my inherited perception of cool

Since today is the day that we thank our fathers, I thought I'd share with you my inherited perception of cool shaped by what my dad likes to call 'The School of Dave'.

My older sister and I were enrolled from birth however we were not the only students with cousins and childhood friends also on the roll. In fact 'The School of Dave' is renowned for its tutorials on music, film and storytelling. So much so it is now spoken of as if a legend "AH Grasshopper you too have been taught in the ways of Dave".

Music and film classes had one main principle 'to know where you're going, you got to know where you've been'. It's important to know 'the classics'.

Top 20 'Classic' Songs from 'The School of Dave'

Hotel California - The Eagles (live Hell Freeze's over version = Awesomeness)

Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles

Let's Stay Together - Al Green

You Can't Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones

Respect - Aretha Franklin

Stand By Me - Ben E King

Eagle Rock - Daddy Cool

April Sun in Cuba - Dragon

With a Little Help From my Friends - Joe Cocker

Moondance - Van Morrison

Roxanne - The Police

My Girl - Otis Redding

Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles

Diamonds & Pearls - Prince (also my first ever cd along with MJs Thriller)

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash

Rapture - Blondie

People Are Strange - The Doors

California Dreamin - The Mamas and the Papas

Anything Goes - Frank Sinatra

Not to mention the Rat Pack, the entire Beatles catalogue and songs from 1950s musicals.


For films it was a heartbreaking task to narrow down and that is why this list only goes til about the 1980s and has been bumped up to a TOP dadadada 33. Very random number I know but it's a fitting number in my family as it was my Grandfather's guernsey number at Fitzroy and I'm guessing it may have been Butch who actually inspired 'The School of Dave'.

Top 33 'Classic' Films from 'The School of Dave'

Dr. No

Cool Hand Luke

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

The Sting

True Grit

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Dirty Harry

Easy Rider

The Godfather

Goodfellas

The Untouchables

The Great Escape

The Elephant Man

To Kill a Mockingbird

It's a Wonderful Life

Harvey

The Black

Singing in the Rain

West Side Story

Sunset Boulevard

The Great Race

Some Like it Hot

Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis films (my childhood was filled with these on a sunday afternoon)

Breakfast at Tiffany's

To Sir With Love

Lost Boys

Parenthood

Three Amigos

Jaws

Star Wars

Indiana Jones

Back to the Future

Field of Dreams

And perhaps the most integral part of the course was the unit on storytelling. This was not limtited to bedtimes and even extended to car trips you see 'you are never lost when you're on an adventure'. The best way to describe my childhood would be to show you

Hey what can I say it was never boring and it was 'The School of Dave' that taught me the No.1 Golden Rule for storytellers:

Don't f**k up a good story with the facts.

Thank you Dad and Happy Father's Day!