Pandora: Completely Superfluous Post

I think I have mentioned on this blog how much I love music.  Love music.  Let me say it one more time: love, love, love, love music.  It used to be my whole life (I was once in 3 musicals at one time--that was busy) :) back in my teenage years.  I think music is a powerful tool to bring people together and create lasting memories.

For example, you see the weirdo in the above picture?  His name is Derek.  He's older than me by 18 months and was my best friend growing up.  He's a strange, strange man and he was a strange, strange boy.  As a teenager he went around singing Weird Al songs and 80s love songs.  Whenever I see Rocky Road ice cream, hear someone say Rocky Road ice cream, or hear a song from the 80s--I think of him.  Did you spend years of your life listening to your brother sing and head bang to I Love Rocky Road, won't you go and buy half a gallon, baby?  No????  You missed out.

And the lovely lady in the above picture?  Her name is Amy.  She's older than me by 36 months and her signature song during our teenage years was "Isn't it Ironic?"  A little too ironic.  She sang it countless times for no good reason and sang it countless times for good reasons.  Isn't it ironic?  I really do think.

I have 8 siblings.  There are special songs linked to all of them.  Plus the dancing.  We. were. awesome.  At my wedding reception we danced to The Chicken and flapped our arms around and leaped about as if we knew what we were doing.  My hubby's grandma said later, "I've never seen a family enjoy each other as much as Andrea's family does."  It's the music.

So . . . the point of this post is that I've found some stations on pandora that are real treasures and I thought I would share them with you in case you haven't discovered them yet.  Sorry I got distracted by the nostalgia--I need some Rocky Road ice cream and maybe make a prank call to my brother to get it out of my system.

#1 pandora station for dancing/enjoying with children: Children's Folk Songs.  It plays a real variety of music from "You Are My Sunshine" to "Itsy Bitsy Spider" to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."  Every once in awhile it will play something completely unexpected like Three Dog Night.  All the songs are catchy, fun to dance to, and easy to sing.  We love this station.

#2 pandora station for dancing/enjoying with children: 60s Folk Radio.  This is what I put on when I feel like dancing with the kids.  It has lots of Simon and Garfunkel, songs like "I Will Walk 500 Miles," and "The Sound of Silence."  Sometimes it has Elvis.  It is laid back folksy music--no hard rock type stuff.  I haven't run into any songs I wouldn't let my kids listen to and it is perfect for dancing and when Mom wants to sing (I know most the songs that play on this station).

#1 pandora station if your daughter is Miriam: Scottish Traditional Radio.  My daughter is obsessed with Scottish things.  I have no idea why.  Once, when she was younger I asked her to do something and she said, "Mother, I cannot for I am a Scottish lass and I must do a Scottish dance."  I thought that would change with time but it has not.  If you like "fancy dancing" then the Scottish station might be just the thing.  Miriam adores it.

#1 pandora station if you are me: Choral Music Radio.  Choral music is my favorite type of singing.  Think cathedrals and the moving line passing between parts and very precise Latin pronunciation.  It thrills me.  Whenever I'm feeling particularly moody (me? moody???), I put this on.  It makes me feel relaxed and peaceful.  It is a gorgeous type of music.

#2 pandora station if you are me: Willie Nelson Radio.  Willie is my favorite singer.  He also makes me feel mellow.  This station mostly plays Willie, obviously, but also a lot of other old country.  I gave up on current country music a few years ago (what is with all the swearing and angry women songs??), but I still love the old stuff.  The good stuff.

A few other stations we have on our pandora list:
Halloween Party Radio
LDS Hymns of Worship
Patriotic Suite
Mumford and Sons (for me when the kids are in bed and I need to rock out)
Classical Radio (for when Miriam wants to be a ballerina)
African Essentials (for when Cowen wants to be a Zulu warrior)
Love Songs (when I want to sing)
Classical Crossover

and about 12 Christmas stations.  I love the shuffle feature.

Do you have any Pandora treasures?