I Dig the Kids’ Music

Ending the generational curse of believing my era sounded better

How many times has your dad said to you while you’re relaxing to some tunes after a hard shift flipping burgers: “Music is crap nowadays!”

If you’re my dad, then you’ve said that line many times. Or some variation, like, “Now THIS is music” (while listening to a cheesy song from 1956) or “They just don’t write songs like they used to.”

— and yes, I briefly worked at a fast-food joint.

My dad, of course, is referring to songs like Runaway by Del Shannon, released in 1961:

She ran away
And I wonder where she will stay
My little runaway
I run-run-run-run runaway

It just occurred to me that Shannon might be singing about his much-younger girlfriend, who finally escaped his “basement studio.” (shudder)

But truth be told, I love the song. It’s catchy, with just the right touch of melancholy. It’s no wonder it shot to #1 in the Billboard charts when it was released. The kids back then couldn’t get enough of it, oblivious to the song’s possible meaning.

I guess in a way, I’m an anomaly. Not every kid likes his dad’s music. But there are quite a few bangers from the 1950’s and 1960’s that I enjoy.