Music is very important in their lives. Mine too, but I also need information and the fact that I can listen to Cape Talk instead of listening to music befuddles their brains. All about balance, I say.
Nicholas, I thought, also had a great posting last month - the hand me downs (part one) - about how he was educated by Gareth in music. You won't believe how much music these boys listen to (and how much they know about all kinds of music). Matthew will often play me a song that he knows I will like and then download on my computer - Iron and Wine and Bon Iver, to name just two. The CD shuttle in my car contains a whole mix of music - most of it theirs (because when they travel with me they cannot bear to listen to Cape Talk). The compilation CD's are all from different times in our lives. One of my favourites is from my trip to the UK in 2005. I do not know who all the artists are but I know every song and the order in which they play. There is an earlier CD made by Gareth, when he was in London, for his brothers which we all listened to over and over again (even if we did not really know who we were listening to but, because Gareth had been to see them "live", they were cool). They are still cool and we still listen to them (Mason Jennings, Nick Cave (and others I cannot remember at this moment)).
There are of course the Damien Rice's, Jason Mraz's, Jack Johnson's (and Michael Buble's) who they poo-poo (some louder poo-poos than others). There are also the bands and musicians who they introduced to me (and who I still follow and love) like Dave Matthews, Ben Folds Five (is that his name?) and Ben Harper but they have moved on and I have to beg for some downloads of that music or scratch around amongst the thousands of spindles of CD's I still have at home until I find something new.
What would life be like without music? Most of their appreciation dates back to family holidays with their Dad and Vaughan at Betty's Bay. Vaughan was a music guru. He had a rule in his house (and holiday house) - "If you play a track on a CD, play it to the end. Do not fast forward after a couple of bars". I still feel guilty and think of Vaughan every time a skip a song (and I do it quite often, not good but it means that I think of Vaughan often, and that is good).
Gareth loved the Beatles when he was 6 years old. We had a lift club going with all three age groups and little Donne (aged 4 and the only girl) arrived one morning with a cassette tape marked "BEATLES FOR THE OKES" put together by her Dad for the "Rosslee Boys". She was instantly a hero and forgiven forever for being the only girl ever in the lift club (I still want her to meet and marry my favourite "child" "headboy" Sean in London, someday). We still have that cassette tape in a box (somewhere).
While Michael and I were away in Noetzie the boys (I heard) had a couple of friends over for a fish braai. I met one of the friends (at rugby on Saturday) who was present at the party and (being a well-mannered Rondebosch boy) he thanked me for the lovely evening (like I even knew there was an "evening") he had at my house (while I was away), complimented me on the excellent cook that Matthew had become and the fish dish that Matthew prepared and said that (after the meal) he had to (was forced to) sit down and was subjected to a couple of hours of "education in music" (which had never happened to him before). It seemed to me that he had a "fun" evening and is now familiar with the music of Sigur Ros (no relation, but the boys are wishing).
And so the wheel turns....
So here, for Gareth, Nic and Matthew is my favourite song by the artist they introduced me to (and who they no longer listen to) - beautiful stuff. I love this song as much as I loved it 13 years ago.
God I want you so badly
I wonder this
Could tomorrow be
So wondrous as you there sleeping
Let's go drive 'till morning comes
Watch the sunrise to fill our souls up
Drink some wine 'till we get drunk
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just knowing that the world is round
Here I'm dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
Is this real or am I dreaming ...
This guy is awesome!!!!! (and he was born in South Africa)
Almost as beautiful (but not quite as beautiful) is Cat Stevens singing "Father and Son" - who I introduced them to (but they still listen to):-
and like we usually do, on this blog - we like to sing along, so here are the words:-
Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.
Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
Son
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go
We must embrace the music we love and grow with it. Keep listening to what you like and never stray far away from it. I love it when I read stories of little Aiden Mitchell (aged 2) living outside Boston, USA who already knows Jack Johnson's voice and is not too mad about Bon Iver and changes the channels when they are played on television. He knows that Paolo Nutini has a song called "New Shoes" and he knows names of rap groups that we, in SA, have not even heard about. It warms the heart and makes us realise that at the end of the day music goes a long way to link the generations together.
I have an extra ticket to Michael Buble next week, Gareth!! Please come with your Mum!!
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