Your comment post should be at least 300 words this week due Thursday by 11:59 pm (worth 70 points) and you will be responsible for responding (respectfully) to one of your classmates in at least a one paragraph reply entries by Sunday at 11:59 pm (worth 30 points).
Student Question | What Are Your Earliest Memories of Music?
MAY 9, 2016 5:02 AM May 9, 2016 5:02 am 4
What does that statement mean to you?
David Gonzalez interweaves a story about what music meant to his father as he tells about his own first memory of listening to those songs in the section of the article called “A Bolero Between Father and Son”:
My earliest memory of being alive comes with its own soundtrack. My father, Pedro, used to sit with his battered guitar by the window of our first-floor apartment in the Bronx and slowly pluck out the songs he had learned decades earlier in Puerto Rico.
They were romantic boleros, filled with melancholy and heartbreak, or traditional aguinaldos from his own rural childhood in Caguas.
God, I hated those songs.
During the 1960s, when Puerto Ricans were depicted as knife-wielding know-nothings who would be the downfall of the South Bronx, the last thing I wanted to hear was some corny music that reminded me of where my parents were from. Besides, by the end of that decade I was too enamored of Jimi Hendrix, Creedence and The Guess Who to even give a second thought to papi’s music. So while he tried once to teach me guitar, all I ever learned to play were records.
A few weeks ago, I was driving by Van Cortlandt Park on a sunny morning when one of those old songs popped up randomly. I only had to hear a few notes from the lead guitar to know it was “Noche de Ronda” by Dúo Pérez Rodríguez, one of papi’s favorite groups. With flowery, poetic lyrics, they declared loyalty to a vanished lover, vowing to wait until death.
Waiting. Maybe that was also a theme of papi’s life. He had come here as a teenager to work in factories where, in time, he would lose most of two fingers on his playing hand. No longer able to play leads, he switched to rhythm. He didn’t really talk about that. Nor did he talk much about Puerto Rico, having only gone back to visit once in the mid-1940s after he married my mother.
Music was the link to the island he left behind. Along with his brother Eusebio, and Luis Reyes, a family friend, they would break out the guitars to perform the music of their youth.
Students: Read the entire article, then tell us:
— To what degree do you identify with Mr. Gonzalez’s story of listening to his father’s favorite music from his own childhood?
— Is being a fan of a certain style of music or artists connected to how you see yourself? What about how you view other people? Explain.
— What are your first memories of music? What is the setting for those memories?
— Have your parents, grandparents, other older family members or teachers introduced you to music that they loved when they were younger?
— If so, what artists or musical styles have you “inherited” from them?
— Have you likewise brought new music to older family members? If so, what?
David Gonzalez interweaves a story about what music meant to his father as he tells about his own first memory of listening to those songs in the section of the article called “A Bolero Between Father and Son”. I can relate to this story a lot actually. I enjoy listening to the older music from my parents and grandparents generation better than today’s music. Today’s music is pointless and has no meaning to it, but I listen to it sometimes because it’s just lit. I also definitely think that being a fan to a certain type of music genre connected to your view of yourself and others. For example, Hip-Hop is a culture and you can always tell when someone listens to rap by the way they talk, act, and dress and not always in a negative way. One of my first memories of music is going on vacation to Wildwood with my family when I was little and hearing music everywhere I went. I still listen to the songs I heard then to this day, It gives me a feeling of nostalgia when times were simpler and I like that. People introduce me to music that they love all the time and vice versa, I think that music is one of the greatest things in the world and I listen all day. My uncle has introduced me to Hip-Hop/Rap when I was about 10 years old and it’s been my favorite genre of music ever since. I don’t think I’m going to be one of those corny parents when I’m older and not listen to rap. I will always love this kind of music til the day I die. I have also sometimes brought newer music onto the older people in my family, I have learned to accept the trends and types of music from every generation and appreciate those things more.
ReplyDeleteThat was a pretty good response. Me and you really have the same point of view from this pretty much. We both listen to the same type of old school rap and modern time rap so i can relate to a lot to what you said. You've also introduced me to new artist ive grew to like so thats good.
DeleteBy Patrick Nardone
DeleteMarco I totally agree with you. I also loved how you put it too. Me and you had a lot of similar things to say. I think we both did a good job on this. I thought this was a good blog to make too.
It had very solid points marco and we really had a lot of same points. Like eli said we both listen to old and new rap so we can all relate. Good response good job.
DeleteMarco good points we have similar ideas. I listen to old hip hop sometimes but more new school because that's our era. I still can relate tho but good points bro. I think you did great on explain your ideas.
DeleteDavid Gonzales didn't really like the music that his father liked but he really had no choice to listen to it. In fact he even said that he hated the music his father listened to but he dealt with it. He said that the music his father listened to was a reach out from the island that he is from that's why he really listened to it. Being a fan of a certain type of music does not connect how i see yourself. I am really different of a person to the type of music i listen too. I listen to pretty much all hip hop and r&b when i'm in the feels and sometime i can even jam out to a good pop song. But the type of rap i listen to is called “trap music” that's really the type of music rappers make now a days. Trap Music can vary, they can be talking about there life or selling things or even hurting people or talking about women or they all might be together which usually happens. Some of the stuff that is said ik for a fact i could never repeat or do i just like the music but my personality is the complete opposite. My first memories of music was old school rap and the difference from me and David is that i actually liked it i remember hearing it and enjoying it in my parent's car driving or in my brothers room or at other families houses. No one has really showed me a different type of music that i liked. I mean people have showed me different artist that i've grew to like. Like for instance my friend Lino introduced me to 21 savage and he grew to now be my favorite rapper. I can listen to his music all the time and not get tired a bit. There hasn't been any music someone has introduced me to that i didn't already knew or didn't like. Growing up my dad showed me a lot of old school rap and so did my sister they showed me a lot and now today i still love it me and marco jam out to old school music all the time i think it's better so my family left that musical impact on me. I've inherited Tupac, Big, Warren G, Ice cube and the whole NWA group, Snoop Dogg, Run DMC, Will Smith yes he used to be a rapper and i was introduced to that at you age and a lot of other artist it was all hip hop and i still listen to them today. I've never brought this day and age music to older family. I've tried but they didn't like it they said it sounds stupid and it's not the same. They are right i think rappers nowadays are bad lyrically but the songs and beat are so dope so it makes it good to me enough to love.
ReplyDeleteBy Patrick Nardone
ReplyDeleteI think the article I read was pretty interesting. Mr. G listened to his dad's music from when he was a kid. I think while he was listening to it he had a hard time understanding it at first. He got use to it in a bit. I do think liking a certain music is connected to us. There are a lot of examples for this one. People who listen to rap and Gothic music are usually people who are mean or seem depressed all the time. I am not calling them out but think about it is mostly true. Also not all rap either just some of it is for this example. Also people who love rap to where they would die for it think they are cool. But really they are not. Those kind of people are the people who are bullying or just being flat out mean to other. Again this is my opinion but to me this is how I see it. People who listen to pop or good music that is on the radio are usually nice. They are not as mean or depressed as goths or rap lovers are. To me this is true, everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. My first memories of music was when I use to listen to my dad's music. I liked it alot and I still listen to some of it today. The setting was in my parent's car. Like I said before my dad showed me music that I still love today. The style was soft rock I think. The songs made from for example Journey. I have brought pop into their lives. They like the music a lot. We like the same kind of music but it varies by person. My dad could like a song I hate for example. I love music but I can't stand some types of music. I even wonder why it became a thing. Also I wonder why people like it too.
I agree with you Eli. I love all kinds of music from all different time periods and can listen to those songs on shuffle all day long. My music may not always match my personality either but I have a lot of love and respect for music and hope to show my kids one day old school music like your family did with you. Good response bro keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marco. You did a good job on this essay prompt. I agree with most of the things you said. We listen to the same music. Also we inherited the same music from our family.
DeleteThis article was pretty crazy about Mr.G. He didn't like the music his dad was listening to. He had no choice whether he liked it or not because he had to listen to it. He admitted that he hated the music. The music isn't really connecting to what I see myself because I don't look like I listen to the music I listen to. I listen to rap and some pop songs when I am in the mood. I always hated my dad's music because it is annoying. He listens to the old rock crap. I think he needs to get out of that time zone and join the music that is being played today. Although he did teach me about the old rap artists like ice t, Run DMC, DMX, Biggie. My first memories of music is when I heard some songs on the radio and I was bumping to it in the car. I was in love with the rap songs and I just bought a bunch of rap music on itunes so I could listen to it whenever I wanted. I have been stuck with the same music genre ever since like 9 years ago. I have inherited music from my grandparents as well. They taught me about some older music, but I rarely listen to it because it isn't the same as the rap now. I have taught my younger cousins about the rap music from today. Ever since I told them about the rap music that I listen to they have been addicted to the same artists. They listen to Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert like I do. Also some older kids listen to the same music I do and I think it is great. I think the music that I listen to is amazing and I will always stick with it unless something spectacular catches my ears.
ReplyDeleteI remember listening to my father's favorite music when i was younger too and it was on a lot. I never really listened to the music i was just watching tv or something because i was bored. The types of music i listen to does make me feel look at myself a certain way. You can tell alot about a person by the music they listen too. You can maybe gather some background information from it. Not exact information but you can get an idea from the music they listen too. I remember my first memories of music, i was at home on my couch at a different house than i live at now. It was the spongebob theme song. I used to watch that show so much and it was my favorite show. My parents and other people i am related to have introduced me to music they listened to when they were younger but i never really liked them alot but i would listen to them whenever they played them. I haven't inherited any musical styles from them just because i like other types of music and i listen to those instead. I have brought new music to older family member so they can listen to them and maybe they would like them. They did like them because it was their type of music and now they listen to that a lot and they still listen to the older music. I usually listen to the new and more modern music because i like it. I prefer the new music rather than the old music that my older family members listen too. The kids don’t listen to the older music either they usually listen to more modern music like me instead of the older songs, they listen to them sometimes but not a whole lot.
ReplyDeleteMr.Gonzalez grew up listening to that music. He jammed to that music growing up which he loved to listening to it. He played all his favorite songs with his guitar and when he lost those 2 fingers it was an impact on his life. Being a fan of a certain music doesn't always who tells who you are but certain people it does. I listen to hip hop but I like the beats and how they rhyme in the songs. Its just been like that always. I am cert of connected to some artists I listen to because some on them grew up in the conditions I live, or the same problems in school. they were student athlete so yes I have a connection with it. My dad had a big impact in my life with music. He's actually the reason why I believe I listen to hip hop. My dad loves hip hop he is the biggest 50 cent fan. He's a legend in hip hop I used to know all his songs. My dad would always play his music and other artists too. My mom said I always loved music going up she thought I was going to grow up to be an artist. Hip hop came from my dad he's why I listen to it till this day. I listen to music almost every single day of this year. There is not a single day I don't its just I love listening to it. it just grew on me. I Haven't brought music to my family members they are all old heads. They all like Spanish music and really don't like hip hop they aren't the biggest fan of it. They rather listen to there Spanish music all the time. I don't care to be honest they don't have to listen to my music.
ReplyDelete