Rapping to the oldies

When I was a kid, the AM dial on the radio had quite a few stations that were devoted to "oldies" music. They played Sinatra ballads, show tunes, swing music and big band songs. My dentist loved to listen to that stuff and would have the radio tuned to those stations. He had the volume way up as well as he was hard of hearing. Perhaps, it's why I hate Sinatra so much. I associate the pain of my teeth being drilled with blaring staticky versions of My Way and Chicago.

As a teen, the oldies stations started to play early rock n' roll. Buddy Holly, Elvis, and all of those wonderful one hit wonders from the 50's. My friend Mike and I would often tune into the FM station that played those dittys and listen to it on occasion, especially when we cruised around in his 1970 Pontiac Firebird. We'd often scream the lyrics out the car window- "Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, hey- Goodbye!!" "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty girl your wife!!" Even though the music was created well before we were born, we enjoyed the simplicity of the classic style. We scoffed at the fact that this music was even considered remotely controversial as it was so tame by the day's standards.

Nowadays, the oldies stations are now mostly classic rock stations. They play the Beatles, Rolling Stones, early 70's stadium rock, Pink Floyd and Led Zepplin. This progression of what an oldies station has become has made me realize that the oldies stations will be playing corny 80's music in about 10-15 years and eventually grunge music and hard core rap.

I can just picture it now- in 30-40 years, driving my grandchildren somewhere with an oldies station on and they start to whine that 50 Cent is old people's music. I would be quick to retort back, "Listen here children, 50 Cent has more talent in his left thumb than those awful singers, if you can even call them that, that you guys listen to!"

"Comon' Pop-pop, don't make us listen to that Madonna chick again, that old bag is almost 90!"

"Hey that 'old bag' looks damn fine for a 90 year old, if I wasn't married to your Mom-mom I wouldn't mind striking a pose with her, if you catch my drift!"

"Ewwwww, Pop-pop! You're so gross!"

We have to remind ourselves that history repeats itself. The young will always have music that the old will hate and that music will someday become oldies music.