An Interview with my Mom

 None of my family lives in South Carolina and the bulk of them live in California, where I’m originally from. The three hour time difference makes it hard for us to find a good time to sit down and talk, so I had a chat with my mom. There’s still an hour time difference, but we’re not in different parts of our day like my Cali family. From this transcript, I have omitted my six year old sister, Evie, telling(and singing) me her favourite songs and… “helping” during the conversation.

Me: What is your earliest memory of music?

Mom: My father would whistle a tune when he came up the stairs when I was little, and I knew that tune meant daddy was coming home. 

Me: What music do you associate with your childhood? How did it change and evolve?

Mom: As a child, I listened to what my parents played; oldies. Bands like Bread. The song “Time in a Bottle” is very memorable. Lots of 80s music, like Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul. As I got into high school, I started liking alternative rock like Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. My friends were listening to pop stuff but I liked alternative rock. College was more of the same and I still like alternative rock. I was not exposed to and do not like country music. 

Me: Who’s your current favourite artist and why?

Mom: I don’t really have one right now. I don’t listen to music much anymore. My musical involvement is mostly disney tunes, because I have a six year old. I very much appreciate Lin-Manuel and his catchy music. I like that sheesh song. It’s very beachy, it’s a vibe. Oh! The stressed out band.

Me: Twenty One Pilots?

Mom: Yes! I love them, I love everything of theirs that comes out.

Me: Who in your life influenced your choice of music?

Mom: No one. 

Me: That’s a great answer, mom. Do you want to elaborate?

Mom: No. 

Mom: I discovered my own music listening to the radio. I found what I liked, and there wasn’t really anyone around me who introduced me to stuff.

Me: What technology did you use to listen to music?

Mom: I used the radio. I used cassette tapes, and then cds. And then MP3 players. MP3’s were at the beginning of my adulthood. When I was little, my mom would play music on the record player. 

Me: Where would you listen to music?

Mom: When I was teenager, I used the radio in my room, and as I got older, I listened to it in the car. 

Me: How do you feel about your childhood music from today’s perspective? 

Mom: I think that some of has not aged well. A lot of the themes and attitudes towards women especially are not something that would be viewed positively today. And honestly, some of the 80s music that I heard as a kid, I thought at the time that it was inappropriate. There was a song that said “every step you take, I will always be there” came across as stalkerish and not romantic. A lot of it viewed women as possessions. 

Me: Have you ever played an instrument or sung?

Mom: Yes. I sang all through school. I had solos in recitals. I played piano for a few years and I played handbells in my school’s handbell choir and at my church as a young adult. I played around with the violin and I had a guitar in highschool. I was in a band in highschool. 

We formed a girl band in middle school because we were obsessed with New Kids on the Block. We called it “US Girls” and we would meet at my friends house and practice, mostly dancing. 

I was in musicals all through high school. I was Doris in Fame, I was in The Wiz, I wasn’t a lead then but I had a solo. I got cast in the Wizard of Oz(When I did it as a kid, I was a munchkin) as a chorus member and a tap dancer, but I didn’t end up doing it. 

Me: Did you and a significant other have a song? What was it? 

Mom: Shawn and I have a song. It’s called “All of Me”.

Me: How did that become your song?

Mom: We were watching American Idol together and one of the performers sang an acoustic version and the lyrics just spoke to us. He took my hand and we danced together in the living room. 

Me: How do you feel about how music has changed over the years?

Mom: I think a lot of it is garbage. The words are stupid or insulting or boring. I think that there’s still some songwriters who tap into more profound words or- music is about connection and some people find the words that connect with people and, it may be me, but I don’t find that I connect with as many songs as I used to. 

Me: What do you think about my music?

Mom: I like it. I feel like I’ve introduced you to quite a bit of it. I really like musical music because usually the lyrics are funny or clever or engaging.

Me: Is there anything else you would like to talk about or add?

Mom: I feel like music is very important. It’s been a part of our kids lives and out of ten children, only one doesn’t sing or play an instrument. Five were in band and one(me) was in choir. The rest all sing or play musical instruments outside of school. And actually, Alex makes electronic music. So all of you are involved in music in some way.