I'm in that stage of life when the musicians I admire are getting old

While my musical tastes have certainly broadened over the years, the artists at the top of my "Favorite Musicians" list have not.

One look at the most-played songs on my phone will quickly reveal that I am a hardcore fan of essentially three men: Sting, Colin Hay, and Billy Joel.

There are others in there I love, many of which are 80s bands that are still going (somewhat) strong like Duran Duran, The Fixx, and Huey Lewis and the News. And then there are my second-tier singer-songwriters, which include Jim Croce, James Taylor, Bruce Hornsby, David Francey, and so on.

But Messrs. Sting, Hay, and Joel are in the heaviest rotation and have been for decades now.

They are also, respectively, 69, 68, and 72 years old.

I am not sure how this happened.

Well, I know how it happened. Time moves on. We get old and so do those we admire, even if we think they shouldn't.

It recently occurred to me that there will someday very soon be a last Sting album and a last Colin Hay album. You could argue there has already been a last Billy Joel album, as he hasn't put out any new pop/rock material since 1993.

It has always been something of an event for me when one of those men released new work. In the pre-Internet days, I would consult a newspaper or maybe Rolling Stone to see when an album was due, and I would show up at a record store that day to buy it.

Then I would come home, pop it into my stereo (yes, a stereo) and listen intently while following the liner notes.

Now it's a little different. I still get excited when my guys have new material, but rather than me having to go out and get it, it just shows up on Apple Music. It's just...there, all of the sudden.

That doesn't affect my enjoyment of the music itself, of course, but it does take some of the pageantry away from the actual release.

Anyway, I try to appreciate new music from Stingo, Colin, and BJ more because I know they each have only so many more new songs in them. Sting has an album titled "The Bridge" coming out later this year, while Colin recently put out an excellent disc full of covers and has his own new music slated for release in the not-too-distant future.

I will savor every moment of it, knowing it won't be long before each of these guys will need a hearing aid just to listen to his own music.

What was the first song or album that you bought (or downloaded)?

There comes a point in the lives of most people when they develop an interest in music, and at first it's generally (but not always) the music that happens to be popular at the time.

The first song I ever bought for myself was the Men at Work hit "Down Under." I bought it in 1982 at Zayre's, a local discount/department store, on a 45 RPM record for something like $1.75. Maybe it was less, I can't remember.

I was in seventh grade at the time and the music of that 1982-84 era really shaped my taste for years to come. I still listen regularly to Men at Work, and particularly to lead singer Colin Hay, who has had a great solo career over the last 35 years. I even met him once.

From Men at Work I quickly branched out to The Police, Steve Miller, Duran Duran, The Fixx, Flock of Seagulls, Billy Joel, and a whole host of other artists whose 45s and cassettes I would regularly purchase. These were songs that had strong melodies, interesting lyrics, and quite often the combination of synthesizers and saxophones that I liked.

What about you? What was the first song or full-length album you bought? When did you buy it, and more important, why did you buy it? Feel free to comment directly here on the blog, or on whatever social media channel you use to access us (Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn).

Let's do the iPod Shuffle again because it really is fun

My good buddy John Bryndal (who, as you can tell from his name, lives in Japan) suggested we resurrect the blog's periodic iPod Shuffle game because it's always interesting to see what people have in their music libraries.

The rules are simple: Just put your iPod or other music-playing device into its respective random/shuffle mode and report back on the first five songs that come up. You must be 100% honest as to the five songs that play, no matter what they are. In no way should you be ashamed of the fact that the first three tunes in your queue are by Wham!, Vanilla Ice and Spandau Ballet.

You are encouraged to respond either in the comments here on the blog itself or, if you access the blog this way, on Facebook. Either is fine.

I'll go first. Here's what randomly comes up on my iPhone:

(1) "All Will Be Well" - Gabe Dixon Band
One of the things I love about Spotify is the automatically generated "Discover Weekly" playlist, which every Monday presents you with a new list of songs you might like based on your previous listening. That's how I discovered this tune, which I can't stop listening to. I'm glad it came up first.

(2) "I Ran" - A Flock of Seagulls
Did you ever see that show that used to air on VH1 called "Bands Reunited?" They would run around trying to get old 80s bands back together to play a one-off concert after years of being apart. Some sounded better than others. The Flock sounded...OK in their reunion concert. They definitely didn't have the same hair. Anyway, this is such a great tune. My friend Mel loved, loved, loved A Flock of Seagulls.

(3) "New Mexico" - Billy Joel
I have always been a big Billy Joel fan. Back in the 70s and early 80s when he had hair, he looked strangely like a less muscular version of Sylvester Stallone. Not that that has anything to do with anything, but I always thought it was funny. Anyway, this is a never-released demo tune of his that I greatly enjoy.

(4) "Talkin'" - Najee
Very cool, early 90s funk/jazz. I wish I could play tenor saxophone like Najee does on this song.

(5) "Dear Prudence" - The Beatles
This song will forever make me think of my daughter Elissa. My little Prudence.

'Maybe I'm a whale' and other misheard lyrics

We recently held our annual Employee Appreciation Gala at work, and one of the featured segments was a video of various employees dancing to Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," which was the official song of the 2010 soccer World Cup (which you already knew of course, right?)

Anyway, when we were soliciting employees to choreograph and videotape their group dances to the song, it quickly became apparent to me and to a co-worker who is also a middle-aged white guy that we couldn't understand half of what Shakira was singing.

Assuming others might have this problem, we had our video editor produce a clip whereby the lyrics appeared at the bottom of the screen as Shakira sang them.

Mind you, I did not suddenly develop this inability to fully understand lyrics when I entered my 40s. I've always had trouble deciphering them, and of course some singers are worse than others.

Back in the early 1980s when I first became interested in popular music, one of my favorite bands was an English group called The Fixx. One of their big hits was a song called "Saved by Zero," the chorus of which had lead vocalist Cy Curnin singing "maybe I'll win, saved by zero."

Except I was sure he was singing "maybe I'm a whale, saved by zero." I realize this makes no sense, but my general outlook on most of the New Wave music I listened to back then was that it almost never made sense. And that it made no sense intentionally because...well, just because that's how pop music was.

I was stunned to learn eventually that I had not interpreted that lyric correctly.

My friend Matt always insisted that in the song "Sunglasses at Night," Corey Hart sang a line that went "don't push the play on a diet shake." Again, this makes no sense, but it's not much worse than the actual line, which was "don't switch the blade on the guy in shades."

My sister-in-law Chris apparently had some trouble with the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This." She seemed to think Annie Lennox was singing, "Who has a mind to disagree?" Close, but not right. Real lyric: "Who am I to disagree?"

There is, by the way, an entire website dedicated to misheard lyrics called www.kissthisguy.com. Its name stems from the often-botched line from Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" that goes "'scuse me while I kiss the sky." Many over the years have heard that as, "'scuse me while I kiss this guy." Which is really one of the better ones.

Another personal favorite from that site: In Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," he sings, "It was always burning since the world's been turning." But apparently some guy thought it was, "It was always burning, said the worst attorney."

Not understanding Shakira? I can relate to that. Not understanding Billy Joel? Impossible. Open your ears, whippersnappers.

Songs that make you think of your kids

Parents, do you have songs that automatically put you in mind of your kids, for whatever reason?

You probably do, and I'd be interested in knowing them. Feel free to post your kid-associated tunes in the comments below (those who got here via Facebook can also post there).

Here, for what it's worth, are the songs I connect with my children:

ELISSA (Age 19) - Billy Joel's "Goodnight, My Angel"
When Elissa was a baby, I would take care of her all day from the time she got up around 8:30 or 9 a.m. until the time I left for work around 5:30 p.m. This was one of the greatest times of my life, and it gave me the chance to put her down for naps every day. Sometimes when she was almost asleep but not quite, I would sing this song to her and she would close her eyes. Probably to avoid my singing, but I like to think it's because it comforted her. One of Billy Joel's best songs, for my money.

CHLOE (Age 16) - Sting's "All Four Seasons" and Van Morrison's "Brown-Eyed Girl
You really wouldn't know it by the young woman she is today, but Chloe could be a tad, um, volatile when she was little. To the point that my family was genuinely frightened of her. The year she was born, Sting came out with "All Four Seasons," a song he wrote about the fact that his little daughter's emotions could (and would) turn on a dime. Perfect timing, perfect association. And "Brown-Eyed Girl" was one Chloe and I would sing together in the car years ago, so I'll always connect it with her.

JARED (Age 14) - Stompin' Tom Connors' "The Hockey Song"
Bonding with your dad over sports is a cliche of the American male, but it's still a genuine thing for millions of fathers and sons. Jared and I share a lot, but I think my memories of young Jared will always be the time we spend at hockey games. If you to Lake Erie Monsters' games early enough, you can always hear this classic by Canada's own Stompin' Tom Connors, who passed away just a few months ago. Hockey, for the record, really is "the best game you can name."

MELANIE (Age 12) - Elizabeth Mitchell's "You Are My Sunshine"
There are, by my count, 4 kajillion versions of this song floating around. But none are better than Elizabeth Mitchell's, and it always makes me think of little Mel. Melanie will be a teenager soon, but she will forever and always be "little Mel" to me. She was the baby of the family for a long time before Jack came along. I remember singing this song to Infant Mel when she refused to fall asleep at night. It rarely worked, but it gave me a chance to hear it, which was a decent trade-off for the sleep deprivation that resulted.

JACK (Age 7) - Colin Hay's "Looking for Jack"
Jackie has always loved to come across his own name in books and music. This was one of my favorite tunes of all time even before he was born, but you can bet it shot up my personal list once we decided to give the name Jack to our second son. Colin Hay, by the way, tells a good story about this tune's origins involving Jack Nicholson and a Simple Minds concert.

So let's hear it: What songs make you think of your kids?

Five people who worry me

1. Abe Vigoda: He's still alive. I would have bet my house that he was long deceased. Yet Mr. Vigoda ("Fish" of Barney Miller fame) is still with us at age 92. It's not so much that I'm worried he's going to die. It's that I'm worried he's NOT going to die. That somehow he has developed superhuman longevity and will live for hundreds of years more, just waiting for the sweet sleep of death finally to overcome him. I would hate for him to have to exist like that.

2. The guy who decided the Kardashians should be famous: I don't blame the family for being so maddeningly overexposed. I blame the publicist who made it happen. One day we're going to find out who he is. And pardon my French, but there will be heck to pay. Oh yes, there will be heck to pay...

3. Anne Hathaway: We've covered this topic previously.

4. My lawn guy: I've had the same lawn guy (Bob) for more than 20 years. Several times a year, he comes by, applies a variety of fertilizers and chemicals to my lawn, charges me a pittance, and gives me written instructions on what specifically I should do to take care of the grass. And I do almost none of it. He says to mow on the highest setting, I mow it down like a putting green. He tells us to water the lawn, and we haven't done that (literally, I think) since 1998. I'm worried my noncompliance will eventually lead to an aneurysm on his part. It has to be frustrating. I'm sorry in advance, Bob.

5. Billy Joel: When Billy Joel was cranking out hit songs in the 70s and 80s, I think we all sort of thought of him as pleasant and harmless. Then he got into a series of car crashes in which alcohol may or may not have been involved, but you'd be pretty surprised if it wasn't. And then he peed in a bar with no toilet around. And then a few weeks ago his daughter's stalker was found naked in the woods, which while not an indictment of Billy himself, is still indicative of the craziness that suddenly surrounds him. I just want my happy little Piano Man back. Is that too much to ask?

Do the iPod Shuffle with me again

A few months ago we played a game here on the blog where everyone would grab their iPods, play them in "shuffle" mode, and report back the first five songs that came up. Song-by-song commentary is more than welcome. I'll start, but you are highly encouraged to give us your list in the comments below or on Facebook, if you happen to be accessing this post from there.

Scott's iPod Shuffle Results - 5/9/12

(1) "Keeping the Faith" - Billy Joel:  This is from 1983, I think, when Billy was in his 50s/60s mode and tried to resurrect the music of that era all by himself (well, with help from The Stray Cats, I guess). I've always thought Billy Joel has been unfairly maligned as a soft rock/schmaltz artist because some of his hits - like "Just the Way You Are" - have a lounge singer feel to them. In reality, he's an amazing musician whose music has spanned everything from doo wop to hard rock. Not my favorite Billy Joel tune, but a worthy representative.

(2) "Roxanne" (Live) - The Police:  Sting wrote this song in Paris circa 1977 about a fictional French prostitute. It ends up being a much nicer song than the subject matter would suggest. I just counted and found that I have eight different versions of this tune on my iPod. This one was recorded at a concert in Atlanta in the early 80s, but my favorite was when Sting sang it with just a guitar and Branford Marsalis on soprano saxophone at Live Aid in 1985.

(3) "Dark Blue" - Jack's Mannequin:  The only non-80s song on my list. Interesting. My daughters were really into this tune when it came out six or seven years ago. It reminds me of summer 2008, when I took Elissa and her friend Jackie to see The Warped Tour in Cleveland. Warped Tour is a collection of bands that tours the country every summer. In my day, we would have classified these sorts of bands as "punk," I guess, but there's really a mix of ska, alternative, and genres I can't even identify. It was hilarious being one of the only people older than 25 there. I was also was of the few non-tattooed attendees. I may as well have been wearing sandals with black socks.

(4) "Hip to Be Square" - Huey Lews & The News:  Terry and I saw Huey and his band live in concert in 1990. It was really loud. You wouldn't expect a Huey Lewis concert to be loud. But it was. There's a great tenor sax solo in this song. I wish there were more tenor sax solos in popular music these days.

(5) "Mandolin Rain" - Bruce Hornsby & The Range:  This isn't the song that most people associate with Bruce Hornsby (that would be "The Way It Is"), but I think it's the best of his popular songs. Great piano, great chorus. If I could sing, this is one of the songs you would hear me warbling up on stage at some karaoke bar.