Earliest music memories

When you're a child, you're pretty much a prisoner of the music the grownups around you play.  In my case, as an "only" child (my brother was raised across the country from me), the primary influences were my parents and my grandmother.  My parents played music constantly...my father's family were all musical, all played an instrument and sang.  They were also working class and/or farmers.  They loved the popular music of their times, rock and roll, big band, a smattering of country.  My mother was from Germany, business class, couldn't hold a tune, and saw music appreciation as a sign of culture.  And so there was sort of a dichotomy in my life between the music my mother always played and led my father to appreciate, and the music my father and grandmother played, which seemed to have some genuine soul to it.

I was raised on opera and classical music, played the violin, and, well, with a few notable exceptions, really hated it.  The funny thing is, I read every book on opera in the house and loved going to the opera - I loved the drama, the stories, the costumes.  But the singing sounded to me - and does to this day - like whales using sonar to stun small fish before they eat them.  I like orchestral music better, chamber music better still, but most of the orchestral music my mother loved did nothing for me (sorry, just can't get into Brahms and Rimsky-Korsakov), and really, Vivaldi sounds like something you play in the background of your fine dining experience.

Rare for the day, my mother was a career-woman, and so I spent a lot of time being looked after by my grandmother.  She played the piano and let me sing - early favorites were "Purple People Eater" and "Piano Roll Blues."  That's me, ready for my solo, in the photo.  She also played an assortment of singles on her Victrola that seem more or less randomly assembled.  For example, she had - I have no idea why - "Hey Jude" by the Beatles.  This was another one I played a million times, almost as much as "Melody for Robin," or my other favorite, "Daydream Believer."

I loved the Monkees.  We watched them on television all the time, bless their little manufactured hearts, and my grandmother even bought the album for me.  I had an enormous crush on Davy Jones.   I have to admit, when Tom Meighan did that tribute at the NME's, I got a little sniffly.  Sue me.  In fact, I still like the Monkees.  They're everything pop should be - catchy, a little clever, and none too serious.

Back at home, there was my mother's classical music, a near-constant diet of "easy listening" in the background, and occasionally my dad's records.  My dad's record collection makes just about as much sense as mine.  He played lots of Harry Belafonte, now that I think of it.  He had a compilation, four album set, "Greatest Hits of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s."  There were a few pieces on that which I still love to this day, "Fever," by Peggy Lee and "Hold Tight," by the Andrew Sisters.  "Fever" is just a totally sexy song.  You can't possibly stay unhappy while listening to "Hold Tight."  It's such a silly little uptune, with its risque little wink.  He also had, but rarely played, several albums by Martin Denny, "Exotica," and "Quiet Village."  Every decade or so, people realize that throwing cocktail parties with drinks that have little paper umbrellas in them is kind of fun, and then Martin Denny has a comeback.  He is full of awesome.  This is high camp raised to an art form.  It isn't meant to be serious although the musicianship is spot on.

There were 1960s things, too.  My mom had a record by a German vocalist named Katja Ebstein who apparently went to Eurovison more times than any other performer without actually winning.  Way to go!  I don't know who gave this to my mom, but I think she just played it because she wanted to hear a German voice every now and then.  Katja and Nancy Sinatra...the covers of their albums impressed me with their perfect hair and their long legs wrapped in mod minis.  My dad had Nancy & Lee, which is a really odd choice since he had nothing else by either Nancy Sinatra or Lee Hazelwood otherwise.  I begged my dad to play it often, but he wasn't nearly as obliging as my grandmother.  I loved "Some Velvet Morning" and "Sundown" especially.  A few years back, I was delighted to find that I could download a copy of this album from emusic.  I love it just as much, if not more, as an adult.  As a kid, I had no idea how truly weird this album is...Nancy's cool, angelic voice and Lee's sexy, gritty bass concocting what could only be called country psychedelia.  I've since looked up some of Hazelwood's solo efforts, and they are awesome.  Yeah, I know, people who don't like country are supposed to think that the one country thing they have to have in their collections is Johnny Cash.  Well, screw that.  I'm telling you that Lee Hazelwood is just as brilliant, and a lot weirder.  But don't just take my word for it...I have assembled a playlist.

Piano Roll Blues

Daydream Believer - I saw this clip when it first aired...

Fever

Hold Tight

Quiet Village

Er ist Wieder Da

Some Velvet Morning