Remember The Claw? The late 80's/early 90's hairstyle that resulted in some really, really big hair? Well, in the way that The Claw was just bad hair, the music my family listened to was just....bad.
I mean, there were moments when the Neil Diamond sounded good. But all the Crystal Gale and Kenny Roger and Oak Ridge Boys? Not so much. But I have a confession. Whenever my dad would blast his record player with the Roger Whittaker Christmas album, I looked forward to a song about a little dragon named Darcy.
You see, Darcy was a nice dragon and wanted to buy presents for his friends at Christmas. The problem was that he would start a fire in every store he went in, which eventually made the townspeople resent him. So Darcy went away and cried. Then, miracle of miracles, all the snow put out the fire in him. Then he is happy and runs to tell his friends about his new fire-breathing-free status. Yay, Darcy is free!
Tonight, when the Oak Ridge Boy's Christmas in Dixie song came on the Kosy (we had that album too, growing up. Special.) I remembered the story of Darcy the Dragon. And then I found this YouTube link.
So here it is, my friends. The soundtrack to my childhood Christmas, Darcy the Dragon. When I played it for my family tonight, they all thought it was a little weird. But it made me smile. (Don't you love the snow on Roger's head in this picture? He was no rock star, that Roger Whittaker. He looks more like a math teacher. Hopefully he's living somewhere sunny on all the royalties.)
Did your parents do things to warp you musically? Any skeletons in your musical closet you would like to share?
8 comments:
My parents almost exclusively listened to classical music while I was growing up so the only tacky music I was exposed to was from my siblings. I am really fond of the 80s favorites Do They Know It's Christmastime/Feed the World and Wham's Last Christmas. Pleasant, pleasant memories there.
I can honestly remember looking at pictures of girls with the claw and thinking that look would never go out of style. It made the head seem so balanced. Seriously. I remember thinking that. Sad. :)
OH. MY. GOSH.
I had completely forgotten this. Completely!!!! BUT. You're right. It's exactly Christmas. A little bit of time travel...
I do have to object, though: Y'all might have been listening to bad music. Don't you DARE include me in that! I, as you know, was sitting up in my bedroom, in front of my (alter) stereo, listening to GOOD music.
With my claw of course. ;)
Will you still be my friend if I admit to my deep and abiding love of John Denver? It's all my mother's fault!
I, too, still love John Denver. He was one of my parents' favorites, along with Abba, America, Bread, the Carpenters, and Peter, Paul & Mary. I have to confess that I still love most of this stuff. (And that I still own the record - I'm talking vinyl here - of the Chipmunks Christmas. I'll play it for you sometime if you want.)
We listened to Kenny Rogers and the Oakridge Boys, too! The Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton Christmas Album is my favorite!
I never heard that song. I loved it!
My dad's favorite is the Carpenters. I play it every year. Now Darian loves it. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton is also a good one.
Rebecca
BTW- I just made Darian listen to it and he loved it.
Wait, what's wrong with Neil Diamond!?!? Our go-to holiday music was the Muppets Christmas Album. (If you've never heard it, I'd be happy to sing it in its entirety for you, including all of Miss Piggy's solos.) Good times.
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