I've been following the postings about player pianos, music and the
next generation.  How do we get young people interested in other types
of music besides excessively amplified rock?  A good way is not to
force feed it to them.  Another way is to try listening to what they
have to say.

Some recent experiences relate to this theme.  The first was a news
wire report that students at Eastern Connecticut State University who
commit minor infractions are punished by being ordered to attend an
opera or symphony.  I can't think of a better way to make these
students hate opera than telling them they _have_ to attend!

Last weekend, I was channel surfing and landed on VH1 just as a program
was beginning.  It was called, "Songs You Never Want to Hear Again."
It was too intriguing to pass up.  A guest panel of celebrity
twenty-somethings disclosed the top three songs they didn't want to
hear again and why.  Some of the songs they disliked included:
Feelings, You Light Up My Life, L.A. Woman by the Doors, Whip It,
Believe by Cher, Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, and
New York, New York.  Panelists and audience members did not always
agree with each other's selections.  When one panelist announced that
she didn't care for Close to You by the Carpenters, she was booed by
many in the audience.

Macarena was chosen as the Number One song they never wanted to
hear again.  The Number Two song was (Livin') La Vida Loca, which
incidentally, was recently released by QRS as an 88-note roll.

The songs selected by the panel covered a wide variety of styles and
tastes.  When giving their reasons for disliking a certain song,
panelists often reported a negative experience with that song, or else
they had heard it so many times, they were sick of it.

Which goes back to my initial statement: Don't force feed "your" music
to young people.  They'll enjoy it on their own if they don't feel
required to listen.  If you do demonstrate your mechanical music
machines to others, be enthusiastic about it.  If your listeners don't
show the reverence and awe you expected, don't take it personally.
They may be more impressed with the music and the machines than they
seem.

After viewing the VH1 program, I thought it might be interesting to ask
MMD'ers the same question with a slightly different twist: Are they any
songs you never want to hear again on a player piano, nickelodeon,
music box, street organ, band organ, etc.?  Are there any songs you
would love to hear but never have?  Please share them with us.

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/