Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women
My Favorite Grands and Great-Grands
by Rick Cano | May 28, 2018 | Grandchildren, Granddaughters, Great Grandchildren, I love you a bushel and a peck, these are a few of my favorite things, You Are My Sunshine | 2 comments

How wonderful that each of them have favorite songs, and hearing them brings back such great memories for you.
I don't remember a particular favorite song as a child. However, I was often taken by the big musicals or movies of the time. I definitely still have an affinity for Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz. And when I saw the Sound of Music, My Favorite Things was one of many songs from their I loved.
More than my songs, I do remember what my parent's songs were because my mother played piano and they would sometimes sing together or one would sing to the other.
My father's favorite song was definitely Danny Boy. I always thought it was sad as the girl yearns for someone who is likely dead from the war or an uprising. Yet, she believes they will be reunited in death. Perhaps that was the part they loved, the forever kind of love promised even after death. Also because my father is Irish, I suspect he loved to hear it for that reason as well.
My mother's favorite song to play on the piano and sing, or have Dad sing, was Begin the Beguine. That one was definitely hugely romantic to me in middle-school. Around the house, as she was working, Mom would sing church songs like Swing Low Sweet Chariot and Michael Row the Boat Ashore.
Music was a big part of my parent's life and thus mine growing up. They loved the Big Bands and had the albums of Tommy Dorsey, etc. On car trips, we sang songs like "You Are My Sunshine" and "Bushel and a Peck" as well as "Mares Eat Oats." A paternal great aunt played the guitar and we'd have family sing-a-longs of the songs of her youth (a generation before my parents). I was named after her. I also remember my mom and dad dancing to the music playing on the radio or record player.
Thanks for the memory jog, Maggie. It's always fun to look back and see the good times when growing up.