Music as literacy

We've studied so many different literacies this semester, and I seem to find them everywhere now. Last night I had the opportunity to spend the night with Barry Manilow. Before everyone sighs, I wanted to share with you my literacy view of the concert. I've been a Fanilow for many years. He was very much a voice in my adult formative years. He was part of my time in the Army, my early marriage, my initial foray into motherhood. Last night I felt like I didn't have to apologize for enjoying and sharing the music of that time with others. Yes, most of the audience was my age or older, but we sang along and clapped, and waved the little glow sticks we were given. The music of that time and that artist had a feeling to it, and there was, in my mind, a literacy that we shared. The music was strong, fun, not angry, and didn't hurt anyone. We miss that in a lot of today's music. In that time period, people enjoyed music for the music and the lyrics, not the underlying themes or dark passages. So today I wear my Manilow Copacabana shirt, and for a little while, I'm young again.