The Soundtrack to My Life.

 A few years back, when we bought our car, I was christened in to the world of Satellite Radio and Bluetooth, and kind of like streaming Netflix, this was a game changer for me.  After the Little Man was born, I found that I rarely, if ever, listened to music unless we were in the car, which at the time this was a rare occurrence.  I come from the school of thought, that growing up with music in your life is pretty much the equivalent as learning to read; it is something that has to be done.  Now that we spend so much time in the car (more than I'd like) I try to expose my kids to every type of music that there is.  I'm not kidding, every type.  From WuTang, to the Stones, Classical to Reggae, and even some Bob Dylan.  So long as it isn't incredibly explicit or misogynistic/ racist, it goes in their little ears. This probably means nothing for their future, but I have to say I do have a weird sense of pride when I see my kids mouthing along to some classic Beastie Boys, and when the LM asked for Joni Mitchell by name last year, my heart swelled so big I could feel it in my chest. 

As much as I try to diversify, I have to admit ever since I landed on channel 34 (the 90's alternative rock station) I've had a hard time changing it to anything else.  I mean, this was the music of my generation, and I often share little stories with the boys about how much I loves X song, and what I was doing the time it came out.  It has made school commuting so much more enjoyable, and sometimes I find myself actually hoping the ride lasts just "one more song."  Given the amount of traffic we sit in, I can't even begin to tell you what a gift this is!

On my own, I will often have my headphones in.  Whether it's at the gym, running errands, or while the little one naps, I try to sneak them in as much as I can.  I'd like to say I diversify my own music, the same way I do my kids, but the other day I realized that I tend to listen to the same five albums, over and over (and over and over and over.)  I wish I could chalk it up to habit, but I think it may be that these five albums are the soundtrack to my life, and hey, this is most definitely something I can live with!

In no particular order here are my absolute favorites.

Live from the Union Chapel, Damien Rice.  I love Damian Rice, I love live music, this album combines the two.  Hauntingly beautiful from beginning to end.  There is version of Silent Night that makes my Christmas playlist every year without fail. 

Legend, Bob Marley, probably my favorite album of all time.  Also, if you haven't seen the documentary about his life Marley, I highly recommend checking it out!

Nirvana Unplugged, Nirvana.  I know, I know, my Kurt Cobain obsession has been talked about here time and time again, but what can I say?  The man was a genius, and after the last song plays I often turn everything off, because nothing compares to the last few haunting notes from Where Did You Sleep Last Night?  Nothing.

 Pearl Jam, Rearviewmirror. I don't think I gave Pearl Jam enough of their due when they first made it big, but I am most definitely making up for it now.  This is always my go to album, and what the LM and I listen to the most together, especially when heading up the mountain for one of our solo ski trips.

Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said,Wakey!Wakey!  If you haven't heard of this band, download this album immediately. I still can't believe that these guys aren't on every station 24 hours a day. Their music is incredible, but it's the lyrics that blow me away. They have a new album coming out soon, and I am counting the days until its release!

What about you all? How much importance do you place on music? Do you try to push your kids to listen to a little bit of everything or is it solely top 40's? I sometimes wonder if by pushing my music (as awesome as I tend to think it is) if I'm robbing them of the chance to have the music from their childhood? I'm sure as they get older they will start being a little more vocal in choosing what we listen to, and besides one can only listen to so much Justin Timberlanke. ;)