I listening to now? I tune in to a couple of different radio stations. The song I heard was Jack Johnson's Upside Down, so I have been listening to the Curious George soundtrack a lot. Sam knows all the words. And Steve has this great Motown remix CD in his car.
(How dorky is it for a 40 year old mother of two to drive around in a convertible with the top down cranking War?)
I have also been flipping through the other CDs in the changer, giving them a chance. I'm just more... open. Open to new sounds, which may be old and common to everyone else. Open to remembering when I wasn't so closed down. Open to being open.
I started listening to country in the early 90's, as sort of a backlash against the "Seattle Sound." Based on a few personal experiences with musicians of that era, I wanted nothing to do with grunge or it's trappings. (I still despise Pearl Jam but developed an acceptance of Nirvana after KC died -- probably because there would not be any more forthcoming) I spent my weekends dancing to live R&B and the rest of the time I listened to pop country.
Even after marrying the Music Nazi (according to HL), I did not expand my repertoire. In fact, it contracted. Odd thing for a music store owner, and I knew it. But I seemed helpless to change. I became more and more entrenched in this one limited sound until I was simply listening to the same 8 or 10 CDs over and over.
So what am I listening to now? I tune in to a couple of different radio stations. The song I heard was Jack Johnson's Upside Down, so I have been listening to the Curious George soundtrack a lot. Sam knows all the words. And Steve has this great Motown remix CD in his car.
(How dorky is it for a 40 year old mother of two to drive around in a convertible with the top down cranking War?)
I have also been flipping through the other CDs in the changer, giving them a chance. I'm just more... open. Open to new sounds, which may be old and common to everyone else. Open to remembering when I wasn't so closed down. Open to being open.
posted by Beth at 10:05 PM
3 Comments:
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I don't think a 40yr. old mother of two driving a convertible cranking War is dorky at all. It's us 40yr. old dads that will get tagged with "mid-life crisis". You go girl.
BTW - the url to my blog is http://www.wilmart.org/steve/blog
Love,
The "Music Nazi"
Funny how stuff like that is regional, isn't it?
I wouldn't listen to country here - for similar reasons to why you rejected the "seattle thing" - it's the music of default here and I am very weary of the fakers.
I prefer R&B. Funk, soul, disco - gimme something I can groove to.
In the car, we listen to classic rock, 80's pop or NPR.
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