Tunes

 What kind of music do you listen to? 

I listen to all kinds of music depending on my mood. I do have favorites. I do love music.

For instance if I am in the mood for a light-hearted instrumental I might pull up a minuet. Franz Joseph Hayden composed some lively minuets. 

Music played for barn dances is fun. We usually think of square dancing when we think of this type of music but there are also slower dances for couples. My grandparents played at barn dances. When I was young a couple I knew used to take a couple of us girls to square dances.  My favorite to watch was "Swing Em Like Thunder".

There are a lot of fun songs and dances from the Roaring 20's.  The Charleston and Black Bottom come to mind. And Bety Boop's "Boop-oop-e-doo" is still well-known.

Big Band music has a lot of favorites for me. Some bandleaders were Lois Armstrong, Count Basie, Les Brown, Cac Calloway, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Phil Harris, Bennie Goodman, Dizzy Gillespi, Louis Jordan, Guy Lombardo, Glenn Miller, Vaughn Monroe, Ozzie Nelson (Ricky's dad), and so many more. Louis Prima is my favorite. And Brian Setzer is the newest member.

 Many famous singers came from Big Bands. Doris Day and Keely Smith popped into my mind right away. Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra began as singers for Big Bands.

Big Bands played some of the smoothest music ever. They ushered in the age of Swing which led the way for newer sounds.

Country Western Music has existed since early times. The original Jimmie Rodgers was also known as the singing brakeman. He sang early Country Music and could yodel with the best of them. He is not to be confused with Jimmie Rodgers who sang "Honeycomb". Both are favorites of mine.

The Carter Family sang early American folk music. They began in 1927 and descendants are still singing today. June Carter eventually married Johnny Cash who is a famous singer too.

Early Country singers were the singing cowboys like Tex Ritter and Roy Rogers. Dale Evans who married Roy Rogers was also a prolific songwriter. She wrote the theme song for their television show one day on the way to filming their television show.

A lot of the early Country singers were the first Rockabilly performers. Bill Hayley and the Comets performed perhaps the most famous song of the fifties with "Rock Around the Clock".

At the same time religious music was popular. Depending on the religion a person followed music was a way to help a person worship' Some hymns were more sedate while others worshipped with more effusive joy. What was called Negro spirituals were also a precursor to our next step in music.

These spirituals were used during slavery to send messages that the owners would not understand. Some gave instructions to escaping slaves while others let them know what was safe and what was not. 

Anyway music in the Black community consisted of spirituals and raucous and sometimes raunchy music. Often there was a strong background of drums or pounding piano that was so attractive to young people.

We entered the age of Rock and Roll. Singing groups like the Platters were popular. Single performers like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Ricky Nelson. I remember them all. This is my favorite music.

In cities young men would gather on street corners to harmonize. Thus were formed the Doo-Wop groups we all loved.

We have since experienced Heavy Metal, Hair Bands, Grunge, Rap and Punk Rock. All have their own merits. 

As I said it depends on my mood what I listen to. My favorites are music from the fifties and sixties and The Irish Rovers. I also have a passion for silly songs. What do you like?