“The foetus may be startled by loud music and start kicking you when it hears a certain tune. Or maybe its dancing. This is a good time to play it music, talk to it and see if you get a reaction.”

(The Rough Guide to Pregnancy).

Say no more, I am on the case! I’ve had very little to do thus far in the pregnancy other than cooking and cleaning and general slave tasks. Now, however, my first opportunity at a fatherly duty. The musical education of my child! Those of you who know me well will know that I am a music geek. Shortly after we found out Dr. O’C was pregnant, I began to dream of musical interactions with my first born. Most of these ended with me saying something like “Now, Dr. O’C, our baby is NOT listening to that annoying kids’ music. I will not have Baby DVD listening to some crap europop version of “YMCA” or something.” To which Dr. O’C, as with all my rants, smiles bemusedly.

Thus, selecting and playing music to the baby was a task I looked forward to relish. But how to approach it? Most books suggest melodic classical music. While I think this is probably snobbery, I can see that “Anarchy in the UK” or Nirvana’s “Aneurysm” may not be the place to begin. After several days (yes, days) of scanning my iTunes library, I fell upon Van Morrison. Not just any Van Morrison, but the finest in his (very fine) discography – “Astral Weeks”. If you do not own this album, stop reading, go out and buy it now. If you do own this album, play it while you read. It was recorded over three days in 1968 with a quintet of jazz musicians and its the spontaneity that these musicians bring to the table along with Morrison’s ethereal lyrics that make this album very special. There’s something absolutely beautiful and spiritual about this album that is beyond the power of this writer to explain. All I know is if my day has turned bad, I put “Astral Weeks” on my iPod and go for a walk in the nearest park and by the time I’m back, it’s usually OK.

“Sweet Thing” was in my opinion, the most baby friendly song on the album. So, armed with the beginning of my child’s musical education and my iPod stereo, I was prepared. Dr.  O’C had been feeling the baby kick quite a bit, but try as I might I could never really feel it. But, when I sat down with Dr. O’C, hand on tummy, and Van’s gravelly soulful voice began:

“And I will stroll the merry way
And jump the hedges first
And I will drink the clear
Clean water for to quench my thirst…”

Baby DVD began kicking up a storm, quiet little flutter kicks. Dancing to the Irish minstrel music. I choose to interpret it as dancing, I guess it could be “Leave me alone with that loud rock n’ roll. I’m trying to sleep!” But, I think she was dancing. A truly wonderful experience and one that makes me like this album even more.

“We shall walk and talk
In gardens all misty and wet with rain
And I will never, never, never
Grow so old again.

Oh sweet thing, sweet thing
My, my, my, my, my sweet thing
And I will raise my hand up
Into the night time sky
And count the stars
That’s shining in your eye…”

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