Time Warp memories

By Helene

Julie had an interesting post yesterday on her site about songs that take you back to your high school days. For me, many of the songs translate to full albums that were played constantly at parties, forensics competition road trips, after-school practices and other events.

• Queen - Greatest Hits
• Go-Go's - Beauty & the Beat
• Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell
• Fame - the soundtrack

The music on these albums carries me back to the days before "video killed the radio star"; when vinyl still ruled, K-tel still hawked albums on TV and the legal drinking age was *still* 18. (Yes, consider me old. I graduated in '82).

These albums contain great songs and I have no problems sharing these albums (even the K-tel ones) with my girls. However, there is one additional album that should be added to my list. The problem is .... I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to share my youthful exuberance for it with children -- The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.

I'm sure the cult following for this midnight movie drag queen staple will still be a rite of passage for most youth when Katie and Jessie reach that age (I'm keeping my fingers crossed though that it doesn't creep much below age 17, when I was first introduced to it). However, I think this is one album (and movie) that I will have to let them discover and experience on their own.

Beyond teaching them the dance steps to the "Time Warp", I'm not sure I would feel comfortable reciting the Brad and Janet lines with them, let alone hearing my daughter sing Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me. No, this is definitely one album I'll have to keep under wraps for a while – at least until they have children of their own. :)

How about you? Do you think you could watch or listen to the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" with your child?

Comments

[Anne]

Let them discover it for themselves. That way, you can savor their looks of horror whan you announce in your best isn't-that-cute voice: "Oh, Rocky Horror? I did that in high school too."

I currently get a kick out of telling my nieces I had pink hair in college. This horrifies them; they think they invented it.

My husband and I are already compiling ways to mortify our son someday. Heh heh.

[sarah]

I first saw Rocky Horror in the theatre at the age of 9 (I had a very cool babysitter). I did not really get it, but I thought it was a lot of fun. I loved the music and the audience participation.

I don't think I was warped (except, of course, Time Warped) by the experience. I actually figured out what was going on in later viewings.

I won't go out of my way to expose my baby to this film at a young age, but neither will I work too hard to shelter her from this, or any other, controversial experience. Knowledge is power.

Of course, my baby isn't born yet, so all this is still theoretical, and I may well become insanely over-protective in the next couple of months.

[Susan]

So funny - I had a major flashback when I saw Meatloaf, Bat Outta Hell. That's still one of my favorite albums. I amazed a friend a few months ago when I sang every word to Paradise By the Dashboard Light (even the baseball play by play). hahaha

I definitely won't introduce Rocky Horror to them. They are still so young and it's just not appropriate for their age. Like you said, I'm sure they'll be finding it on their own in the teenage years. It's funny, I saw it on cable a few weeks ago and I didn't find it nearly as funny as it was when I was a teenager. :)

[Robin]

I hate to admit it but when I first saw Rocky Horror at ...uhm....18, I don't think I "got it" completely. I was quite innocent and not sure I understood the whole transexual thing at all. I totally loved the Time Warp but that's because I loved to dance. I was clueless!
When I was 23 and living in Israel, a friend of mine from England had her mom send the video. We watched it in the bar on the kibbutz where all the members of the kibbutz and the volunteers hung out. They all walked out!!!! They thought it was disgusting.
No, I will not introduce Lillianna to this cult movie. One day she will try to sneak out with a water bottle, newspapers and rice and I will know where she is going. I will confront her and she will be shocked because she will have thought HER generation discovered this movie! Then I will laugh!

[Martha]

I share your love for that and had the same concern. There were other things like that-- for me, a flower child of the late 60's and early 70's-- I wanted to share with my kids and I waited. Now I'm glad I did. They are teenagers and discovering a lot of that stuff on their own with their friends. I encourage you NOT to let them see it young. I know people who did and I think it's very confusing, all the gender issue and sexual play in that movie.

Kids these days are exposed to way too much. Give them a break-- let them be kids as long as possible, it''s over way too soon!

By the way I love your site. Keep up the good work.
thanks