MUSIC + FAMILY
♡MUSIC AND MY MOM♡
For this blog, I interviewed my mother about how music has been a significant part of her life. Below are the questions I asked and the answers she shared during our dialogue.
Mom: I listened..to modern classical. And I liked classical Jazz. Your daddy will tell you, I only listened to hip-hop when he was around. Or, I like R&B ballets.
Me: Wait so what is that again?
Mom: Like Luther Vandross, Anita Baker-
Me: OH okay. Okay, Gotcha. What were your favorite artists or bands growing up?
Mom: Luther, Luther Vandross, Anita Baker (then starts laughing) Anita Baker was a rhythmic jazz singer. Did you know that?
Me: No, I didn't.
Mom: Yeah, her background was jazz. So her type of vibe I really vibed with.
Me: Do you remember a song or an album that really stuck to you as a teenager and why?
Mom: Mmm...
Me: Wait but you're always singing old school hip-hop and R&B, and you're acting like...like I know you only listened to it when you were with dad, but there had to be like a popular song that stuck to you at the time.
Mom: Right off, I can't, um, think of it...it was, uh, The...The sounds of blackness!!!
Me: That's the name of the song or group?
Mom: (goes to ask my dad the song she's trying to figure out the specific song from the group)
Mom: Oh, boy. Can you hum it? (ask my dad, he has no idea what she's talking about)
(I end up searching it up)
Me: Mama, it's okay I got it. It was a musical ensemble? Was it called "Optimistic"?
Mom: Yes yes yes yes.
Me: (Plays the song)
Mom: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESS.
Me: Okay Okay.
Mom: It really had meaning. It was a song of hope and encouragement...and to just hold on.
Me: (listening to the song)
Mom: You see why I like it?
Me: Yeah. Okay now I know what you're talking about. Yeah, cause grandaddy and Alice, they had this playing on the radio all the time when we would go swimming.
Mom: Sounds of Blackness was out almost 30 years ago.
Me: Did you go to concerts or dances when you were younger?
Mom: Um... I didn't go to concerts but I did go to dances. I went to a lot of dances at Winthrop.
Me: Okay. Do you remember the songs?
Mom: Yeah, it was just a lot of hip-hop. I just went to dances because it was the end thing to do. Not like I liked to dance.
Me: Oh, okay. You sure dance a lot when I'm at home, but okay.
Mom: (laughs a bit)
Me: How did music help you through tough times or big changes?
Mom: The stroke. And...there are other times too, besides the stroke. There were gospel songs, namely gospel songs that kept me going. And one song was, um, "Be encouraged"
Me: I remember that song. Did you ever play an instrument?
Mom: Um, I played the violin in junior high in high school. And that's what my love for classical music came from.
Me: Are there songs that instantly bring you back memories from your youth?
Mom: Um, "Stand by me." We played it in Orchestra and it was a real popular song back then because of the movie. The movie came out back then. And I had to learn it and play it. So that one really stood out to me.
Me: How has your taste in music changed over the years?
Mom: Um...it hasn't changed much. I still like the same music. It hasn't changed at all. Um, I've added more gospel to my playlist, but no change in music. I don't know if that's a good thing, or if that's a bad thing, if that's saying, I haven't explored. But I like what I like.
Me: And you know what? And that's okay. How would you define music? Like what does it mean to you?
Mom: Music is an expression of life.
Me: That's a good one. Do you prefer older classics or current music and why? With gospel music, you can never wrong.
Mom: Even with, yeah, even with some gospel, even with modern gospel, it's too secular. I like older classics because the current music is not music. They're not singing. It's a whole bunch of synthesizing and and, um, um overtones and AI-
Me: Okay mom I get it okay-
Mom: It's not real music. And anybody that ever studied music would agree with me.
Me: Okay I got you mom. Um...let's go to the next question. How do you usually listen to music now? Is it on the radio, CD, um streaming, YouTube?
Mom: Streaming. And I even listen through it in my car.
Me: Lastly, how has music shaped you as a person today?
Mom: I use music for therapy, and soothing and calming music lifts me up. It has molded me and shaped me becausee I'm able to go to it to keep me uplifted. It calms me, um yeah, music is something now that we're talking about it. Music is the doctor.
Cydni I really enjoyed your blog. One of the things I found very interesting was how your mother uses music for therapy.
ReplyDeleteCydni, Your mom is one of the realest persons ever. i love how she said "I like what I like". and she is valid for being upset about the synthesizing, autotune, and AI because it really is sad. I can see how she has had an influence on you as a person as well.
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