Generations of Music

Every generation has their own style and type of music. The 1950's really kicked it off with the rock and roll. Elvis, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens, just to name a few. Then came the 1960's the antiwar movement by Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Lennon etc. But you also had some really good artist from that time period such as the Mama's and Pappas. It was a great time musically in our country. These were just the great popular music, and soft rock groups of that time period. Then we had the likes of Johnny Cash, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, just to name a few on the country side. Back in our time you had to have something called talent in order to be a singer, not auto-tune.

Todays music is totally disrespectful and degrading of women. All the artist today do is get up on stage, shout and scream into the microphone with some auto-tune mixed in as well as sampling. The kids calls this music hip hop, or rap. Me I call it garbage. I have better things to listen too than people screaming and cussing into a microphone.

There is a down side to this brand of music today. I was on public transportation when an eleven year old white boy was repeating the lyrics of a popular song. The song had the "n" word in it. Two adult black men took offense to this boy repeating the lyrics, including the offensive "n" word. One of the adults wanted to physically assault the boy for singing the song. The other one kept saying let the little brothers handle this. But the one would not drop it, so I stepped in and said I may get my ass kicked, but you aren't touching that child. I explained to them that it would be better to turn this into a teaching moment for the young boy.

Back when I was growing up we had various types of music. It was broken down into soft rock (popular), Hard Rock (acid rock, such as AC/DC) and country. If you listened to more than one you were really looked upon like you were nuts. I enjoyed the song writers such as Gordon Lightfoot. I also enjoyed groups such as the Eagles.

When Elvis was shown on the Ed Sullivan show they weren't allowed to show him from the waist down because they considered his swinging of his hips offensive.

My grandchildren have a totally different taste in music and that concerns me as well. What will their children listen too when they start growing up? When I was growing up my grandparents didn't understand my brand of music. But at least they could understand it. My granddaughter loved the TNT Boys only because of Kiefer. I agreed Kiefer was gorgeous. My children and grand children keep telling me I'm old. I keep saying I may be old but at least I had good music.

I am finding it interesting that the people who react to music videos today really enjoy the older music. When they hear the Animals sing the house of the rising sun they are shocked. When people hear Karen Carpenter sing they are floored to learn her nickname was one take Karen. She only recorded her studio sessions in one take. When people hear Gordon Lightfoot sing about the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, they are surprised at the level of detail that he goes into to describe what the crew was feeling and going through. Elvis didn't limit himself to one genre of music, he recorded multiple genres of music. His only Grammy came from his gospel album. He was more proud of that accomplishment than anything else.

My son listened to Eminem and I just couldn't stand his music. Seriously talking about putting his ex-wife in the lake with cinder blocks attached to her and telling his daughter not to worry about that part because mommy is ok. What message are we sending to our kids?