Odyssey Soundtrack -- June 2017

I've told you before about how I choose one CD, and we listen to it in our minivan for months and months until we can't take it anymore. 

We all love Hamilton, of course, but my middle guy has requested a break, and after almost a full of year of driving the Hamilvan, I'm ready to grant him one.

We visited Target a few days ago (side note: self-imposed Target ban was for 2015 only) and I found some musical inspiration.

Look at the tracks below.  There's no Vanilla Ice or MC Hammer, but otherwise, this does seem an ultimate 90s Pop Hits Collection.

My daughter likes "Genie in a Bottle," a song she knows from an inferior version sung by a Disney star.  My middle guy keeps asking for "Rumpshaker" and my oldest, who has started sitting shotgun and thus has most DJ power, keeps going to "Motownphilly."  I kind of like "Poison" myself.  Now you know.

But wait, there's more.  This collection of Power Ballads is bringing me back to dances in my high school cafeteria, teenage summer drives with the windows down, and the smell of Drakkar Noir.

It's one gem after another but my hands down favorite is "Heaven" by Warrant.  I just love that song.  Always have.

You'll note that I am categorizing these two CDs as the June 2017 soundtrack.  As much as I am enjoying these blasts from the past, I think one month is going to do it for me.  I can see myself pulling those out again during longer road trips or playing at home during a party (if I were ever to host a party again).   

I will plan a follow-up post once my husband drives the Odyssey somewhere and realizes what I've done.

Odyssey Soundtrack: August 2016-February 2017+

I've posted about the music we listen to in our minivan several times before.

Ever since August, we've been all about one thing in the Odyssey:  Hamilton.  The kids and I know all the songs.  Our love grows with each listen.  

Our faves ...
Mama loves "It's Quiet Uptown" and "Burn" (the line about Icarus!!!) and all of King George's songs.

My eleven year-old son was a big fan of "Cabinet Battle #1" and then became obsessed with "The Room Where It Happens."  Now, "The Election of 1800" is his jam.

My middle guy is into "Cabinet Battle #1" and "The Room Where It Happens."  But, he wants to make it clear, those choices have nothing to do with his big brother's preferences. 

My daughter sings it all but especially likes "Aaron Burr, Sir."  And "The Room Where It Happens."

So in the van where it happens, it's been fun to share this music together and to talk about what happens in the songs.  My middle guy is always asking good questions:  Why isn't Aaron Burr in the room where it happens?  Was Thomas Jefferson glad that Hamilton wanted him for President?  How did that comma change the meaning?  Okay, he didn't ask that last question, but I'd love to break it down for him.

It's also been fun to see the reactions of our carpoolers.  With one exception, they've been intrigued by the music and interested in learning more about the story.  Cool to hear my kids try to explain the context for different songs.

In case you're wondering, we have the "clean" version of the soundtrack.  It's not squeakily so, but I don't feel my children are being corrupted.

My hubby doesn't fully share in our Hamilton passion (in part because he isn't in the Odyssey day-to-day like we are), but he did take note of it and secure tickets for us to take our oldest to see Hamilton in Chicago for his birthday (and my early birthday) back in January.  We LOVED the live performance.  It helped to clarify who was doing the singing in some of the songs.  Tears were spilling from my eyes during "It's Quiet Uptown" and "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story."  Such a wonderful experience.  I loved everything except the signature cocktail (avoid) and the price.  I am hoping to find reasonably-priced tickets (ha!!!!!) to take the other two kids to see it as well. 

Winter Soundtrack: The Odyssey Years

Back when the sun was shining, I wrote about the songs we've listened to in our minivan for the past few summers.  The Winter Soundtrack edition will not be as comprehensive as the Summer Soundtrack one, but I feel the need to record it for posterity.

Winter Soundtrack:  The Odyssey Years

2013-14:  Frozen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) -- just like every other family in America.  Our favorites were "Love Is An Open Door," "Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People," "Fixer Upper," and, duh, "Let It Go."  I still remember driving an Odyssey full of Cub Scouts to a Home Depot field trip and realizing that every second grade boy in the van knew every word of every Frozen song.

2014-2015:  That's Christmas to Me by Pentatonix.  I ordered this CD after my Facebook feed filled up with links to the "Mary, Did You Know?" video.  I still love their version of that song, but the one that stole my heart and kept us (at least me) listening even after Christmas was over was the title track, "That's Christmas to Me." 

2015-2016:  We have two winners for this winter.  The first is Adele's 25.  When my husband saw the CD, he started cracking up, mentioning some article about how Adele hasn't released her music for streaming because her fans are in a demographic of women who have not grasped that technology yet (or something like that).  Nailed it.  Our favorite tracks are "Hello," "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)," and "When We Were Young."  When I say we, I mean the entire family.  I think my in-laws were frightened when they rode with us to a family Christmas celebration.

Second winner is Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles.  After the recent passing of Glenn Frey, I felt a need and obligation to introduce my kids to the music of The Eagles.  For the life of me, I can't find the first volume of my Eagles Greatest Hits CD so I settled for Common Thread, an album where various country artists (whom I loved in the 90s) cover Eagles songs.  Favorite tracks are "Lyin' Eyes," "New Kid in Town," and "Best of My Love."  For you country fans, that's Diamond Rio, Trisha Yearwood, and Brooks and Dunn.  Solid.

What's playing in your van?