Music Memories # 2

My music memories i have interviewed my dad, Levi Swindell Sr. And he was born in 1955. He is about 53 and i had asked him the following questions.
1. What music genre did you listen to when you were a teenager?
2. Did your music interests change as you aged to an adult?
3. Do you like the current music of today?
4. Reflecting do you think that music has changed society?

My father answered the questions without thought as he feels that the music that i listen to has no meaning compared to the music that he has listened to. Me and my father seem apart because of our positions on that argument, but we are more similar than i thought before i wrote this essay. Levi listened to Motown oldies when he grew up. Smokey, temptations, and the Jackson five where some of his favorite artist/groups. He stated that he did not change interest in the songs but listened to slow jams compared to the up beat songs of that genre. He stated that he does not like the current hip hop rap songs that i listen to. But he appreciates some of the R&B songs saying that they copied them from the past. As he reflected he thinks that music has definitely changed society reminding me of Sam Cooke- a change is gonna come. My father has never been to concerts, but says he has spent his time at disco's. He was born around the time where music was not as degrading towards other people and always enjoyed music that pertained to or about African Americans having a good time. I feel its because of his circumstance of being raised in a extremely poor environment. My father was to say the least no trying to help the world become a better place, he was trying to make the world a better place for him. And that can be understood by the music that he intentionally segregates. I do not blame him, everyone has their reasons for listing to certain music types.



As i reflect on the interview with my father. I understand now how i like the motown music and oldies, because that's all they listened to when i was growing up. But one clear difference is that my father has never liked alternative rock or anything close to it. A difference because of where i was raised compared to where he lived when he was my age. This underlying difference of where i was raised compared to my father is the point where i listen to music that he finds illogical. Another reason is that the music in my time consists of hip hop, rap, r&B, alternative rock, etc. The music that is in my time is a whole lot more degrading than my fathers time. And i choose to listen to music that i like, which spans to all music genres in one way or another. I parallel him to his music genre but i then span into my own music that i listen to that he chooses not to. Me and my father do not like going to concerts but we both like disco's, disco's for him. And Clubs/Functions for me. My father is quick to shoot down music of today but i argue that we are a result of the past. And the songs that he listens to has more of a subliminal message of sex compared of music of today which lyrically it is more blunt then ever. Which proves a point that this class shows about in the past things were more conservative than now.