Your Parents' Music

By Ken Canedo

So, you're in the back seat of your family car, going to the mall. Your dad's driving and your mom's riding in the shotgun seat. There's nothing out of the ordinary on this ordinary trip until a song starts playing on the radio. Suddenly, your parents are singing!

MOM:
They say we're young and we don't know.
We won't find out until we grow.

DAD:
Well, I don't know if that's all true,
'cause you got me, and baby I got you.
Babe . . .

BOTH:
I got you, babe! I got you, babe . . .

You want to die! And your embarrassment goes up several notches if a friend is riding with you.

"Dad! Mom! Please STOP!"

Hey, join the club! My parents used to get stars in their eyes and began slow-dancing in the living room whenever "Fascination" played. Think of how Cain and Abel must have felt whenever their parents started singing "Adam and Eve" by Paul Anka. (Okay, that's an exaggeration!)

The point is, your parents were teenagers once and were just as enamored of their music as you are of yours. If you're a teenager now, I guarantee that someday you will embarrass your kids when you and your spouse suddenly burst out in an impromptu rendition of "Hey There, Delilah" by Plain White T's. "Oh, it's what you do to meee . . ."

The cycle of life! As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. May I make a suggestion? Instead of cringing when your parents get misty about "Stairway to Heaven," how about listening to the song and finding out what it's about? It might be a valuable tool to help you understand where your parents are coming from.

It works the other way, too. Parents, take a little time to listen to your teenagers' music. Seriously! Music can be a valuable tool for good communication. Check out this inter-generational song that Jesse and I wrote: Live in Love.

But, parents, a word of caution: Please do not start singing Fall Out Boy songs. THAT would be truly embarrassing!