Musical Tastes

I have been called a music snob. I disagree with the term placed on me, wholeheartedly. I know music snobs. They were the college-radio-DJing, improv-jazz-appreciating, rockabilly-toe-tapping, obscure-classical-music-listening people whom would scoff at my music collection.

That said, I do have strong opinions about music. I'm no snob, but I'm a huge music lover, and I constantly have music in the house, readily available instruments for Norah to play, and different playlists for a multitude of situations. Playlists include: Cleaning the House, Norah Dance Party, Sitting Around the Campfire, Feeling Sorry for Myself, etc.

I also proudly proclaim that I don't care who thinks I'm "cool" or if my musical tastes are "cool." I like what I like.

However, I admitted something to myself today.

I loaded up what I thought were cool songs for babies into my iTunes for rocking Norah to sleep as a baby. I didn't load any "Mary Had a Little Lamb" bullshit. I loaded arias and old jazz music and grunge music. I played all my favorite songs, and songs from groups I felt I should appreciate more.

As she grew older, I noticed what she really liked was Yo Gabba Gabba. Really? The Stones over "Party in my Tummy?" I could hardly stomach it. I kept pressing. No "Wheels on the Bus," honey. How about some Billie Holiday? Part of me wanted to smugly tell other parents that my daughter loved Chopin, not Raffi. I wanted her to sing "Blackbrid," not "Mockingbird." That would be so cool.

But guess what? She doesn't care for Radiohead and she doesn't already have The Decemberists' new single memorized. She sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," "Jingle Bells," and the theme from that dumbass Wonder Pets show. And my mom and sister have her loving country music. I actually put on a country music station in the car the other day when she was having a meltdown. And it worked.

So when MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" came on the digital music station the other day and she started shaking her little baby butt, I decided to just join in and embrace it. Who cares? She likes what she likes. And she likes saying, "Hammertime!"

Luckily, I've found Yo Gabba has some fun music that isn't brain-stabbingly annoying like "Wheels on the Bus." It features Weezer and The Ting Tings and The Aquabats. And she still dances to The Rolling Stones once in a while. Everyone wins. That is, except Ryan. He has his headphones on listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd.