Music Meme aka 76 Trombones

I have been pretty long between posts around here. Yeah, I've used the "real life" excuse, but who doesn't have that.

Anyway, I was over at Nils' site and found this meme. I thought it was intriguing, as music has always been a part of my life. So here's my try at it.

The questions are:

What is the first music you remember hearing?

Did you come from a musical family?

Do you remember a lullaby from your childhood? If so, what is it?

What song(s) changed your life?

If you could have dinner with three dead musicians which three would you choose and why?

You are stranded on a deserted island. You are allowed the complete musical works of one band and its members. Which band or musician would you choose?

Does music play in your head? If so, what is playing right now?

Can music truly soothe the savage beast? If so, what music soothes your beast?

The questions are:

What is the first music you remember hearing?
I'm not really sure. It might've been my father's singing to me, could've been my mother playing the piano. She also played the huge pipe organ at church and my father directed the church choir. I have lots of early memories from that.

Did you come from a musical family?
Absolutely! My mother is a very talented pianist. My father's family all sang. All five of the kids in my family learned at least one instrument. My older brother made his living in music. Bucky and Tardist are very talented and play many instruments. Bucky also sings, as many of you already know. I play at a few instruments, but my voice is my best instrument.

Do you remember a lullaby from your childhood? If so, what is it?
It's the chorus to a very non-PC song from the South. I think I used to sing it to Bucky, so maybe I'm partly to blame for her being just a little twisted. ;)

Go to sleep, my little pickaninny,—
Brer’ Fox ’ll catch you if yo’ don’t;
Slumber on de bosom of yo’ ole Mammy Jinny,—
Mammy’s gwine to swat yo’ if you won’t.

Sh! sh! sh!
Lu-la, lu-la lu-la lu-la lu!
Underneaf de silver Southern moon;
Rock-a-by! hush-a-by!
Mammy’s little baby,
Mammy’s little Alabama Coon.

I didn't know there was any more to it until today when I Googled it. If you're not already too offended here's the link to the whole thing:

What song(s) changed your life?
Nils had an excellent answer to this one. Mine is not life-changing in the same way.
You see, just before I was a year and a half old, my brother, Tardist, was born. In the evenings my father would entertain me with singing so I didn't feel the pain of not being the "baby" so much. I started singing with him. There's an old song, "For It Was Mary", by George M. Cohen that I liked to sing. Not only did I sing it, but I went off-key on the last word (I was only two, folks, give me a break) because I wanted to belt it out. To this day I can sing so they can hear me in the back rows.

If you could have dinner with three dead musicians which three would you choose and why?
Nils picked John Lennon and he's one I'd definitely want to talk with. He wrote music that I enjoy and had a sense of humor.
I'd also enjoy sitting and listening to Frank Zappa. That guy was really, really smart and a good musician, Yellow Snow aside.
Maybe, for the third, George M Cohen. I heard my parents sing his songs so much when I was a kid. I'm also a patriot and he wrote many patriotic songs.

You are stranded on a deserted island. You are allowed the complete musical works of one band and its members. Which band or musician would you choose?
I would like to say the Beatles, as did Nils. I do love their music. But Earth, Wind and Fire are so upbeat and funky. I could dance and keep in shape.

Does music play in your head? If so, what is playing right now?
Well, there are a bunch of them competeing right now. But for the last couple of days it's been Twisted. Now there's a song that's a challenge to sing.

Can music truly soothe the savage beast? If so, what music soothes your beast?
As Nils said at his site, the word is bReast, not beast. Please check his site for the entire quote.
That said, yes, music can soothe. I can't pick anything in particular as it depends on my mood. Sometimes I need upbeat, sometimes it's ballads.

Anyway, if you feel like doing this one you may either put it in comments here or put it on your own site. If you choose to put it on your own site please let me know. I'll be over to read it.