Malvina Reynolds
The word “timeless” comes up a lot. It can reference many different things. Those hardwood floors are timeless. That man’s traditional clothing is timeless. If it keeps on going and it never really gets old, then I guess you could call it “timeless”. When thinking about things in that nature, the first thing that comes to mind is music. I mean, why not, right?
Recently I fell in love with the television show Weeds. It makes me wish that I had a mother who sold pot. It makes me wish that I liked pot. It makes me wish that I had thought of the idea before Jenji Kohan and dropped out of school to write such a great show. But I didn’t.
Some of you might know where I’m going with this. The theme song for the first season of the show is an extremely timeless song. The fact that every season after the first has someone else covering the original track pretty much proves my point.
That’s the original track played in the opening credits that is performed by Malvina Reynolds, who is an American folk/blues songwriter.
Now, when you see her you automatically think that she’s some deranged old bitty that smells like Scotch Guard, dinner mints, and plays Bridge with your grandmother on the weekends. I’m not really sure she fits into any of those categories but think what you will.
Now, I’m not going to bore your with cold hard facts. I’m not going to tell you that she played violin in a dance band in her twenties, or that she studied Music Theory at Berkeley, or that her most famous song “Little Boxes” was inspired by what he mother saw when looking at the homes in California. Because if you’re interested enough, you’ll Google everything you need to know. But, all I’m going to say is that this lady was a prime example that talent comes in all shapes and sizes. I mean, who would think that someone such as Malvina Reynolds could be featured on a show like Weeds?
At what point can a song from such a different time and style, when compared to today’s music, be featured on a hip television show? It’s talent such as Reynolds’ that becomes timeless and shared for other generations to appreciate.
Times are tough. We all know that. When you can’t be 100% sure if your job at McDonald’s is secure until the end of the week, you know that times are tough. This woman’s music is fitting for today. What better place to turn to other than your grandparents, right? I mean, they’re the ones who have seen worse than us, right? Right.
This is the stuff that good music is made out of, I’m sure.