The Music Experiment - Part Who Knows? (The New Favorite Band)

ZZ Top

Granted she's only 3 months old, but she went nuts for ZZ Top earlier today.  I was watching a concert of theirs and she was kicking her feet and making all kinds of noise.  Wouldn't take her eyes off the screen...so I know she was paying attention.  If I walked by, her eyes would follow me, but then she'd realize that she wasn't watching the concert anymore...eyes right back on Billy Gibbons.  She has good taste already.

I know what you're thinking...of course she likes them and she'll like the Wiggles and Dora and a bunch of other kids music when she's introduced to them.  I'm not so sure. 

She still cries whenever Peter Frampton comes on the radio.  If she hears, "Baby, I Love Your Way" or "Show Me The Way" once more...I think she'll throw her bottle at the radio.

Poor Guy

This experiment will continue for a very long time.  If I can avoid kids music and pop junk forever with her...I will.

The Music Experiment - Part Seks

This is the sixth and probably last CD I make for the baby while she's still in the womb.  I figure, it's 120 songs by 120 different bands/performers, without repeating a band or performer.  I know I could make another one, but it just feels like the right amount.  I'm sure I'll be making CDs or playlists for her forever or until she develops her own tastes in music.  Basically, when she tells me to stop playing this crap.  That will be a dark day in this house.  Anyways, on with the list...with some commentary, because I can't help myself.

CD # 6

New Hampshire's All Right If You Like Fighting - Scissorfight (great band from NH)
Peace Sells - Megadeth
Life On Mars? - David Bowie
Wish - Nine Inch Nails
Manic Depression - Jimi Hendrix Experience
Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of A New Day - Jethro Tull
I Feel Love - Paul Gilbert (doing a cover of the Donna Summer song, Listen To This Version First)
Respect - Otis Redding (this is the original, Aretha Franklin is the more famous version)
Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
Hush - Deep Purple
It's A Mistake - Men At Work
Son Of A Gun - Nirvana (cover of the Vaselines song)
Fake Friends - Joan Jett
Shama Lama Ding Dong - Otis Day & The Knights
She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
Late In The Evening - Paul Simon
Personality Crisis - New York Dolls
Bringin' On The Heartbreak - Def Leppard (my favorite Def Leppard song, this and Hello America)
Corona - Minutemen (the Jackass theme, if you are unfamiliar, although there are lyrics to the song)
Eclipse - Pink Floyd

This might be the last one, but don't be surprised if it's not.

The Music Experiment - Part Fem

Just made a new CD for the baby.  I also try to make good play lists for my wife, because she's the one that listens to these from start to finish.  I have yet to repeat a band/performer.  I feel good about that, because at 20 songs per disc...that's 100 bands/performers.  It finally pays to have a lot of CDs and varying tastes in pseudo-popular music.  A lot of people have never heard of some of the bands I listen to.  Here's the latest disc.

CD #5

One Step Beyond - Madness
Short Notice - The Living End
Dreams - The Cranberries
Face Dance Part Two - Pete Townshend
Bernadette - The Four Tops
Second Hand News - Fleetwood Mac
I Got You - Split Enz
Down In The Park - Foo Fighters (doing a Tubeway Army cover)
Space Age Love Song - Flock Of Seagulls
Land Ho! - The Doors
Abacab - Genesis
Ex Lion Tamer - Wire
3AM - Clowns For Progress
Talk To Ya Later - The Tubes
Never Been Any Reason - Head East
Don't Run Wild - The Del Fuegos
Feeling That Way - Journey
Wasted Years - Iron Maiden
Rock And Roll Girls - John Fogerty
Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes

Stay tuned for more classics...

The Music Experiment - Part Quattro

Ahh yes, the old days and what you had to do to listen to music.  Actually, this guy is listening to a concert two cities away.  Couldn't afford tickets, but had these handy dandy ear cone thingys.  The baby gets active during the songs, so we think that's positive.  She could be going "Shut this crap off," for all I know.  Here's the fourth list of songs.

CD #4

Bring The Noise - Anthrax (with Public Enemy)
Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun - Beastie Boys
Last Train To London - ELO
Sara Smile - Hall & Oates
Autonomy - Buzzcocks
My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama - Frank Zappa
Scarlet Begonias - Grateful Dead
Helplessly Hoping - Crosby, Stills & Nash
You're My Best Friend - Queen
Shoot To Thrill - AC/DC
A Conspiracy - Black Crowes
Don't Let Him Go - REO Speedwagon (There used to be a band called REO Speedealer, then they got sued, but I've always loved that name)
The Lovecats - The Cure
Christine's Tune - Flying Burrito Bros.
Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley - Robert Palmer
Hero Of The Day - Metallica (from the S&M album, the one with the orchestra.  Does amazing things for this song)
Myage - Descendents
Head Over Heels - The Go Go's
Ooh La La - The Faces (Ronnie Wood vocal)

More to come...

The Music Experiment - Part Trey

Another headache filled day (let's hope the baby doesn't get my migraines), which is why I'm posting the song list for the third homemade CD for the baby.  I can't complete sentences, let alone write anything witty and clever.  The comment about jazz was taken into consideration.  We don't have a lot of jazz in our music collections.  It has never really been our thing.  I will however look at what we do have and it could possibly make an appearance at sometime.  On with the song list.

CD #3 

Baba O'Riley - The Who
Ozone Baby - Led Zeppelin
See A Little Light - Bob Mould
Rollin' And Tumblin' - Canned Heat
Pressure Drop - The Clash
Public Image - Public Image Ltd.
Everywhere At Once - The Plimsouls
I Want You Back - Jackson 5
Where Is My Mind? - The Pixies
Sugar Kane - Sonic Youth
Keep On Running - Spencer Davis Group
Rumble In Brighton - Stray Cats
Sway - Rolling Stones
Roadworn and Weary - Supersuckers
Shapes Of Things - Jeff Beck 
Excitable Boy - Warren Zevon
Stand - Sly & The Family Stone
Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
Going Underground - The Jam
Into The Void - Black Sabbath

The Music Experiment - Part Deux

I'm cheating with this entry today, but it makes for an easy entry when you have a headache.  I'm going to list the songs I put on the two CDs I've made so far.  If you would like to suggest your own songs, feel free.  There will be more CDs made over the upcoming weeks.

CD #1

Hey Tonight - CCR
The One Thing - INXS
I'm Waiting For The Day - Beach Boys
I'm Looking Through You - Beatles
Stop Your Sobbing - Pretenders
(I Know) I'm Losing You - Temptations
Can't Even Tell - Soul Asylum
Driven To Tears - Police
(Nothing But) Flowers - Talking Heads
September Gurls - Big Star
Coming Up Close - 'Til Tuesday
The Waiting - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Gotta Gettaway - Stiff Little Fingers
Wonderous Stories - YES
If I Should Fall From The Grace Of God - Pogues
I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) - Stevie Wonder
Beneath, Between and Behind - RUSH
Little Too Late - Pat Benatar
Shoplifters Of The World Unite - Smiths
Gone Ridin' - Chris Isaak

CD #2

I'm Always In Love - Wilco
Dreaming - Blondie
Creeque Alley - The Mamas & The Papas
Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
Green Onions - Booker T. & The MGs
Candy-O - Cars
Beat's So Lonely - Charlie Sexton
High Fidelity - Elvis Costello
Not Too Soon - Throwing Muses
A Small Victory - Faith No More
Ain't Even Done With The Night - John Mellencamp
Memphis - Chuck Berry
Seven Chinese Bros. - R.E.M.
Never Said - Liz Phair
The Girl I Knew Somewhere - Monkees
China - Red Rockers
Birdhouse In Your Soul - They Might Be Giants
Kiss Me On The Bus - Replacements
(Keep Feeling) Fascination - The Human League
Victoria - Kinks

The Music Experiment

I've been doing a lot of reading, since I'm going to be a dad.  My wife is in her 6th month and the baby gets really active when she hears my voice.  So, my wife suggested that we start her on a music listening program.  Nothing major.  We're not going to buy the belly headphones.  I think that's a little weird and would never expect my wife to be on board with that.

Now we don't have any grand illusions of the baby being a musical prodigy or having this make her smarter, by any means.  My wife believes that since we talk to her all the time, that she will recognize our voices when she is born.  I agree with that.  There is no proof that the baby will recognize music that she hears in the womb, but there is also no harm in doing this from everything I've read.

My wife just thought it would be a good idea for me to make mix CDs (we're old school) of my kind of music.  There isn't anything wrong with what my wife listens to, it's just a little limited.  So, rather than have the baby listen to the radio.  I know, what kind of parents are we to put her through that type of torture?  I'm currently making some CDs. 

I already knew that the amniotic fluid will amplify the music, so there was no reason to purchase belly buds or belly headphones, whatever they are called anyways.  We'll take option two and have my wife listen to music like normal in the car.  We think it's important for our daughter to be able to recognize all kinds of music from ABBA to Frank Zappa.  There will be a test within the first year and I'm a very strict tester.

Like I said before, there is no proof that any of this really works.  Just think, if it does, I can soothe my crying and screaming baby with The Temptations and Clash, rather than Barney and the Wiggles.  Whatever works is fine, but I'd like to enjoy what we're hearing as well.  I'll need soothing too.