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Friday, August 04, 2006
My children's music preferences
By Rene Lizada
Papa's Table
WITH Miguel it is really not a problem. But that is not true for Raphael and Gabriel. With these two, we are worlds apart in our taste for music. As I said with our eldest it is not a problem because we share the same taste for music. But with his brothers it is an entirely different thing.
I have my music library in my computer. So do my children. My wife, in her infinite wisdom, decided to have her library in a separate computer. The computer, which was packed by Bien Lumbera.
And true to form and being the normal family that we are, I do not understand the songs of Gabo and Eps and they do not understand mine either. Sometimes when I sit with them in our computer room I find myself reacting to their songs. The speakers are in almost full blast blaring songs of Sum 41, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance (beats me!) and Yellowcard. And I always have the same reaction. I just shrug my head and walk out because of the noise and the insanity of their songs. Only idiots would listen to songs like that. But I guess that was how my father also felt when he tried to listen to my music.
I mean, how can you explain Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple to someone whose taste includes Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. My father must have thought I was some kind of addict zombie listening to songs like Smoke on The Water, Black Dog and Stairway to Heaven. And I guess it has come full circle because now I have to contend with their songs that include titles like The Hardest Button to Button, Stacey's Mom, Hangman and Raphael's favorite Make Damn Sure. Tit for tat I guess. But that is only half the story. I admit that I have difficulty trying to comprehend their music even if I am open minded about music but when it comes to Original Pilipino Music then we are way out there. We are light years apart. Their OPM is so distant from the OPM I know.
They have Parokya ni Edgar. Parokya has songs like Pizza Pie, Papa Cologne, Swimming Beach and The Ordertaker. Now perhaps these songs are parodies and I can understand that, but there are others that I cannot even consider as parodies. Have you heard Kamikaze? If I am not mistaken they have a song called Tsinelas. That sounds innocent enough but once you hear the song, you will wish you were in one of those kamikaze planes that hurled themselves into American warships.
It is deafening and, and, and, and. But Gabo and Eps like Tsinelas. There are times when I want to whack them with my tsinelas. And then of course there is Gin Pomelo. Have you heard that? Well if you have not, then I suggest you do not. Or better still, I dare you to. It is an entire song that has only two words. Gin Pomelo. Those words are sung in an endless cycle. I have no idea why. But it can be numbing and downright irritating but I guess I should not complain because I have a Neil Young song that has Till The Morning Comes as a title, which the words Till The Morning Comes is repeated until you become black and blue. Or until you taste like Gin Pomelo.
When I was younger, OPM started out with great classics like Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko. There was T.L. Ako sa Iyo. And can you remember your Pers Lab? And perhaps the theme song of those people who live near the flyover, Bato sa Buhangin (I have a good friend who in her college days lived in a house in Buhangin. And believe it or not the owner of the house was a family named Bato)?
Of course, who can ever forget Superstar ng Buhay Ko and Babe. You know, "Babe isang halik mo la-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ng!" Now you remember! And of course there was Hagibis. You remember Hagibis? There was Mama Monchang, Legs, Ilagay mo Kid and the eternal classic Katawan (Katawan, katawan, ingatan ang inyong katawan). And if you remember that then you should also know Mike Hanopol's Jeproks (Laki sa layaw!). And Juan de la Cruz with their Balong Malalim and Ang Himig Natin. Eps and Gabo will probably tease me to no end with this!
Oh those songs of my yesteryears! In my library I have a whole set of songs that remind me of my youth and how stupid I looked in my bell-bottom jeans. But who cares? I was young and free and, and, and.
Eps and Gabo always remind me of my songs and they describe in them in a way that can only be categorized as unprintable. They think my songs are crazy, boring and strange. But when they get into the car they have to endure my songs. When Dionne Warwick's Paper Mache or Osibisa's Survival come out in the speakers I can hear them groan and complain. But they cannot do anything about it. Ah! The power of parenting!! But you know what, when they play Dota they open my library and play my songs! Ah! The power of influence!
Gabo and Eps know my music. Wait till they discover the music of Chona! And when the Beatles start playing, they should run to the open embrace of their Kuya who will welcome them with Jellicle Cats!!
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 4, 2006 issue)
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