BOYS TO MEN

Wow! Tonight to fill time on "Dancing With the Stars," two of my fave groups of the 1990s showed up to sing some of their old hits. The New Kids on the Block are probably pushing 35-40 by now, and the Backstreet Boys have long since surpassed puberty, but both can still get my heart pumping.

Had I not been teaching teenagers at the time, I probably would never have given the Kids and Boys a second listen. My female students were in love with them, so I figured I needed to stay in touch with their musical choices and at least act like I could relate to their interests. And I really did end up liking them...moreso the Boys, to the point that I actually broke down and bought one of their CDs. Millennium. I will even swallow my old-age dignity and admit to memorizing the words and singing along with "I Want It That Way." Yes, it's true. I confess.

Neither group came close to becoming another Beatles or Rolling Stones, or any other great band of my own teen years, but I'll give the guys credit for exciting a new generation of girls who, if they were tuned in to the "DWTS" show, probably felt a little skippy about seeing their Kids and Boys performing back on stage. "I used to be CRAZY about them!!!" I can hear them say. Sweet musical memories for sure.