Friday, April 30, 2010

Jensen Induction



I've been spending a lot of time with Nate's parents lately due to my little car crash. His sweet mom picks me up from work everyday, (and lots of times takes me to work too), and I just hang out at their house for a few hours until Nate gets off work and can come pick me up. Nate's mom has been my primary caretaker lately with my soft foods only diet so the Jensens and I have been doing some serious bonding and I have realized one of the huge keys to being officially inducted into their family:



Simon and Garfunkel.

I already knew Nate was the biggest fan and that if we were to road trip anywhere, listening to an entire S & G hits album would be standard protocol. I also knew that they are the most played artist on my husband's ipod, even though he still won't go as far as to claim they're his favorite. But I didn't realize the extent of the roots to this liking of Simon & Garfunkel until I started bonding so much with Nate's parents Glen & Laurel.

I found out they separately spent their youth angst years relying on Simon & Garfunkel to either put a smile on their face or calm them down when having a hard time. Then, collectively they raised all of their kids with these songs playing in the background. If they were road tripping anywhere, no question an entire S & G album would be played.(Which I really respect because the majority of my ipod is just a bunch of single songs and I have few albums in their entirety.)

I never really thought twice about the fact that I have been around to see almost all of Nate's brothers and sister listening to Simon & Garfunkel in their own homes or cars. The other night after work while watching t.v with Glen and Laurel, the 25th Anniversary Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame concert from last year was playing on some channel. Glen turned it on and skipped through a good chunk of the performers until he finally got to the Simon and Garfunkel performance.(see above video, it's pretty good.) He turned the volume up super loud and it was like a concert in the living room. They told me about how they took the kids to see them at their reunion concert a few years ago and how their kids were the only young people in the audience and how the kids knew all the words to EVERY song and how it made Glen cry a little bit out of joy.

Before knowing Nate I don't think I could have even told you the name of one Simon & Garfunkel song. I am not musically inept, but those two fellas just never looked like their songs would be my thing. I love their music now and feel like it is a part of the little family Nate and I have made for ourselves. I feel sort of inducted into the Jensen family now because I understand how far back this whole liking for S & G goes. I think a lot of families have musical commonalities like this that get passed down unintentionally out of a desire for nostalgia, and I think it's great. I think mine if there was one would be Eyde Gormet y Los Panchos.(Don't laugh, they're good.) Do you have a Simon and Garfunkel?

4 comments:

Susan said...

LOL - I guess we should have warned you about the Jensen Family S&G Obsession. I had only barely heard of them when I married Eric, but now I LOVE them. The reunion concert was amazing! Even Julianna knows S&G - if "The Boxer" is playing in the car, she sings "Lai Lai Lai!"

Great post! It was good to see you yesterday :)

Edward Quist said...

You really won't believe this but I am listening to s&g right now. My parents raised us in the same fashion. It's not a Quist road trip with out the sweet sounds of these guys. I knew that Nate and I had a bond but I had no idea that this is where it all steams from.

Laurel said...

One of the silver linings of your car accident is the time that I have spent with you. It's been a very special time for me! Might I even say "a tender mercy!"

Miriam Ika Marshall said...

that is so freaking funny!! my mom is obsessed with them, i guess that makes sense since she is glens sister.. i love them and have grown up with them.. I hear the reunion concert was amazing!!! lol, welcome to the fan club!!