It's Fathers day today in Australia! Most dads are getting presents and being taken out for the day, but my dad and I live quite a distance away (Sydney - Alice Springs) so I wont get do very much with him. We did get to spend the day with my boyfriends dad and the family so there were some fatherly things happening still.
So as a small tribute to my dad, I bring to you - A dive into my dads record crate
One of the best things I think I inherited from my dad (other than my height) is his love of good music.
When we were kids watching TV on the weekend my dad would walk into the lounge room, turn off the TV and put on a record or a CD of his own. As kids this would piss us off cause we'd have to go find something else to do, but now that I'm grown up I'm glad he did it. (Apparently it was in an effort to give us a good musical education and also so he could just listen to his own stuff)
The main things I remember him playing were Pink Floyd (Meddle I remember clearest) The Beach Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Taj Mahal and a little Tchaikovsky. A mix of prog rock, blues country and classical.
There was a weird period where all he played on long car trips or at friends houses was Kenny G or Amway motivational sales tapes, which played things like Eye of the tiger mixed in with over-excited laundry soap salesmens speeches. I think the weird amount of motivational music and speeches from those tapes gave me the creeps for high-fiving sales type things. Even to this day at work when our sales team wins a bid and rings their bell, everyone else cheers while I cringe and clap slowly
But back to my dads good taste in music - I remember the day I found Black Sabbath Vol 4 in his record collection and thinking "ok my dad the Amway lover used to be cool once!"
I supposed its the job of dads to be daggy and embarrassing though?
He also use to play Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells and on a more child friendly level I remember him playing us kids Peter and the Wolf
Its a bit long, but skip to 14:20 if you like
This is only the march - the whole recording is also available on Youtube
I really like that record and when I found it at the Opp shop a few years ago I made sure to buy it. I highly recommend that record for kids as it teaches them to recognize different parts of the orchestra and the part each of them play in making a whole sound.
When I was born, my dad was on his way to work and to celebrate he called the radio and requested Axiom's Little Ray of Sunshine "'for Catherine, who is just 30 mins old'
That song gets me every time and I'm sure lots of dads and daughters share the same song.
My dads love of Pink Floyd started before he bought his first record of theirs. He began with Dark Side of the Moon and then went back and forward completing their collection over the years. Even now he has some bootleg recordings that he likes to try to make me jealous with... I'll get them off you one day Dad!
So thanks dad for being my daddy and introducing me to lots of very cool (and lame) music! xoxo
You are a little ray of sunshine, dear Catherine, and this is another clever idea for a post. Your day's almost done there in Sydney and I hope it's not too late for me to wish your dad and your boyfriend's dad a happy Father's Day.
ReplyDeleteIf you got up and left the room when your dad put on his records and CD's, think how it was for me decades earlier when my parents tried to brainwash me into liking good music. Their records consisted of WWII era big band orchestras, sappy Tin Pan Alley love songs, banjo bands, polkas, Pat Boone. You get the picture.
Your dad's record bin was way cool and his eclectic and ever changing tastes were similar to mine. I loved the Beach Boys and CCR and later developed an appetite for prog rock and heavy metal which persists to this day. Whenever I hear Tubular Bells I am reminded of The Exorcist, one of the most disturbing motion pictures ever made. Have you seen it?
Thank you for another top notch post, Cat, and good night to you, dear friend!
aww thank you! Its good that you were able to develop your own musical taste despite your parents best efforts! I do love some big band type things as well, like Ella Fitzgerald or Duke Ellington.
DeleteI knew someone would link the Exorcist and Tubular bells together. I never saw that movie, but could you imagine if my dad played that if id ever seen the movie!? id be hiding under the bed covers! haha
Thank you for the tracks, Catherine! Your dad reminds me of mine, he also used to play his records to me and do his best to give me a good musical education. I must say he succeeded! I remember once he threw a cassette out of his car window (a mixtape someone from school made so I'd be into the "in" tracks that were pretty rubbish) and replaced with the Beach Boys saying that if I was into vocal harmonies this is what I should listen to. He also gave me my first records and still sends me things every now and then. I'm very proud of my dad and how he brought me up and now I know that you can relate to that too! Well done to our parents and happy fathers day to yours! xxx
ReplyDeleteYou know a similar thing happened to my sister! She had what she decided was an RnB CD but my dads musical background knew that it wasn't his classic rhythm and blues, so he broke it and put it in the bin! He hasn't given my any of his records, but he tells me good things to look into.
DeleteYay for cool dads!
Happy father's day to Catherine's dad and Catherine's boyfriend's dad! That song by Axiom is so sweet :) I enjoyed the songs you picked. It made me think about the music my parents played when I was a kid, when they played classical music I made up my own fairy tales. And now I have some of their old records. The record player is not installed though, but one day it will be. For now I find the songs on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a lovely song isnt it! I sometimes get a little teary! I used to pretend i was a ballerina and would put on Swan Lake and dance around my room. I hope you still sometimes remember your fairytales when you listen to classical music! xo
DeleteThe tracks aren't showing up on my iPhone. Boohoo! I love classic rock. Your dad gave you a cool musical education.
ReplyDeleteah darn phones! i hate that i have to wait till i get home to do things that i should be able to do on the go! haha. thanks for your comment Marie!
DeleteOh really lovely post, I hope that you your Dad and your boyfriend's Dad had a fabulous Father's Day! Isn't that so wonderful that your father played those records for you and your siblings with the hope to educate you - I can tell it worked for you! It seems like he has a really great collection. It bought back memories of my childhood. My mother would always play Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors and "Disraeli Gears" at Christmas time and years later I'd come back to it. My Dad would also put on his records and the reaction it gave me and my siblings I bet was identical to when your Dad turned off the television and put on his! My father is Italian so he would play music from his country. Now that I am older though when he puts it on I find I appreciate it. What is really beautiful though is that you Dad has his song for you - that is too precious and something I bet you will always treasure. xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Lucy! My mum wasn't much of a musical person - how lovely to have CCR, The Doors and Cream at Christmas. I think we got Perry Como!
DeleteWe had a neighbor who was Italian and they would always play some very interesting music. The daughter and I used to dance around with swish-y skirts.
'Our song' I've never thought of it like that! It certainly makes me cry a little sometimes when I hear it. It came on the radio once when i was little and my mum told me it was my song, and my little 7 year old head just couldn't handle the emotion of it!
what a joy to read! your blog is delightful
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Thanks! your photos are so beautiful! Ill just have to add you to my bloglovin!
DeleteWhat a lovely post! Music is really big in my house too and I would often sit with my dad and listen to music when I was a child. There's a great picture of me at like 2 years old sitting on the sofa with his big headphones on! My dad likes all sorts of music and as a result I have quite a varied taste too.
ReplyDeleteaww so sweet! there is a photo of my sister wearing my dads headphones, i think its the customary audiophile daddy/daughter photo!
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