Saturday, May 11, 2024

Daily Jam - Mr. Blue Sky

This column was originally published in 2017 when my sons were ages four and one.

Over the last month, I would estimate that I have watched Guardians of the Galaxy, or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, or parts and bits thereof everywhere and in between, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 times. The only thing that rivals its TV dominance in my household are on-demand episodes of Sesame Street or the fleeting, late night moments when I get to watch college football. The four-year old has made sure of this. He hath decreed it so.

And I’m okay with it for the most part. To some degree, it’s a kind of comeuppance for the hours and hours of Star Wars that my brother and I inflicted on my parents back in the early '80s, but to be fair and honest, I can certainly dig on some Marvel movies myself, the Guardians films in particular being fun and entertaining. My son is bonkers for them. And more than just the movies, he’s taken to the soundtracks to the films too, asking for the songs at all hours in both our home and our cars.

The “Awesome Mixes” are on 24/7 in my life.

And still, I’m pretty okay with all of this. There are some great songs in both movies, and it’s kind of interesting to see which ones in particular my son gets excited for. And I’m never not going to be down for some “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra.

Originally appearing on 1977’s Out of the Blue, “Mr. Blue Sky” is the finale of the “Concerto for a Rainy Day,” the album’s glorious and inventive Side 3. Maybe the pinnacle of ELO’s career, it’s akin to mainlining some pure and uncut Jeff Lynne, proggy pop rock in my veins forever. The song would go on to appear as shopping mall muzak, and then later in car commercials, before finally soundtracking a Baby Groot dance routine on the big screen, and then making its way into my ears every day.

My son and I are sharing an Endless Loop. Maybe I’ve got a grasp on this whole parenting thing after all.


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