Dream On

One of the routines lately at the House of Frites is to all "do our homework" together.  All in the same general area, tap tappin' on the keyboard(s), working out the pre-algebra, reviewing drawings, reading, whatever the case may be.  Sometimes the quiet is required, other times some background music is appropriate.  It's a mellow way to end the day.  Once this is done I get in the requisite hour on the bike and drop into the arms of morpheus, after which we begin the daily cycle anew. 

The music of choice on this evening and the previous few has been Side One of Aerosmith Dream On, their first foray into the land of LP's.  Cut in 1973, it predates my kids by nearly a quarter century, but now they're hooked.  I am a happy dude (dad).

I grew up with Aerosmith.  Not the reconstituted, smarmy, ballad yelping, Sanjaya accompanying, gag me with a spoon version.  The real McCoy.  Pre 1990 (I'll accept Permanent Vacation but that was the threshold of the transition into their current pop iteration) they were the epitome of the pre-hair rock bands that we all grew up with, and the deeper tracks in the earlier albums are crunchy and quite delectable in their own bluesy ways.  They even had a Hirschfeld album cover--now that's makin' it in the '70's.

Aaanywho, my 9 y.o daughter has gotten hooked as the overlay song in the credits to Miracle (which she is also hooked on) is, of course, "Dream On."   So now we listen to this song umpteen times a night, although I am stern in requiring that "Make It" and "Somebody", the preceding tracks, and "One Way Street", the following track, be played in conjunction, as I have this album engraved in my head before "shuffling" ever became a part of our lexicon.  Ergo these songs must be played in sequence--a valuable lesson that today's generation must learn, as every album tells a story and to interrupt the flow is to ruin the narrative.

Not really.  I'm just obsessive that way.  Fact remains I'm 42 and the kids are into Aerosmith.  More albums to follow...wait 'til they discover Pandora's Box...