The great cultural divide

[Sharkman]

Earlier today I was telling the story about my moose hunt up in British Columbia back in October 2002.  One night, the hunting guide was talking with one of the other hunters who lives in Montana.  The guide looked at me and said "What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Montana?"  I replied "Dental floss."  Everyone looked at me with this bewildered look on their faces, and I looked back at them also in bewilderment.  I guess they never heard of Frank Zappa. 

 

Another night, during dinner, the topic turned to music, and I calmly said that Led Zeppelin was the greatest musical group ever in the entire history of all mankind.  One of the other hunters, an older guy from northern California named Dan, muttered "Like Hell!"  At first, I was shocked, because this guy just did not talk.  I was wondering if maybe he was mute, or maybe he just brushed his teeth and didn't want to open his mouth and get them dirty.  I later discovered that Dan was a square dance caller, which is why he would probably be unfamiliar with Led Zeppelin.  Rock and roll was as foreign to them as square dancing is to me, but it was fun to meet new people whose lives were so different from mine.  Oh, and yes, I got a big moose.  350 pounds of steaks, roasts, and burger, along with a big head hanging on my wall just a few feet away.

[Dannyalcatraz]

The more people you meet from other walks of life, the more you realize there’s more out there than you realize.

 

Once upon a time, I was amused and bewildered by VP Dan Quayle’s obvious unfamiliarity with Deep Purple (in an interview).  But over time, I’ve found so many odd and interesting points of incongruous commonality and bewildering dissimilarity that I realize it’s just part of the human condition.

 

I routinely amaze people with the depth and breadth of my musical knowledge.  Even my Mom- a former music teacher- occasionally gives me cockeyed stares at some of the stuff I routinely dredge up. 
 

At my barber’s shop on a crowded day, I was pointing out that schools all across the USA used to have some kind of basic music education.  I illustrated this by start8nf to hum “Cherry Blossoms”, a song taught on recorder in several schools I attended.  Every last patron over 35 or so joined in; everyone younger was looking around in amazement because they had no clue.
 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

22 minutes ago, Dannyalcatraz said:

At my barber’s shop on a crowded day, I was pointing out that schools all across the USA used to have some kind of basic music education.  I illustrated this by start8nf to hum “Cherry Blossoms”, a song taught on recorder in several schools I attended.  Every last patron over 35 or so joined in; everyone younger was looking around in amazement because they had no clue.

"Ta, ta, TI-TI Ta... "
     
  

[surfergirl]

We still have music programs in most of our schools. We also have this.

https://www.heartshawaii.org/about

[KuruPrionz]

It's pretty simple really. 

Music is profoundly diverse. I would have gotten your Montana/Zappa joke but we had that record when I was younger and played it often.

On the other hand, while I absolutely know who Led Zeppelin is, I don't like the singer at all and while Jimmy Page was a great producer and chordal composer I don't care for his lead guitar work in the slightest. Which is to say nothing of all the great blues songs they tried to take credit for but did not write. 

 

John Bonham and John Paul Jones? MONSTER drum/bass team, one of the best by far. Mixed bag for me, I'll take a hard pass on LZ. 😇

 

The way I figure it, if somebody likes a particular song or band, they are luckier than I am (if I happen to not like it). 😊

My brother used to bring home all sorts of records when I was about 15. My limited taste in music was suddenly expanded in many directions. He tries to play guitar and can sort of do it except his timing is just off. But he remains one of my biggest musical influences by far. From New York Jazz to Turkish Village Music to Tibetan Monks chanting, he would find the different musics and we would listen. 

[Larryz]

I like being versatile, some may call it diverse, in the genres I play in.  I like country, country rock, old and new rock and roll, blues, jazzy pop tunes, etc.  I like bringing back old tunes and doing them "My Way", (to quote Frankie) much the same way that Elvis and Ray Charles did. I don't like getting stuck playing any one thing all night.  When I jam with others, I can get into their groove.  I'll be jamming with my old high school buddies that played all Ventures music back in the 60's (at the end of this month).   I do make exceptions and get back into surf stuff when I'm with the friends I have played with all my life.  If they want me to sing, then they have to put up with my diverse material again LoL!  I can't name songs by Led Zeplin and many other very famous and popular bands.  But I know I like all of their tunes when I hear them on my classic rock station, when I'm out and about. I have always enjoyed singing around a campfire with others even though I don't know any square dance tunes.  I know it's good to meet new people and keep an ear out for new and old music...mostly old. 😎