The Longest Shortest Time

Sound Is the Blood Between Me and You

On a recent trip to my parents, Sasha wanted to listen to one song and one song only: “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” But not the version you know. She likes the cover by Al Green from the album Green is Blues. As much as I enjoy our Music Together classes, this need to listen to songs on endless repeat is why I don’t keep the Music Together CDs in the car. I feel lucky that if I have to get a tune stuck in my head while driving, it involves Al Green crooning I get high, I get high, I get high . . . in a crescendo that spills into a howling high note, which my baby anticipates and makes her scream along with delight. (I guess that’s what the repetition gets you.)

This weekend my husband was watching a video of the band Wild Flag performing their song “Romance” on Jimmy Fallon. Sasha caught a glimpse of the performance and started dancing around—doing that signature baby bob-from-the-knees dance. Now, this song is not the most melodic thing, and I was surprised to see Sasha getting so excited by it. I think she was probably hooked by seeing “ladies playing guitars,” as she says. These ladies may dress up in pretty vintage garb and wear heels and lipstick, but they are tough. Punk rock tough. High-leg-kick-to-emphasize-your-guitar-stroke tough. Again, not what I expect Sasha to be drawn to.

But she emphatically is. She keeps running to the computer and requesting “ladies playing guitars.” I happily bring up the ladies (who incidentally wear fun animal masks in the video above). We dance. We shake our hair around. We sing lyrics like, Love is the blood between me and you. And then we begin again. Because, of course, when a toddler likes something she can’t have it only once. Or three times. Or fourteen.

And so. I am starting another section in the right sidebar, kind of like We Can’t Stop Reading, but for music: We Can’t Stop Listening To. I’ll post the album and note the song Sasha is addicted to. Fingers crossed it’s stuff I like, too!

What can’t your kids stop listening to? What happens when you have a clash of tastes?

Top photo: David Torch