China

 

I first heard the Grace Slick song "China" when the album "Gunfighter" was released in 1971.  It's a beautiful song by a new parent marvelling at the miracle of her little daughter. No schmaltz - this is Grace, after all - in fact there's a fierceness about the hopes and sentiments being expressed.

I heard, with great pleasure, many of Grace's songs sung excellently by Diana Mangano during UK tours by the Jefferson Starship in the early years of the 21st century, but not this one.

54 years on, and after the addition of several boys to the family, I'm left in charge of a 9-month-old granddaughter, M, for a couple of hours. It's a no-brainer - of course I 'm going to play her China! (Come on; it is age-appropriate!) 

She sits quietly on the rug and listens to the first run through, perhaps bemused by the happy tears, but when I schedule the HEOS to play it again she's off, scooting away across the room. 

Next time it'll be some Grateful Dead...

Diana Mangano with adoring fan