Back in 1984, I was obsessed with Prince, specifically the Purple Rain album. I played my cassette on repeat for hours and hours every single day. My oh-so-patient parents looked at me, bewilderment on their faces, like I had suddenly started speaking Greek and walking on my hands. When I would get angry with them (which was often…I was filled with hormonal oversensitivity in those days), I used to scream lyrics from “When Doves Cry” at them. “Maybe I’m just too demanding… Maybe I’m just like my father: too bold… Maybe you’re just like my mother… She’s never satisfied!” I can’t be sure, but there may have been late night calls to the hospital at which I was born to see if in 1972 I may have been exchanged with another, saner, baby. And I knew with complete certainty that my parents just. didn’t. get. it.
Now I understand.
Today, as I watched the Jonas Brothers on Oprah’s show, I was bewildered. Okay, I will admit, they’re cute and well-dressed (especially Joe Jonas…he’s got dreamy eyes) but, I JUST DON’T GET IT. They sound like everyone else out there to me. I was sure that when they started singing I’d recognize their music, but I didn’t. Clearly, my finger is no longer on the pulse of what’s hot in America.
My first response to this was to look in the mirror and decide I needed to start using wrinkle cream. I’m serious. I’m weirded out that I have no clue what the young folks are listening to or why. I am part of Generation X. Remember when we were told that we were the coolest generation EVER? Rolling Stone said we were, so it must be true. Now, we’re worrying about mortgages and mutual funds, maintaining a healthy blood pressure and reducing our carbon footprint. Did I just hear a collective yawn?
Still, I’m just not willing to stock up on Hannah Montana albums or learn the lyrics to a Paris Hilton song. I guess I’ll just have to accept myself as I am. Oprah wants us to live authentically, so I will. Now, if you will all excuse me, I am going to put on my Thriller album and take a calcium supplement.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
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15 comments:
Ooh! I think I know who you mean!
Are they the moppets I saw dressed like Artful Dodger clones on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" (the most recent one, and as it happens my very first)?
All I can remember is floppy hair, a top hat and lots of shiny teeth and buttons.
hahaha! they are SO artful dodger! although, i think you might be describing Dr. Teeth from the Muppets. :)
Yep those are the boys, Jen.
I wouldn't have had a clue who the Jonas Brothers were except I have kiddos, and I volunteer WAY to much of my time in their schools.
I did catch the tail end of the program today - and all I can say is that I'm awfully glad these boys are out there. At least they seem to have their heads on straight, a decent family life, and parents that keep them grounded and disciplined. Kids could have worse role models!
What was the advil count today LO?
Garsy
Garsy, You are hilarious. So, what I'm learning from you and other posters is I need to have children in order to have any sense of pop culture!! I'll have to talk to my husband about that one... I think you're right, the boys seemed relatively safe compared to what else is out there. And I managed to get thru without medication! Sure, I had to do a little temple-rubbing, but other than that, I was unscathed. xo LO
I have two pre-teen kiddos and I still don't know who the Jonas Bros. are. My boys tend to be less into popular music than most their age, but still... I guess you're right, LO, we, the Gen Xers are getting old. Augh! Botox looks more attractive to me than boy bands. :>P I was reminded of this again on American Idol last night when they had some singer who was "the biggest star in America and Europe," and I had/have no clue who she was. Her song didn't even ring a bell. How sorry is that?
dawn-michelle, this makes sense - the jonas bros don't look like they'd have a lot of male fans. they are totally dreamy to girls, i think.
you made me laugh about botox. isn't that scary? what has happened to us!? i really thought i'd be magically immune to the ravages of time. WRONG.
xo
LO
There is something about popular music that makes it a symbol of your own aging. I have actually yelled at my car radio when the "oldies" station played a song that was popular when I was in the third grade. How can that be old when I so clearly am not? :) I also got completely bummed out once when I read the Billboard Top 10 singles list and didn't recognize a single song or artist. I just need to accept that I'm at more of an "adult contemporary" stage in life.
jenn_ky:
ARGH!!! ADULT CONTEMPORARY used to be a four-letter word to me!!! Now, I think of it as the station where I know all the lyrics.
I wore black the day I heard "oldies" channels were starting to include 80s music.
xo
LO
For me it was all about Paul Revere and the Raiders. My mother got it. She drove me all around the State of Connecticut to see them. Those concerts still hold some of my greatest memories of growing up. When my oldest daughter went crazy for the New Kids on the Block I got it. Like my Mother, I drove her all around to see them and of course bought her everything New Kids available.
hey anon, but now, without kids in the house, do you still keep up with all the pop trends in music? i think that's why i have no idea who these jonas brothers are - no one is hanging posters of them in their messy bedroom in my house or blasting their music first thing in the morning! xo LO
I wouldn't worry about not knowing the Jonas Brothers-- they don't get played on mainstream radio or make the top 20 countdown or anything. They're pure Disney. Now granted, I don't watch TRL on MTV, so maybe they get played there, but they are meant to be loved by 6-11 year-olds and no one else.
kelly, i don't have cable and haven't seen the disney channel or mtv in ages, so that makes a lot of sense. the only time i see cable is at the gym where i'm pretty loyal to reruns of top chef and project runway. besides, if i tried to change the channel to Disney, i think there'd be a revolt on the treadmills!
you can't compare Prince's musical genius to the Jonas Brothers. I liked Menudo back in the day, teens need their pop gods. At least they seem like good kids, there aren't enough young, responsible role models out there.
gina, i loved menudo too (i think i had a crush on a few of them) - they used to play their "videos" between cartoons on saturday morning where i grew up. but then i realized the boys kept being replaced with other boys as their voices changed and it weirded me out a little...
LOL... being born in 1979, my group was the New Kids on the Block, but I know what you mean.
I will never forget when my mom came in my room yelling at us to turn down that awful racket of an Aerosmith song on the radio when I was 11, and a week later while going through her music finding their first album in vinyl... she used to listen to that very song! I guess sometimes it really is about age.
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