Beastie Boys "Get It Together"

It took me a little aback, but then it made me laugh out loud.

My 2 1/2 year old boy said, "What's up with boots on your feet!"

Part of the excitement just came from the pure joy of how much this kid has to say.  When we was 18 months old, we had him tested, because he didn't seem to have the words that his peers had.

Long story short, after a battery of tests, the speech folks basically said, "Oh he could talk.  He just doesn't want to."

Cut to a year later, and he is a talker.  He talks and talks and talks.  Tells stories.  Repeats things.  He's hard to understand, especially if you aren't used to translating his kid-speak.  But it is really entertaining to be his Dad.

I've mentioned before that there are phrases that we use around the house that the kids have no context for, but will one day hear it in a song and realized that's why my parents said "Get crazy with the Cheez Whiz"!!!

When winter started, we got our growing boy a new pair of boots as his every day shoes, to replace his summer sneakers.  He's a stubborn thing (as evidenced by the early unwillingness to speak), and sometimes getting him to sit still while you put on his shoes is a bit of a battle.

So I'll talk to him and try to make it fun.  Occasionally, I'll shout out a lyric from The Beastie Boys song called "Get It Together."

"Yo, what's up with the boots on your feet!"

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he'd eventually parrot that back to me.  But it was delightful to actually have it happen.

I was an excited Gen-X Dad.

So I went straight to iTunes, and explained to him, and my 5 year old daughter, that "What's up with the boots on your feet" is part of a song, and I would play it for them now.

And that's where things went south.

It's been a while since I put on "Ill Communication."  But more than that, I don't think you really hear a song, until you've heard it with your kids.

Now generally, we don't censor the music around the house.  We'll play the unedited "Little Lion Man" or "Fuck You."  If you don't make a big deal of it, it won't be a big deal for the kids.

But I don't think I've ever really considered what to say about lines like: "Yes I'm Getting Funky And I'm Shooting All My Jism/Like John Holmes, The X-rated Nigger/Listen To The Shit 'Cause I'm The Ill Figure"?

I can argue about context all day, but I don't think I can explain a line like that to my kids.

And MAN, I don't think I realized how long it would take to get to that one "What's Up" line in the song.  The tune seemed to go on and on, as I was saying to the kids, "Just wait, that 'Boots' lyric is coming up!  Really, next verse!  Here it comes!  Keep listening!"

Meanwhile, "fucks" and "shits" and "niggers" are flying through the speakers, and I'm getting more uncomfortable by the moment.

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  But I won't be playing that one again for the kids any time soon.

It sends the wrong message.  That is, I got the Ill Communication.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Beastie Boys "Bodhisattva Vow"

As I watched friend after friend post on Facebook about the passing of Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys, I had two thoughts in quick succession.

"What should I write for the blog?" followed by "Most mvy listeners don't care about The Beastie Boys, so why bother?"

While there are certainly many listeners who have a broad taste in music, with a scope that includes rap music, I can also tell you that the category of music most likely to be despised by an mvy listener, is hip-hop.

For whatever reason (and there is a whole post, nay, a whole University study that could be devoted to the question), many many listeners over the years have expressed zero tolerance for the genre.  So it plays very little role in what the station does.

And if you're one of those folks, I guess I'm writing to you today.

I think it's pretty easy to define and dismiss a genre, based on the worst aspects of its shallowest contributions.  An intense dislike of Top 40 is built on a vapid, autotuned, moronic beat.  Your intense dislike of country is based on hicky, jingoistic, yeehaw twang.

And unfortunately, what can make a rap song really great, even something a non-rap fan could fully embrace and enjoy, is often the most impenetrable part ---  the lyrics.

If you're not familiar with it, listen to the first 30 seconds of "Bodhisattva Vow" before reading the rest of the post:


Hear the song on Youtube.

Chances are, you have not idea what he's saying.  It's just a jumble of sound.

Fair enough.

But if you've been a bit surprised at the outpouring of sadness over the passing of someone you were never able to musically connect to, the lyrics are a large reason why.

If your dislike of rap music centers partly on your idea that much of Rap music's lyrics deal with things that don't appeal to you (conspicuous consumption, violence, misogyny), know that you're missing out.  Because many, many artists use the form to say things that I think you might find intelligent, appealing and even profound.

Check out the lyrics below, go back and listen to the song and maybe find out why this guy got into the hearts of so many.


There are many, many great obituaries out there for Adam Yauch.  I really appreciated the one at The AV Club, which (astutely) called him "The George Harrison of The Beastie Boys."  It gave a lot of attention to Yauch's non-music endeavors, including his very successful filmmaking forays and his passionate commitment to his charitable organizations.

"Bodhisattva Vow"

As I Develop The Awakening Mind I Praise The Buddha As They Shine
I Bow Before You As I Travel My Path To Join Your Ranks,
I Make My Full Time Task
For The Sake Of All Beings I Seek
The Enlighted Mind That I Know I'll Reap
Respect To Shantideva And All The Others
Who Brought Down The Darma For Sisters And Brothers
I Give Thanks For This World As A Place To Learn
And For This Human Body That I'm Glad To Have Earned
And My Deepest Thanks To All Sentient Beings
For Without Them There Would Be No Place To Learn What I'm Seeing
There's Nothing Here That's Not Been Said Before
But I Put It Down Now So I'll Be Sure
To Solidify My Own Views And I'll Be Glad If It Helps
Anyone Else Out Too
If Others Disrespect Me Or Give Me Flack
I'll Stop And Think Before I React =
Knowing That They're Going Through Insecure Stages
I'll Take The Opportunity To Exercise Patience
I'll See It As A Chance To Help The Other Person
Nip It In The Bud Before It Can Worsen
A Change For Me To Be Strong And Sure
As I Think On The Buddhas Who Have Come Before
As I Praise And Respect The Good They've Done
Knowing Only Love Can Conquer In Every Situation
We Need Other People In Order To Create
The Circumstances For The Learning That We're Here To Generate
Situations That Bring Up Our Deepest Fears
So We Can Work To Release Them Until They're Cleared
Therefore, It Only Makes Sense
To Thank Our Enemies Despite Their Intent
The Bodhisattva Path Is One Of Power And Strength
A Strength From Within To Go The Length
Seeing Others Are As Important As Myself
I Strive For A Happiness Of Mental Wealth
With The Interconnectedness That We Share As One
Every Action That We Take Affects Everyone
So In Deciding For What A Situation Calls
There Is A Path For The Good For All
I Try To Make My Every Action For That Highest Good
With The Altruistic Wish To Achive Buddhahood
So I Pledge Here Before Everyone Who's Listening
To Try To Make My Every Action For The Good Of All Beings
For The Rest Of My Lifetimes And Even Beyond
I Vow To Do My Best To Do No Harm
And In Times Of Doubt I Can Think On The Dharma
And The Enlightened Ones Who've Graduated Samsara