I often hear, “the music nowadays is terrible” and “these kids don’t know what good music is”. These of course are personal opinions, and like all personal opinions, they are strongly biased and generally void of any semblance of objectivity. Opinions on politics, religion, and preferred brand of saltine crackers also fall into this void. To avoid an inbox full of hate mail I’ll just keep my opinions on the crackers to myself.

Despite the fact that tuning into the radio is free, my wife and I subscribe to satellite radio for our car. Mainly because the endless car dealership and furniture store advertisements that obnoxiously overtake the airwaves between every song makes me want to chew my radio nobs off. This angstful aversion to advertising is also why I can’t watch television. New televisions don’t have any nobs to chew off.

I know the money from these advertisements are necessary to keep the radio waves waving, or whatever it is they do, but I’m also aware that car dealerships and furniture stores exist and that they are rarely not having a super blowout sale of some sort.

My point, I think I had a point, is that with satellite radio I am able to listen to music from the 1940s to the most recent flavor of the day. Over 75 years of music available at the touch of a button. Bringing me to the point I thought I had, music and kids today don’t have exclusive ownership of crappy music, there are turds all over the dial from 1940 to today.

I like some of the music my kids listen to, they like some of the music I enjoy, and we all manage to tolerate that which doesn’t fall into the “some” category. They’ve been subjected to my preferred choice of music since they were wee lads and lasses, and I’m glad they are able to enjoy some of it or at least tolerate it without too much of a ruckus.

I attempt to extend the same courtesy of tolerance towards their choices of music, and even if it doesn’t strike my fancy, I try and hear why it might strike the fancy of my children’s auditory palate. Maybe it gives me deeper insight into the minds of my children. Maybe that’s insight better left alone, but curiosity never hurt anyone, other than the cat.

In honor of my Uncle Tim’s birthday, and St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to share with you a song that Tim and I like to sing when our vocal chords are properly lubricated. It’s called “The Wild Rover” and I expect your well lubricated voice to join in the next time Tim and I give it a go. Sláinte.

I’ve been a wild rover for many a year
And I spent all me money on whiskey and beer
But now I’m returning with gold in great store  And I never will play the wild rover no more 

Chorus:
And it’s No, Nay, never,
No, nay never no more  Will I play the wild rover,  No never no more 

I went into an alehouse I used to frequent  And I told the landlady me money was spent  I asked her for credit, and she answered me nay  Such a customer as yours I can have any day 

Chorus

Then from out of me pocket, I took sovereigns bright  And the landlady’s eyes opened wide with delight  She said “I have whiskeys and wines of the best  And the words that I spoke were only in jest” 

Chorus

I’ll go home to my parents, and confess what I’ve done  And I’ll ask them to pardon their prodigal son  And perhaps they’ll caress me as oft times before  And I never will play the wild rover no more 

Chorus