Does he have a dog?

“I want to hear a song I’ve never heard before.”

That’s what Ben said from the back seat yesterday evening. I had just picked him up from daycare and we were sitting in 5 o’clock traffic. February ice pellets, snow, rain had ground us to a stop.

Now for any other parent that might be easy request. Slap in a Raffi CD. But that won’t cut it with Ben.

You see, he cut his teeth on Yaky Yak -Woolly Bully 50s bubble gum pop. He breakdances to Brick House, plays cowboy to Black Horse and Cherry Tree and stands on his potty stool and conducts Ode to Joy.

The kid knows music.

So yesterday when he asked for something knew, something he’d never heard before, I had to dig a little hard. The lyrics went something like this:

I like to see you boogie/Right across the floor/I like to do it to you/Till you holla for more

I suppose some moms would call Stevie Wonder’s Reggae Woman offensive, inappropriate, sexist – too disgusting for a 3 ½ year old. Stick to Row, Row, Row your Boat!

But Ben just hummed along, bobbed his head.

“Mama, tell me something special about this song?” he asked. Does Stevie Wonder have a dog?

“I want to hear a song I’ve never heard before.”

That’s what Ben said from the back seat yesterday evening. I had just picked him up from daycare and we were sitting in 5 o’clock traffic. February ice pellets, snow, rain had ground us to a stop.

Now for any other parent that might be easy request. Slap in a Raffi CD. But that won’t cut it with Ben.

You see, he cut his teeth on Yaky Yak -Woolly Bully 50s bubble gum pop. He breakdances to Brick House, plays cowboy to Black Horse and Cherry Tree and stands on his potty stool and conducts Ode to Joy.

The kid knows music.

So yesterday when he asked for something knew, something he’d never heard before, I had to dig a little hard. The lyrics went something like this:

I like to see you boogieRight across the floorI like to do it to youTill you holla for more

Not exactly “Row Row Row Your Boat”. I suppose some moms would call Stevie Wonder’s Regaee Woman offensive, inappropriate, sexist – too disgusting for a 3 ½ year old. Stick to Row, Row, Row your Boat!

But Ben just hummed along, bobbing his head, happy I didn't force feed him any musical oatmeal.

“Mama, tell me something special about this song.”

“What’s special is Stevie Wonder,” I said, edging ahead in the traffic “is he plays the piano, but can’t see.”

“Cool. Does he have a dog?”