The Family Who Freestyles Together...

come on ride the train...

I come from a family of incredibly musically inclined people. My sister's a flute prodigy who's performed all over the world. My brother's a singer-songwriter who just recently formed a band (he writes the songs and plays guitar. And sings) with some fellow Harvard graduate students (all Physics majors, talk about math rock) and my mother writes music for children's theater as a profession. Growing up, you could hear the music from down the block and walking into my parent's house has always been like walking into a musical. Everyone practically sing-talks to each other. I'm not kidding. My grandmother founded a sort of customary rhyme-fest, in which she (and we) perform rhymey-type raps for one another on birthdays, anniversaries or just because. Growing up I thought this was normal.

I was the least musical one in the family. Still am. I love music passionately and dabbled in guitar, played piano for a seven years before throwing in the towel. Played the Clarinet for a minute and the Violin for two whole lessons. My talent was (is) more in the way of the rhyme. I rapped. I made up silly rhymes and freestyled at suburban parties (hip-hop name = Da Woolf in Sheep's Clothing) Seem whack? Maybe so. But I was able to parlay my rhymes into a paycheck and subsequently, a sort of pre-career career.

wrecka, wrecka...

In High School my family was an embarrassment: a sort of modern-day Partridge family gone amok. Music filled the halls at all times. Even my Dad sang songs (he did musicals as a child before getting throat cancer, effing up his vocals, causing him to drop out of musicals for good. He's been the beacon of health ever since, fyi) while making coffee in the morning.

Of course, now, I appreciate the quirky genius of my family like nobody else. I want to be my parents when I grow up. I worship them and am in awe of my siblings. Case in point, the following video, which pretty much sums up my childhood, and what looks like Archer's 'hood as well (two-minutes in the fun REALLY begins.):



That about sums up my family: holding hands in song, eye-rollingly wacked-out amazing out of their musical minds. Not a trace of irony. (Well, maybe just a teensy-bit.)

In my last post, one commenter (hi, Moosh!) quoted one of my fave bloggers, Oh the Joys who wrote that the way one spends his/her New Year dictates the kind of year he/she will have. "Sounds like you've gone domestic," she said. Not so much domestic (I can't even sew a friggin button, people!) but I would like to think I've gone "family."

As for the commenter (hi, Charlotte!) who mentioned an "Archer #2 in the making," let's just say we're "not trying not to" knock me up.... I mean, if Hal and I are going to carry on the singing, dancing, freestyle-la-la-laaaah-legacy of my people we're going to need a bigger brood to complete our band.

Raise the roof!

GGC

26 comments:

Anonymous | 3:57 AM

Adorable, and wacky. "Siiiing?!"

Chicky Chicky Baby | 5:50 AM

Here's to larger broods of musical prodigies! Woot.

merseydotes | 6:56 AM

That is adorable. "The Ballad of Archer Sagebrush" What a lucky kid.

Amy | 7:16 AM

That baby bug is biting all over the blogosphere. Here's to the new Von Trapp family.

Jessi Louise | 7:18 AM

That video is so cute. Happy family :)

Badness Jones | 7:21 AM

You know you're growing up when suddenly your parents seem cool! Here's to a fab childhood, and lucky Archer is next in line!

Sonja Streuber, PMP(R), SSBB | 9:31 AM

"As for the commenter who mentioned an "Archer #2 in the making," let's just say we're "not trying not to" knock me up.... I mean, if Hal and I are going to carry on the singing, dancing, freestyle-la-la-laaaah-legacy of my people we're going to need a bigger brood to complete our band."

That was me (I've come from a family where the father is an orchestra conductor and the mother a ballerina), and now I'm tempted to vote for, uh, triplets. That should cover the rhythm section and the keyboard and and the bass.

Don't hit me, please!

OhTheJoys | 9:51 AM

Rebecca,

Oh, the compliment!

Thanks for the linky love, you most beautiful and talented of all the blogging women worldwide!!

Best,
OTJ

Jaelithe | 12:08 PM

That video was awesome.

Trysha | 1:53 PM

Awe, with a cutie like Archer, how could you not want a whole brood of them?

We're not trying to get pregnant, but we're not not trying, ya know? If it happens, I'm trying to think pink!!

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 10:38 PM

Oh, Charlotte. Don't even say it. My Grandmother's a triplet. That shit runs in the family. Oy.

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 10:39 PM

And yes, that's Archer saying: "Siiiing?" Sing! Sing! he says. Ah, it starts...

Ali | 2:48 PM

i want those pants. and that hat. and the hoodie. please just send the whole thing over...thanks.

Mom101 | 3:30 PM

Coming from a pretty much tone deaf family, I'm a bit envious that the whole clan is in on the action. And I sense a promising musical future for Mr. A.

Which makes the pics of he and Thalia at the piano all the more valuable.

Anonymous | 6:54 PM

wow your parents just didn't care-i could tell by how they were waving their hands in the air!hahaha! I think that I am your long lost family member because I act like that all the time and everyone says i'm "weird. my daughter goes to the school i teach in and when i start dancing in the her class everyone points out how she doesn't even flinch. they say "oh it's just another day with mommy..." love it!

Anonymous | 6:55 PM

~jjlibra

sweetb | 8:20 PM

I am so glad we saw eachother in the midst of the holiday chaos. You are an awesome mom and I hope Campbell has a playmate soon!!

S.T. | 10:48 PM

Dear lord, that is one sweet video. Makes my heart happy. :) What a cool family you have.

moosh in indy. | 5:24 PM

There is nothing musical about any of my family for at least, oh, eighteen generations.

Unknown | 4:42 AM

that was awesome! Archer was moving perfectly to the beat. He definitely has music in his heart!!

Anonymous | 10:02 AM

That's a great video! He'll start singing himself soon. It's like a switch turns on one day. And wait till you hear the stuff that comes out of him! My son consistently makes up words to the tune of Frera Jacques (sp?), and then he'll suddenly break into the Ramones. It's hilarious!

Rachel | 2:12 PM

How adorable you are!!
This was such a fun read.
I linked over to you from Don Mills Diva, you are fabulous.
Your book sounds like a definite must read. Kudos to you!

Chris | 9:40 PM

I loved watching Archer swaying to the music. What a great video!

kittenpie | 5:14 PM

my family is nutty like that, too. Dinner parties always dissolved into jam sessions, and my mom would break into opera on the street. Now pumpkinpie makes up her own songs nad they have started to rhyme, rather than reason at times. Word.

Anonymous | 9:30 AM

If I had to grow up in that whimsical. show-offy, always-on-stage, look at meeee environment I would have run away from home the first chance I got. la-la-la-lalala. Barf-a-roo!

Shelley Senai | 4:26 AM

OMG that was the happiest video ever.