THAT'S TERRIBLE! HOW CAN YOU STAND TO LISTEN TO THAT?!

My parents said that about the music I listened to as a teenager. Elvis. Gene Vincent. Ray Charles. You name it, I listened to it.

There was a time when I thought that I'd would always be up on the music of today. I'd be forever hip, the hipster of the oldest hipsters.

When the kids were growing up I could still relate to the music. In the 70's and 80's, music was still down to earth, decent, cool.

Then came hip hop. Then came rap. Then came gangsta. Then they lost me. Man, this cat just could not relate.

Today I can't name one piece of music on the top 40 list of hit music. Not one.

I know jazz music. Keeping up with jazz released and new artists has been easy. Jazz is timeless. Like everything else in this world, it's changed a bit. When fusion was introduced it took a piece of traditional jazz sales. Still does. I have both traditional and fusion jazz on my shelves.

I looked at something I listened to wayyy back in the day. My teens. "I Called The Witch Doctor". It was not a favorite tune but a novelty to listen to. Maybe this is what mom and dad hated about the music of that day.

I Called the Witch Doctor

"I told the witch doctor

I was in love with you

I told the witch doctor you didn't love me too

And then the witch doctor, he told me what to do

He said that ....

[Chorus:]Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang

Walla walla, bing bang

Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang

Walla walla, bing bang...

Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang

Walla walla, bing bang

Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang

Walla walla, bing bang"

And so on. You get the gist.

Then I checked out the Rolling Stone magazine that came in the mail Friday. Number 5 on the MTV list of top videos: Cupid's Chokehold by the Gym Class Heros. Decent title. Something I could relate to? I Goggled the lyrics.

Cupid's Chokehold

"Ba ba da da
Ba ba da da
Ba ba da da
Ba ba da da
Ba ba da da

Take a look at my girlfriend
She's the only one i got (ba ba da da)

Not much of a girlfriend
I never seem to get a lot (ba ba da da, ba ba da da)

It's been some time since we last spoke
This is gonna sound like a bad joke
But momma i fell in love again
It's safe to say i have a new girlfriend

And i know it sounds so old
But cupid got me in a chokehold
And i'm afraid i might give in
Towels on the mat
my white flag is wavin'

I mean she even cooks me pancakes
And alka seltzer when my tummy aches
If that ain't love
then i don't know what love is"


If that's not a witch doctor girl friend, I don't know what is. And she cooks pancakes and brings Alka Seltzer! What more can a guy ask for?

Ting tang walla walla bing bang! That's what.

Finally, a piece of today's music that I can relate to.

Peace out, brother.