As a teacher, I shamelessly beg and borrow many ideas that I use in class.
(Random note: I just had a student ask me, “Can I write about The Hangover?”
“Well, probably not as it’s not school appropriate.”
“Awwww!!”
Really?? )
So, today’s blog is about music, one of topics a student of mine wrote about. As I said in class this was going to be my topic, the question, “What is your favorite song,” popped up. Honestly, I really don’t have a favorite song. My music tastes have exploded as the Internet and streaming music exploded. Before the web showed up, I was a product of my environment, and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica was a favorite of mine. I also loved “Eggman”, by the Beastie Boys, and “Mr. Brownstone” by Guns N Roses.
But as the Internet expanded, so did the ability to find different music! My first encounter with streaming music: iTunes! Back in the day, it was nothing like it is now, just a little icon of “Internet Radio” with SO MANY CHOICES! I got hooked on groups like Sister Hazel (after their one hit), Carbon Leaf, and discovered international musicians like the Buena Vista Social Club, The Afro-Cuban Allstars, and Rubén González. My wife wondered if I’d somehow become Cuban as these were in my CD rotation for a long time!
Then, YouTube showed up, and an explosion of videos and music mashups. I’d found out about a music festival in Poland and found that electronic dance music really fed my soul. Music from the Ultra Music Festival and web sites like Goovelectic just added to my passion about various kinds of music.
And then, this:
This is my go to song whenever I’m down. And then, I found 24 Hours of Happy, a web site where you this song plays an entire day with various people (and Pharrell) doing their best dancing and singing in all kinds of places.
So, what is your favorite kinds of music? Are you old timey country? A little gospel from the South? Like some new age music (have a Yoga radio on my Pandora that’s awesome)? Or, like Bob Segar said, do you like the “old time rock n roll”? Whatever your tastes, share those with your students, your kids, your partner. It’s a little piece of you that gives you an unique flavor, one that can never be duplicated.
And that’s never a bad thing! 🙂
The Life of a Conflicted Teacher 
March 8, 2017 at 4:53 pm
Darin, this is a difficult question to answer. As you get older the influences on your musical tastes seems to spread- for me at least. So my tastes are quite eclectic. What am I listening to at present? well I do like The National and an Irish singer song writer by the name of Bap Kennedy (who sadly passed away recently) I discovered X Ambassadors and Kaleo through streaming services, However I retain a nostalgic place in my heart for Neil Finn, Bruce Cockburn Lucinda Williams and the wonderful blues work of Harry Manx. Thank you for prompting my thoughts by sharing your own.
March 9, 2017 at 6:36 pm
I love the artists (to me) on your list! I’m always looking for new Irish singers, so thank you for Bap Kennedy! I’m personally a fan of Gaelic Storm, the Angry Brians, Flogging Molly. and Dropkick Murphys. 🙂
March 8, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Like Alan Wright, I find this a difficult question to answer. I think of how music has played a part in my life. So much of it revolves around music. Listening to the radio as a kid, playing in the school band, my own girls playing in the band, my girls dancing, listening to music in the car, etc. I have several favorite genres of music, gospel, contemporary Christian, classical, show tunes, a little old-time rock and roll, and of course who can forget The Carpenters.
March 8, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Music is one of my favorite things! My tastes are all over the place though. If you were to shuffle my iTunes you might go from Keith Whitley (Classic Country) to Amr Diam (Arabic music) to Migos (current hip hop) to Julieta Venegas (Spanish) to Aly Bain (Scottish fiddle). You just never know. I just LOVE music!!!
I’m going to check out the 24 hour Happy site now! 🙂
March 9, 2017 at 6:33 pm
It makes me happy to see how many people (you included) have shared their music and what a wide variety they have! I’m going to have a new set of songs on my own play list! 🙂
March 8, 2017 at 6:49 pm
I love all music–except, of course, for everything you mentioned other than Happy. I haven’t heard of any of them. Geez, I’m old.
If you could look at our music collection (1000+vinyls, cassettes, CDs, a few 45’s and 8tracks) you would see the evolution of our favorites. One of our favorite family activities is to start playing the oldies we haven’t heard in awhile. The boys fight over who gets what album after we die!
March 8, 2017 at 7:33 pm
Holy crap, 1000+ vinyl?!? That’s awesome! We know where the retirement party is being held! 🙂
That’s what I told my student, it’s an evolution of what we enjoy to the point of streaming music. We don’t buy much at all anymore.
March 8, 2017 at 7:26 pm
My taste in music is all over the place. During SSR in my classroom you’d hear Dave Brubeck, Yo-Yo Ma, or Sonny Rollins playing. But if you looked at my Spotify playlists it ranges from those artists to Darren Criss, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Nelly, and the list can go on & on. This is such a broad question and yet it really helps you get to know someone a little better.
March 9, 2017 at 6:32 pm
Exactly! I love to see names I don’t know in music and look up that them up for a listen! 🙂