Music

While I was watchin' Dick Clarks' New Years' rockin' eve I was thinking about the music. How much it has changed and what is now considered mainstream stuff. We all know TV programs are all about ratings. Ratings get the money and the bottom line is always money ! Hip Hop, pop and whatever you call what Lady GaGa does were featured. That must be what the people want to see. That must be the ratings getter. The demographics I believe they call that. I'm not in that group anymore. Another sign of aging ! In my opinion a sign that I have some common sense and good taste, but that is another subject altogether.

I have noticed all music changes with the times.Rock and Roll Baby ! I can still remember Mom and Dad just shakin' their heads about that " noise." Heavy metal followed on its' heels. The rise and fall of Disco. Gloria Gaynor and the Bee Gees'. All that stuff is so " old " now. It can all be found in the five dollar rack at the stores and a lot of it used for television commercials. Lately I have seen a commercial featuring Enimen rapping about gas mileage ! I'm hoping that is sign of the end for that genre of questionable music. I'm dating myself with that statement but I have yet to see the value of any rap song. I do not consider it music at all !

It is a natural thing and has always been so. Each generation wants to identify with their own music. Each of us settle on one form or another eventually. At least we do in public. I eventually settled into liking classic country the most. At home and in private I still listen to some rock and roll, blues,soul, and hits from the sixties ! Some of it would just be embarrassing to play in front of others ! There are always those that try to stay up with the current trend in music. All I can say to that is," rock on ,brother." Personally I think a person of say fifty or so listening to Lil Wayne is just trying to fool themselves. He is just not relevant to a fifty year old. I'm just sayin'.

I have heard it said that music,at least popular music,is our social conscience. That music expresses what the youth are thinking about. Each new generation attempting to define itself. Each generation positive that they have found the best medium of expression. A form of rebellion. I think that is a fair statement. If you listen closely though it all runs together. I think that is why we settle into one genre more than others as we age. We find that point were we are comfortable with the message. I've settled into classic country. Love the messages there and the values talked about. The newer country stuff can be alright and some of it I just hate. Don't like that rapping cowboy ! Get real dude !

What new form of music looms on the horizon ? I just can't imagine. I'm thinking it will appear on you tube. Someone or some group will post something that will catch on. The digital download will drive this new form. Live performances may not even exist. It remains to be seen. I'm waitin'. Won't be too long before Time-Life will issue the rap series ! A collection of the greatest rap music of all time. All the old rappers on television trying to bust a move and rap ! " You gotta have this collection,Dog! "