As Lydia’s father, I tend to keep a pretty tight ear on her music. I have even gone so far as to have a playlist on the iPod called “Lydia Favorites”. Though I have tried to raise her to have good taste, the music on it is pretty disappointing. Back in my younger, cooler days, we had bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Nirvana, good music, quality stuff, passionate stuff.
Pretty much nothing recorded these days can compare.
However…
I try to pay attention to what’s playing on the Top 40 stations—you know, so that I know what kind of stuff Lyd listens to. If she mentions a song she likes, I look it up, listen to it, check the lyrics and I may or may not download it…for her.
I even go beyond that, I will actually take note of songs on my own that I think she may like and I may download the song without her even having any input. I’ll just put it on the Lydia Favorites playlist and let her discover the song on her own. If the song is something she might like but has questionable lyrics, I’ll still download it. Because, you know, she’ll grow up and be old enough to listen to it…someday.
You could say I take one for the team, like that really catchy tune from that Disney movie? The one that gets stuck in your head all the time and causes you to tap your foot to the beat? The one you absentmindedly sing to yourself?
Yeah, that one.
As a Loving father, I have downloaded that song as well and I make it a point to listen to it on my own, to, uh, again, have a better idea of the kind of music that’s out there.
Case in point, Shakira. Lyd doesn’t even know who Shakira is! Lydia knows nothing about all of the different musical genres Shakira has merged into her music, Lydia knows nothing about the unique fusion that defines Shakira’s sound. Lyd has never considered Shakira’s nicely layered and smartly composed music, or her talent as a choreographer and as a dancer. I’m certain Lyd knows nothing about Shakira’s work as a producer and as a multi-instrumentalist. But I do know these things—for Lyd’s sake and I figure she would likely enjoy that music. Granted she hasn’t really had that strong of a reaction to the Shakira songs I have played (for her, FOR HER) several times now, she’ll figure it out eventually. I’ll just keep playing her (really catchy) music—for Lydia.
Every now and then, while Lyd’s at school, I might even fire up the Lydia Favorites playlist, just to get a more solid idea about what songs I have put onto that playlist. You know, I might catch some questionable lyrics that I didn’t catch before, or something like that.
I don’t even like to admit I listen to some of this rotten music, I’d never even be caught dead listening to this stuff (scoffing, quietly pushing the iPod out of your view). But I kind of have to listen to it, you know, being a diligent parent and all. None of that stuff is really even worthy of my discerning ears. But I suppose, I gotta do what I gotta do.
Speak of the devil, Lyd’s playlist just finished playing, I better get back to chores. I guess (big heavy sigh) I ought to start the whole playlist over again (rolling my eyes). Now, where are those ear buds?
Diligence and sacrifice, that’s what this whole music thing’s about. Ooh, the Shakira song is back on, I better have another listen to it. I think she sings something about Hips and Lying in this one. Lying’s bad, I better have a listen.