My kids, 8 and 6, have long despaired when I put on a Joni CD in the car --
or anyone else I like for that matter ("Awwww, Jonatha Brooke / Neil Finn ,
etc. again??!!") to the point where I wait until they're gone to listen and
enjoy (okay, and sing at the top of my lungs). Yesterday being Joni's
birthday, I told them we were going to listen to some Joni in her honor. I
put in TI, but somehow the mood wasn't right and the themes for kids are a
little bleak. I dug out STAS and lo and behold there was dead silence the
whole way to our destination. My daughter asked to have the sound faded
into the back seat. After a while, she said, "what did she say?" about a
certain lyric. Hmmm, I thought, maybe they're listening. Today my son was
helping with a chore and out of the blue he said, "what does she say after
'you know my key won't fit the door'?" Later, we were in the car, and my
son said, "Aren't you going to play Joni Mitchell?" I pushed the 'play'
button from where it had been, and he said, "No, start it from the
beginning." They asked what "Nathan LaFraneer" was about. I remarked that
I thought "Night in the City" was a great song, and sophisticated musically
for a person who was probably 20 when she wrote it. (Like I know because
I'm some highly trained musician ... ha!) Dennis asked what the first
words were. I came inside and found my original album sleeve and put it
out for him to read the lyrics. He had a big smile on his face as he read
them aloud. My daughter, who is a wonderful artist, thought the artwork
was great.
Do you think they get it?? Could it be so?? Well, they once seemed to get
along for about 24 hours and then that all fell apart, so I won't hold my
breath. It's a glimmer, though, and I'll take a glimmer. Glimmer is good.
Musing,
Lindsay
