Music to our ears

"What the people need
Is a way to make 'em smile.
It ain't so hard to do if you know how."

-- Listen to the Music, Doobie Brothers



Zoe loves music as much as I do. She's always singing, in the tub, in the car, in her sleep...

If the radio is on, she wants to know the words to the songs. "Sing, Mom!" And most of the time I do. And then she asks me to stop.

Every other song is her favorite song, and each gets a ranking. "This is my 15th favorite song." And amazingly, she always remembers what number she is on, or if it's already got a number.

She will hear a song and identify it by where she's heard it: "That is the Shrek song," or, "That's the song that plays in Mommy's car," or "That's in the commercial with the dog."

One time Alice Cooper was on. "Did he say no more school? Mommy, do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

The other day we were driving around and an old 80s song came on. Immediately: "What's the name of this song?"

Sometimes I can answer this question. Sometimes I can't, and that upsets her, so sometimes I make something up. I was listening to this particular song, and of course it was familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on the title. Was it Boy George?

"...There's boys you can truuust.... girls that you doooon't..."

I was singing along and trying to fast-forward in my mind to the chorus, where surely the title would be...

"...Won't tell you no liiiies...."

Oh, it was George Michael. But I hadn't heard it in so long. "Mommy, what's it called?" I can't remember... Faith? Freedom?

"Every mannnn's got his patience and here's where mine ends..."


I would have hurt myself if I had gotten to the power button on the radio any faster.

George Michael. I Want Your Sex.