Songs to a Child Born to the Breed

I've been listening to a series of old tapes, favorite music recorded on audio cassettes long ago; long before I had children.   I must have been destined to be a mother; the songs that grabbed me emotionally back in the day are the songs written by the composers to their children.

 Judy Collins' "Born to the Breed" has always moved me.  It is about her then 16 year old son as he leaves home to perform in a rock n roll band, filled with the mixed parental feelings of the joy of his birth and youth to the pain of letting go.

Along the same lines is the better known and iconic "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin.  Lost time and time lost with his son are the themes. I never hear this without a pang. It may have even shaped my parenting subconsciously.

Both  songs are about parental love and loss, albeit for different reasons. Both children, as it turns out, are born to the breed.  Both outcomes are surprising, different, yet similar.

In looking for the musical videos to include in this post, I came across this Judy Collins interview with Rosie O'Donnell.  It was a shock.

   

The poignancy of the song is so much greater now.  I did not know this information until yesterday.

As for Mr. Chapin, I remember his early death, though not the exact circumstances which I, again, learned during my research for the post.

Death is still the one absolute.  

I hope you take the time to watch and listen to these great artists whose lives shaped their music and whose music shaped our lives.

BERY5Q9S7SJM

Yer Birthday? No. Mine

Nothing gets me in the mood for anybody's birthday like this song. It's still the definitive rock 'n roll b'day song.



Of course, many of us love the song Stevie Wonder, whom I first saw at the tender age of 16 as "Little Stevie Wonder", wrote to help the movement to make Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. They succeeded.



After uploading these two music vids to my blog, I was getting into this whole birthday song thing and I found the following catchy, short, upbeat song by a guitarist named Jacinto Garrido.  I don't know if he's famous or not but I really like this song he posted.



Anyway, it's not my birthday today.  Mine was Tuesday.  But, it's somebody's birthday, so

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

To Bryan

Bryan, my wonderful first born son, went to see Bob Dylan in concert for the first time Tuesday night and he was blown away.  He excitedly called his father the next evening to tell him it was...

"...one of the best experiences of  my life" and he "couldn't believe he (Dylan) was real."

He went, in part, because of his father's undying admiration for Dylan.  He wasn't sure if he'd like the music or his singing but came away with an appreciation for all, particularly his musicianship.  He told my husband

"I really wished you were there but I felt like you really were there through me."  My husband was thrilled.

 Bryan is a self taught guitarist and he's very good.  He bought a second hand guitar his senior year in high school and began to learn via computer programs on the internet.  By graduation, he was so into it, we bought him a week's stay at an acoustic music camp on Lake Winnepesaukee where he ate, slept and learned the ropes from hundreds of devoted bluegrass musicians from around the world. 

Since then, he has taught himself electric guitar and now plays in a group in the city where he lives and goes to college.  He sometimes performs solo, singing and accompanying himself on his acoustic guitar.  When my father died two years ago, he left his harmonicas to my sons.  Bryan began teaching himself harmonica listening to Dylan and Stevie Wonder.  He made a harmonica holder out of a coat hangar, then broke down and bought a professional one.

My husband and I have surrounded the boys with music, mostly the rock n' roll we grew up with.  They  appreciate music from our era and have an eclectic selection on their ipods.  I am proud of my son's courage to get up there and perform.  Takes guts and a certain amount of confidence which I certainly don't have! 

His favorite song from the live concert the other night, "To Ramona".

Theme Thursday Fire

Earth Wind & Fire is my favorite group; "September", my favorite song. Odd choice for TT? Not really. Watch this video and you'll have a great day no matter what.

When I die, if anyone is left, I want this played over and over at my gathering and I want people to dance.

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