Grandma Sings Van Halen

Every May my Dad's side of the family has a Memorial weekend picnic. Since getting older my mode of operation has been eat, answer generic questions about my life from obscure relatives, digest, eat more, pass out in a lawn chair. Ambient music is usually played while people mill around. The music does not come from a stereo and speakers. It comes from an trio of uncles that play the accordion, harmonica and guitar. In the past, song choices were geared towards the ancients among us - German folk tunes. As the years went by, handfuls of these older individuals would move on to the Great Gig in the Sky. Their increased absences at picnics created gaps in the song sphere, fault lines where semi-contemporary music could leech in unnoticed. Such trends reached new epic heights this past weekend. At first I wasn't sure what was happening. I was lolling in my usual shady spot, deviled egg filling stuck to my chin, when I heard one of the guitarists start to strum. The melody sounded oh so familiar but in my food coma, I had an extraordinarily difficult time placing it.
Then he started singing, "I'm your ice cream man/stop me when I'm passing by..."
The reference was simmering in my brain.
He continued. "See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy."
My Grandparents were seated nearby, listening to the music. Never ones to turn down a chance to sing, they started to chime in, learning they went.
"All my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy!" they repeated.
I was on the brink of recognition.
He proceeded: "I'm usually passin' by just around eleven o'clock/And if ya' let me cool you one time/you'll be my regular stop!"
The Grandparents harmonized: "Cool you one time/you'll be my regular stooooppp!"
Then, I got it. They were singing Van Halen.
My revelation swept in on the tails of my Grandmother's final chorus. Clapping to the beat, she brought the tune to a rousing close with a final sweet, pristine
"I'm guaranteed to satisfyyyy!"
The best part is I'm positive that they both thought it was a Buddy Holly song about selling Popsicles.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvDL_3c8Hak&feature=related