Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Save me from Divorce!

Monkey comes with me to campus everyday 5 days a week. Which means we spend alot of time together in the car, listening to either the radio or my musical tastes, which I have no problem are decidedly pop. Trust me when I say, I like music, but know very little about it. As in a long time ago, I was all whatev about R.E.M and saying I don't even like their stuff, when Mr.SM pointed out I was singing along to their music. I looked at him (I'm not lying) and said thats R.E.M?

Mr.SM still gets frustrated with me for not knowing about certain Allstars Jazz to blues to Rap (which seriously I don't understand, we've been together for over ten years, has he not realized I know nothing about music or sports??? why be freaking surprised). You name the genre he knows about it. He LOVES musics, as he tells me on a regular basis, death metal got him through his teenage years. Just to make the dichotomy of our tastes clear, Mr.SM grew up in the middle of no where listening to Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica. I grew up in the middle of suburbia listening to Wham/George Micheal and Madonna. Last year when I could only afford to go to one concert, it killed me to have to choose between them. When I asked my husband if he wanted to go to George Micheal he responded that I couldn't drag him there with wild horses.

Which is not say that he doesn't appreciate pop. He was amused that monkey can sing along to Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga. That he will sing usher on his own (really how hard is usher).
However if he finds out that monkey was singing along to this:


I am pretty confident he will divorce me. So I need y'all to suggest child friendly music to listen to on our commute. I need music that will not make me want to kill myself, but also not filled with profanity, degrading to women etc. I pretty much like anything except metal. Suggestions would be appreciated.

I would just like to clarify that I do not want any child-targeted music. I will lose my mind (especially right now) if I have to listen to a modern day version of the mini-pops. Nor do I want monkey's musical education to be as poor as mine. I envy individuals who grew up in families that could appreciate music. I intend to put the little guy into guitar lessons etc. I just have an issue with him singing about brushing his teeth with a bottle of Jack or how he wants to smack that ass...

I know hard!

So far I'm thinking, K'naan, bob dylan, sloan, dixie chicks, feist.

11 comments:

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

It's so hard to suggest individual artists to people whose tastes you don't know! I will second K'Naan (LOVE HIM), and if you like him, you might like K-OS (also Canadian). Um, the Killers, Gomez, especially their earlier stuff, Punch and the Apostles, Socalled, Delhi 2 Dublin...

I'm finding that the best way to find new artists I like is through podcasts. Try the CBC Radio 3 master list or whatever it's called (the one with all the different programmes combined) - a mix of every genre you can imagine. I'm also subscribed to everything broadcast by IndieFeed (different podcasts for different genres), The Current Song of the Day, KEXP Song of the Day, and Bands Under The Radar.

Becca said...

I view one of the perks of parenthood that I can now listen to all the They Might Be Giants I could ever want. They sing about SCIENCE! Highly monkey-friendly.

queerscientist said...

I second the They Might Be Giants recommendation!

I'm not sure if you're looking for kid specific/friendly music that isn't obnoxious, but in that vein, this compilation cd looks good:
http://www.desotorecords.com/shop/pl.shtml

And this shop sells kids music by decent bands:
http://www.pokeypup.com/

ScientistMother said...

Cath - K-os is a good choice! My taste is pretty much anything. I'll give CBC radio3 a try.

Becca - hmm, not sure about They Might Be Giants. I'll keep an open mind though.

queescientist - NO KID MUSIC!! I can not stand that stuff. I actually think it is worse then barney. OMG if anyone suggests Justin Bieber I will puke on their shoes. Nope, I want good music that I will enjoy and that is actually good ie Mr.SM isn't going to think its the equivalent of britney spears/Kesha.

Cath@VWXYNot? said...

OK I'm listening to Punch and the Apostles right now and revoke my recommendation - definitely not kid-safe (awesome for adults though!)

When I was a kid I loved listening to my parents' Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel albums in the car.

queerscientist said...

I'm with you on the kid music genre, but, but, but! They Might Be Giants' kid music is really fun, and I'm a big fan of the (adult) music by many of the musicians on the compilation.

As for non Kesha, kid friendly music: Mates of State, Rilo Kiley, Lauryn Hill.

Anonymous said...

Marina and the Diamonds is melodic and generally without objectionable language.

canuck_grad said...

Barenaked Ladies and Jack Johnson... both actually have kiddie albums that are not at all obnoxious, but their regular stuff is good too... our Little Man likes Be My Yoko Ono and Enid. Also The Beach Boys and The Beatles... ummm.... just skimming through my itunes here and random songs are popping out to me as ones kids might like to sing along to... old stuff like Rock around the Clock, No Rain by Blind Melon, River of Dreams by Billy Joel. Our Little Man also loves Christmas music, and since X-mas still regularly asks for Run Run Rudolph by Chuck Berry when he's in the car lol. Maybe you should ask Mr. SM to make you some mixed CDs.

ScienceMama said...

Dammit. I just had a whole bunch of things listed and blogger ate my comment.

In summary:
-THE BEATLES (!)
-Old School Rap ("It's tricky", Will Smith)
-80's pop ("99 luftballoons", "Take on me")
-U2
-REM ("It's the end of the world as we know it")
-Also, I *heart* Neko Case... it's not exactly exciting for kids, but it's not profane
-The New Pornographers (despite their name, no profanity that I can think of)

Samia said...

Jazz is good stuff. I'm in the middle of becoming re-obsessed with Nat King Cole and Betty Carter. Motown?

ScientistMother said...

Cath - Simon and Garfunkel is an excellent idea, which reminds me about Neil Diamond.

CanuckGrad - chuck berry I can do, blind melon is yucky yucky yucky. Cds? What are cd's???! hahah. Mr. SM would make me the compilation, except all our music is on my computer, which I'm using to study and write my grant with. Plus, he would indoctrinate my little monkey to love Ozzy and other death metal bands...puke puke puke.

ScienceMama - Will smith is an awesome suggestion!

Heard at the dinner table "omg, i'm gonna love you down...."