As young adults growing up in the Philippines in the late ’60s, my parents consumed whatever bits and pieces of American culture made it out to the Pacific. These same things later became the foundation of my own youth, even well after they immigrated to New York City in the ’80s. That’s all to say that while inhaling Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, I also probably knew *a lot more* about ABBA, Simon & Garfunkel, The Bee Gees, and The Bread than my fellow 7th grade classmates.
But isn’t that one of the perks of being a parent? You bring children into this world, pure and impressionable like clay, with the hope that you’ll eventually mold them into good members of society. And perhaps most importantly, good members of society with impeccable music taste, also known as your own.
(Read: The Top 10 Definitely Prince Songs)
I’m not a parent just yet, but I imagine morning car rides with my kids to be a lot like what Jerry O’Connell has going on. The Jerry Maguire and Scream 2 actor recently shared a video of himself in a car singing the Prince hit “When Doves Cry” to his two daughters. A fervent Prince fan — just see his Twitter profile pic — O’Connell wants nothing more than to pass his reverence for The High Priest of Pop down to his kin.
However, as with most things parenthood-related, nothing goes as planned. Despite O’Connell so passionately belting out the Purple Rain single, he just can’t seem to get through to them. Instead, his daughters repeatedly beg him to stop; one even buries her face in her hands, so embarrassed, especially as they drive by a high school. “This is real music!” O’Connell earnestly yells, face nearly red. “Listen!”
Teach Your Children pic.twitter.com/vrjwCIkWL9
— Jerry O'Connell (@MrJerryOC) October 18, 2019
According to an interview with Minneapolis’ Star Tribune earlier this year, the 45-year-old actor and his wife, Rebecca Romijn, think its fun “curating their [kids’] musical tastes,” and both have been actively trying to get their kids into the Prince of Funk for some time now. “It’s only Stevie Wonder and Prince. But they are 10, so some Ariana Grande does get in there,” said O’Connell.
As someone who went from listening to Britney to Linkin Park, then to Brand New and Wolf Parade before finally, truly discovering Prince’s genius, I say: While I feel your pain, Jerry, the kids are gonna be alright.
In related news, a previously unheard acoustic demo of “I Feel for You” was unearthed by Prince’s family estate the other week. Additionally, a reissue of Prince’s 1999 — featuring 35 bonus rarities — is scheduled to drop next month.
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