Black magic women

The kid loves to look up videos of artists we listen to on youtube and see them perform their songs. Of course, there was the issue at first of explaining why a particular video we watched (mostly live performances) didn't quite sound like or last as long as (or lasted longer than) what we had on CD or on the MP3 players. Once he got the concept of versions--not be confused with covers or remixes (which he now has fully figured out (and can I just have one moment of bragging here that he is only four and a half and can talk intelligently about original, cover, live and studio versions, mashups and remixes etc)--he wanted to see every possible video out there.

Although he likes us to come up with new videos for him to watch (one day, I am going to run out of ideas. But not for a good while!), he has a certain set that we've now bookmarked on every browser, on every machine he has access to, as well on on our phones (yes, because we are suckers, especially me, when it comes to anything music related.) These are known as, appropriately, 'the favorite group' videos.

Of course, it is the common factor of a great, and uniquely identifiable, voice that attracts him to these videos. It's not like he's showing a preference for a type or anything, you see...

Long, Long Time - Linda Ronstadt




Ruby Tuesday (cover) - Melanie [Safka]
(I confess, it thrills me more that a little bit that one of my personal favorite covers is now his, too.)



Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane
(There is a White Rabbit video that has, in the kid's haughty opinion, a "better picture of Grace Slick" but he currently prefers this as a song much more so than White Rabbit. And, yes, of course he knows all their singers' names. I know facts about singers now that I never even cared to know, before, because of his incessant questions:"What's the name of the singer? When's her birthday? What's her favorite color? Where does she live?" You bet your ass I've taught him how to use Wiki.
P.S. As far as cheeky, insouciant grins go, Grace's is the best.)



Crazy For You - Heart
(And this is where L. gets to share a little in the thrill, too, since he is a big Annie fan, as well. I have to say, as much as I understand, I just prefer Nancy's badass playing a mite more than Annie's voice. Also, if you didn't know, Nancy is married to Cameron Crowe...now that's a household for any kid who's an innate music lover to grow up in!)