"I try to say good-bye and I choke.
Try to walk away and I stumble......"
Her hands would fly to her ears. She'd run in terror, shrieking,
"NO MACY GRAY! NO MACY GRAAAAAAAAAY!"
Something about Ms. Gray's voice sent Riley into fits. I tried telling her that MG's voice sounded "just like a muppet, doesn't it?" She wasn't havin' it.
So....we've avoided all things Macy Gray for years. It's been one of Riley's more quirky fears.
But last week at the library, I saw the CD.
Hmmmm......I wonder?
Later in the car I popped it in.
Riley smiled and sang along.
No problem.
13 comments:
Michelle,
I know that you know this, but oh man, Ms. Riley is taking some MAJOR steps these days!!!
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!
Very cool, but I think you really should be playing Madonna or Sheryl Crow! xoxoxo
I'm curious: how is Riley with classical music?
-- Laura
She likes classical music but has not had tons of exposure. She has a great musical ear. She can hear a song once and sing it back perfectly. She's had one year of piano and one year of violin instruction, but her little fingers don't do what her brain tells them, and it is extremely frustrating for her. To know how it is supposed to sound, yet not be able to do it "perfectly."
Are there any composers you specifically recommend?
yay for macy gray and riley!!! what a team!
Some things simply cannot be explained. Not her original fears. Not the miracle of her new acceptance.
...mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.
The Lord moves.
Huh. Funny.
You should you tube Ben Taylor's version of that song. He is James Taylor and Carly Simon's kid...Great voice.
:)
Get her on Tracy Grammer!
That girl is about to get herself kicked out of "the club." Each year her improvement is exponential!
Take an A, Mom, none of this would be possible if she didn't have you as her mom. None.
For people with minds that enjoy, say, the beauty of precision and everything being RIGHT, Bach is probably the best. If Riley enjoys lots of repetition, then bloody Philip Glass might be the go (don't really like his stuff, myself, or could you tell?). For beautiful, fairy-tale music, Tchaikovsky or Rimsky-Korsakov are good places to start. For the wilder, less predictable stuff, Bartok might be fun. (And he's considered VERY mild by those in the field -- compared to my husband's stuff, Bartok is very mild INDEED.) For chant, you might try Hildegard of Bingen, who is also notable for being a famous woman composer. There are more than a few now, but she lived in the early 12th century!
My daughter loves Macy Gray. Though it is a little unnerving to hear a 6-year-old sing Sexual Revolution. I'm just praying it's not sung at school.
On a side not, as a former musician myself my favorites to play were Bach and Debussy. Very contrasting composers...
Loving these updates! Go Riley go!
P.S.
I recommend Mozart; Miss M prefers it on the way to school because it helps "calm her mind" and "get her organized" - !
I concur on the Mozart recommendation. Salamander seeks 'refuge' in Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' whenever his inner turmoil threatens to overwhelm him..
Post a Comment