Music Appreciation Crash-Course

I've had a very enlightening day. It started this morning when I had "Shiloh" by Neil Diamond in my head all morning following the creation of a new Pandora station based on Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are Made for Walkin'". So as I was brushing my hair and complained about having it stuck in my head and Jeremy said "Who?"

"Neil Diamond. You know, "Sweet Caroline"?
"How does it go?"
::look of shock::
:hums tune & sings chorus of Sweet Caroline: met with blank stare
"Oh dear."

So then at 9 tonight I get home from my PC meeting and turn on Pandora. After a little bit a song comes on that I happen to know all the words to...Ok, I know the majority of the words to a majority of the songs on this station thanks to my oldies-loving dad. (At this present moment John Lennon (for you young people, he was a Beatle) is singing "Imagine".) Anyway, so I think "hmm, this is a perfect opportunity to impart some knowledge"...As background for non-Lord of the Rings Online gamers, there is a part of the game that Jeremy and Josh like called "PvP" (player vs player) where you can go on and play a "bad guy" like a spider or an orc or a warg. There is one particular character that Josh plays with and Jeremy plays against whose name is Mama Cass.

So I tell Jeremy, "Hey you know in LOTRO in the Moors that one character that Josh plays with? This is the real one."

His looks at me blankly--and before I go on I will say it was his idea I write a blog about this, so I'm not being REALLY mean--and he shakes his head. I sigh and say
"Mama Cass."

His eyebrows SHOOT up and he says "Mama Cass is a REAL PERSON? I thought it was a made up name."

Now its MY turn to be in shock. Oh dear. "No hon, Mama Cass is one of the Mamas and the Papas. You know, California Dreamin?"

"The Mamas and the Papas? Who?"

SIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHHHH

And for some of you who don't think that's a big deal...What about Nat King Cole? Even if you don't like the "harder" stuff, NKC has such a distinct voice!

So I am taking my husband on a crash course of the "classic" singers and groups of the 50s, 60s, and 70s...with a little help on Sunday/Monday from my expert father, so hopefully by Tuesday--or at least the end of summer--He can identify more than just Creedance Clearwater Revival. Any suggestions on music he should know can be left as a comment on as a Facebook message in my inbox. :)

As a final note, he knows the 80s & 90s better than I do, but in my defense, the only music I heard in those 2 decades was Maranatha Worship cassettes and classical radio. And kids worship songs like "Zacheus was a wee little man" and that one about being sons of Abraham. :P

Music. Part of a well-balanced educational diet. Next seminar will be identifying the works of Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart. After I brush up on it. :)