On Kids, Zoom and Vinyl

The boys have been seriously digging the 1974 A&M release "Come On and Zoom," an audio production of WGBH television highlighting the kids program of the same name. This record is dated 1974, but according to the youtube clip, most of the cast is circa 1976. Besides the blatant 70's factor, what is so awesome about this?

1) The music is fresh to this day, totally global, original/traditional, jazzy, funky, rocking, and the vocal harmonies are surprisingly good for a bunch of sub-16 y.o. kids. This listening adult is emotionally biased, but tearfully singing along and appreciating the funky electric and acoustic arco basslines and clever lyrics. GLEE's got absolutely nothing on this multicutural performing posse.

2) My sister defaced the doublewide foldout LP album cover with "stupid" written in blue bic ballpoint over every boy, and "smart" over every girl. Tellingly, some of the girls had their "stupid" crossed out before "smart was written in. My sister was about 10 at the time. Girls can be so cruel, no? In addition, my sister proclaimed her ownership of the record by emblazoning her name on the cover. In doubly and triply underscored capital letters she writes "only mine" along with the news bulletin: "It is not Jason's. He ruins records, and he is a baby and a show off" with "True Stuff" below and an arrow pointing to the aforementioned text. Much love in our household for sure. Anyway, what I am most proud of is the fact that I, showcasing my reading skills at approximately 5 years of age, had crossed out the "baby and show off" line with a blue bic ballpoint scribble. Not only could I read, but also I was not able to dispute the fact that I had ruined the occasional record.

3) The boys are LEARNING: listening, music, rhyme, reading (the record case is adorned with comic drawings and the full lyrics,) multiculturalism and the positive (but not cloying or saccharine) messages in the lyrics. In fact, we do hear teasing, taunting and even "shut up!" and "you jerk!" reinforcing my ideal that humans should be able to take it as well as dish it out. It's all in good-natured fun. "Music is love and love is music if you know what I mean. People who believe in music are the happiest people I've ever seen."

4) CDs and mp3s can kiss my vinyl ass. This analog record, with its deep scratches, noise, and skips, sounds INFINITELY better than any digital recording ever made. Soft, warm, luscious, the needle in the groove, feeling the vinyl vibrating your earhole is no comparison to the icy harsh digital reality. And the boys now know the lost art of safely operating a record player and putting the record back in its sleeve. They patiently wait for the tone-arm to retract, carefully hold the record by its edges to flip it, press play and again wait for the needle to hit the groove. I can't imagine a life without vinyl and strongly encourage you to retrieve the old LP's from the basement, attic, or grandma's, and find a machine that plays them. You will not be disappointed.