Searching for the Goldie-Oldies

As I settle in to bake a cake today, I turn on the radio for some mood music. I hit my favorite oldies station only to discover I didn't recognize the song. It’s too new. Not in my oldies category. I switch to another station. I still didn't recognize the song, but I’m holding out for my classics.

I proceed with the mixing of the cake…not from scratch today…mix, eggs, water, oil and continue to the goal of a finished cake. The oven is pre-heating. Finally a good mood song, Moondance by Van Morrison. NOW we’re cooking! Time to dance in the kitchen!

The batter goes into the greased pans. Pop in the oven. Set timer. I lick the beaters. Time to tidy up in the kitchen. YES!!! It’s Bruce with Glory Days. A great song for washing the dishes! I let the dog out. It starts to rain. We come back in. We’re enjoying the music together.

Recently I was on public transportation, tapping my foot to Yellow Submarine and asked the driver what station he was listening to. W _ _ _ was his answer. Really? I thought that went out years ago. Maybe there was a change in management. Expecting another classic oldie on the station, I was immediately disappointed to depart from the Beatles. The next song, a classic from my parents’ generation, sounded like it was dragging across a phonograph playing at 78 rpm. I date myself…I only read about them! (Ahem!?) I think the singer was once a photo in my wallet! The next song was from the big band era. I actually like this sound until I had this unsettling feeling in my stomach. The semi-quasi state of nausea was from the realization that the Beatles & my classic oldies were now lumped into the previous generation’s music. This radio station which shall remain nameless was one I (we?) made fun of in our teens. All these years later, this station is still thriving on the oldies…a lot like me.

The timer goes off. Out come the cakes. Flip onto the racks. Cakes are cooling. I make the pudding. I didn’t tell you but I’m actually making a trifle, not a cake. YUM!

Back to the music. The irony is that they have now mixed two complete generations into one. It’s the same with my other classic oldies stations….my generation’s classics with today’s classics. If I switch from station to station I’m covering at least three generations of music. Add in the other classical music station and we have many generations melding together through music.

The cake is cooled and it’s time to cut it up and assemble the trifle.

Some time ago I went to a concert and there was a request for a particular song. The artist replied, “I’m not doing that song tonight, but I have another with a lot of the same notes!” I found it clever and in keeping with the artist’s personality and good humor. The same notes can create quite the variety. That and music is timeless. What’s good for one generation is good for another. It may just take some getting used to.

Now, food is also timeless. It’s time to trifle with the trifle. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Excuse me while I crank up the music.

Cathy

PS: Perhaps the music and food should both be lumped together as they both feed the mind, heart and soul. My cake became a trifle. Some may say ‘let them eat cake’. I say let them eat both and that variety is the spice of life. One birthday trifle coming right up….and yes, it was very good, even if I do say so myself!