The Ruffled Crow

There’s a series of CDs that have been coming into the library over the past while that caught my attention with the sheer incongruity of the juxtaposition of elements.

The Rockabye Baby! series of lullaby renditions of heavy metal artists. Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Tool, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith – the list goes on.

It’s tough to wrap my mind around the thought of my infant drifting off to sleep to the soft strains of “Pet” (…counting bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums…) or “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails (I won’t be quoting those lyrics, thankyouverymuch), and the Sabbath song “Fairies Wear Boots” seems particularly cruel as a lullaby.

I did grab the ‘Renditions of Tool’ CD and gave it a bit of a listen and I do have to admit that I didn’t howl in pain after the first 3 notes, but I can’t say it’ll get into my play-list rotation.

Truth be told, even if they had been around when The Z was a wee one they wouldn’t have hit the cassette player. He got the full dose of Aerosmith and Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Also quite alot of Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, and Steve Khan, as well as a good helping of fusion jazz. In a range like that you can always find something the kid’ll like whatever his toddler-muddied mood. You gotta work with what you got.

I guess on one level I can understand the proud parent wanting to create that special ‘connection through generational-spanning music’ or some sort of  rationale for subjecting their spawn to syrupy covers of perfectly good music. No elevator required! Bonus!

On the other hand I can’t see a reason to potentially stunt or delay the sprout’s burgeoning music appreciation abilities. I wasn’t one to talk baby-talk to The Z for much the same reason. You aren’t surprised, I’d imagine. In any event, The Z did turn out with a pretty varied taste in tunage and I didn’t end up with a box of tapes to dispose of along the way.

Now, I’m not one to try and talk you out of picking up one of these fabulous tinkly re-treads, in fact let me be the first to suggest you also pick up a copy of Pat Boone’s “In a Metal Mood”. You’ll love it.