My Stupid Mouth
There is a certain person in my office who reminds me very much of my mom. She is the same age and has kids not too much younger than me. She has been asking my cubemate and I for months about iPods and how they work. Like your typical mother, her computer literacy is not stellar, therefore explaining how to work an iPod and how to put music on it is not particularly easy. We told her to get a shuffle and get her kids to put music on it for her. We figured that she would not need more than 99 songs and it would not take terribly long for her kids to fill it up for her.
When I came back to work after my vacation, the first thing she said was, "Guess what? I got a little Shuffle iPod thing for Christmas!" I didn't talk to her much about it that day, but today, as I was standing at her desk, she was telling me about how she now has FIVE songs on her Shuffle. Then, "You guys told me that if I got a Shuffle, all I would have to do is have the kids put music on it for me but now I know how to do it my own but I certainly don't like paying 99 cents per song." I don't think she understands that you don't have to get music from iTunes for it to be compatible to your iPod. I had to know what she was listening to so I asked about the five songs.
"Oh, I have that new Sheryl Crow song and that 'Breathe' song. Who sings that? Is that Sheryl Crow too?"
"Um, you mean Faith Hill?"
"Yeah, yeah. Faith Hill! Then I have that 'Mayor' guy. What's his name?"
"John Mayer?"
"Yeah that's him."
"What song?"
"Oh, let me think. It will come to me."
"Daughters?"
"YES! Daughters! That's it. I LOVE that song. Then I have that newer guy, his name is something Blank. His last name is Blank."
"You mean, like B-L-A-N-K? Are you sure it's not 'Blunt'?
"Oh yeah! James Blunt! That's it!"
She was trying to remember the last of the five songs. I was already depressed. I thought it couldn't get any worse. I mean, she was already listening to John Mayer and James Blunt. Then...
"It's that September song, you know about when it ends?"
"Green Day? You like Green Day?"
"Yeah! I LOVE that song."
I'm never talking about music to anyone in this office ever again. I don't need to know. I don't want to know that people like The Killers and Green Day. John Mayer and James Blunt, I understand. They are your typical "my mom loves them" kinda guys. But don't mess with my Brandon Flowers and by all means, don't listen to Green Day.
posted by Karyn @ 12:09 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
you're story was crackin me up! my office is actually kinda the opposite. i like to think i know a lot about music, but im the youngest by far and these guys have like every beatles album.....on vinyl and stuff. so, im still expecting that burned cd the next we come up. oh, and the fact that melissa had been in bed since 10pm last night, while i stayed up to watch the game alone, tipped me off a little to the idea that women could care less about sports. i commend you for being the exception.
The day "Umbridge" whipped out her limited edition copy of Hot Fuss, a part of my soul (and dignity) died.
Ah, the non-conformist conformist. I love you "indie" guys...so desperate to be different. :p
This coming from a guy who has Jay Z - 99 Problems on his 2005 playlist.
I will admit that Green Day and John Mayer are both very mainstream and despite that, I still like their music. However, Green Day being adored by soccer moms is new to me. The Killers however is a perfect example of a band that would ordinarily be found in the Indie world unfortunately going mainstream. It's not their fault that they make good music and people have actually recognized that.
While I do happen to like some bands that are unfortunately mainstream, I think I have a good balance of music. I was telling Brianna earlier today how happy I am that I don't listen to radio, therefore I am not tainted by these realities of mainstreamedness on an everyday basis.
I have heard of the Sounds, but I'm not huge on chick singers. You will find very few girl voices on my iPod.
You are right in saying that popular music has a shortage of good music. Precisely the reason I cannot stand to listen to the radio. But that's not to say that there is not good music that happens to be popular. And I think that was the point I was trying to get at, that when music that I think is good becomes so popular as to be listened to by soccer moms it makes me sad since soccer moms (and the vast majority of teens) usually have such poor taste in music.
I don't think any offense was meant by the above comments. But you've got to admit that there are a lot of those "non-conformist conformists" out there. I mean, don't you think it is a bit ridiculous to stop listening to (or not listen to) a band because they have a large fanbase?
"once they get big I usually stop talking about them... do I still lilsten to them? Yes, but its not something Im proud of anymore...becasue it feels as if my good tast has been cheapend by the masses."
I totally agree. I think that's where Karyn and I are coming from.
Sorry, if I did offend you about the "indie" comment. I probably have to include myself more in that category than someone I don't know, but I can appreciate a good "popular" band if they produce good music.
And for the record, I LOVE ME SOME JAY-Z so I can never fault someone for that.
obviously there is no solution to the music delimas, so lets just quite listening to music and watch sports instead. take that, you punk rockers!
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