Words of Wisdom

Music is a big deal in our family, but Diana and I tend to be on different ends of the spectrum when it relates to what we enjoy listening to. To put it in perspective, when we got married ten years ago, we each contributed a few hundred CDs to our combined collection with almost no duplicates.

So, when we had children they were exposed to an incredibly wide variety of musical genres and artists, from which they have chosen certain songs that they especially enjoy. I must admit that they tend to take more pleasure in Diana’s music than mine, but there is still a good mix of both.

For today’s top ten list, I thought we could construct a mix tape for our girls consisting of some of the songs that they enjoy from each of our collections. These songs are all “adult,” meaning that I’m not including any nursery rhymes or those vocalized by singing vegetables.

10. Duran Duran – (Reach Up for the) Sunrise – This tune comes from their 2004 album, Astronaut, which Diana had around the time Rachel was born. It has a catchy chorus and even when Rachel was a baby she showed some affinity for it, raising her hands in the air when the band sang, “Reach up for the sunrise…”

9. The Avett Brothers – Die Die Die – The Avett Brothers have an interesting sound, one that I’ve heard classified as “nu-grass” due to their use of a banjo. I guess it should be a bit disturbing to me, though, to hear Bekah sing “Die, Die, Die” over and over…

8. Journey – Separate Ways – Journey is Diana’s favorite band, but she tells me the girls don’t ask for this much anymore. I know, though, that Rachel loves to sing along with the chorus of this song (though she doesn’t know the words and usually makes it up as she goes).

7. White Stripes – I’m Slowly Turning Into You – I’m not sure what exactly attracts them to this song, but Rachel really loves it and asks for it almost every time she gets in my car. It’s another whose chorus she likes to sing along to.

6. Europe – Carrie – It might make me want to throw myself off the I-40 bridge, but the girls both really enjoy Europe when they are with Diana. After seeing the album cover, Rachel used to always refer to them as the “crazy hair band.”

5. Queen – We Will Rock You – Unlike most of Diana’s music, I like Queen just fine, but if I have to hear this song more than about once every few months, it’s too much. But our girls can’t be satisfied with only one play, oh no, they want to hear it over and over and over until the only “rock” you want is one to beat yourself unconscious with.

4. Bob Marley – Three Little Birds – Rachel loved this song when she was smaller and now it has turned into one of Bekah’s favorites. I’m not sure what the allure is for her – whether it is that the song mentions “little birds” or if it’s the great chorus, “Don’t worry / about a thing / ‘Cause every little thing / is gonna be alright.”

3. Nickelback – Rock Star – While she generally tries to shield the girls from the more vulgar Nickelback songs in her collection, this one has become a favorite of their’s. Rachel walks around singing the chorus to this song (without actually knowing the lyrics) on a regular basis.

2. Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name – The girls absolutely love Diana’s Bon Jovi music, especially this song with its very singable chorus. Rachel used to sing some really funny lines to this one before she learned what the actual lyrics were.

1. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues – It seems strange that an old country song should be on this list with all of the contemporary pop and rock music, but they make me proud with their love of this one. There’s nothing quite like listening to a young girl sing about being in prison for murder…

What “adult” songs do your kids enjoy? If you don’t have children, what music would you play for them if you did?