As you might expect, I get a lot of e-mails from people who make kids music. Sometimes they include links to their own website (which I often peruse, if briefly) or perhaps YouTube videos. I've long since learned not to keep my expectations too high, which makes the occasional discovery that much more fun.
I'm clearly not the only person David Tobocman has e-mailed to let people know about his video for his song "Home," but that won't stop me. [Note: Tobocman let me know he hadn't yet e-mailed people, only the artist, and her post generated the viral popularity thus far...]
Tobocman's a southern California musician, and "Home" reminds me of nothing so much as the wistful songs on the soundtracks from another southern California musician, Randy Newman. The illustrations of Valerie Walsh make an excellent match. It's a great little video.
David Tobocman - "Home"
You can listen to samples from all of Very Helpful Songs here.
Video: "You Can Be Anything" - Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang
I can't say that "You Can Be Anything," off Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang's non-holiday, self-titled debut CD, is my favorite track off that CD. (Gwendolyn, make a video for "Anatomy," stat!) But the newly released video, if you're about 3 years old, seems like it hits a whole bunch of sweet spots. Animation, fire trucks, other kids dancing -- yeaaaaaahhhh....
Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang - "You Can Be Anything" (link is now updated)
And for the adults, about 36 seconds in, your topic is whether ELO merits the #8 ranking. Discuss.
New (Old) Music from Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke - "Sylvester" (aka "Big Pet Pig")
Yeah, I posted this song ten months ago. I don't care. It still rocks (in a very, er, folky and gently humorous way).
Plus, now you can see what the mysterious Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke look like. Well, I guess they're not that mysterious. But it's not like I'd seen a picture before...
Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke - "Sylvester (Big Pet Pig)"
Video: "Animal Alphabet Song" - The Hollow Trees
Kids' music videos don't have to be complicated or produced on a "Thriller"-like budget. In fact, this video, the first from The Hollow Trees' excellent new album Welcome to Nelsonville, is a little better because of the cut-and-paste nature of the video. It's not the best song from the album, but it's a cute little 2-minute video.
The Hollow Trees - "Animal Alphabet Song"
Video: "Even Numbers" - They Might Be Giants
This is not my favorite song on They Might Be Giants' Here Come the 123s CD, but it might just be the most-beautiful video on They Might Be Giants' Here Come the 123s DVD. Yes, it's the "next installment":
Tell me that's not an awesome picture book come to life.
Plus an additional video ("Letter Shapes") and an awesomely dorky-but-tuneful theme song for the podcast.
Video: "The Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go To Work)" - They Might Be Giants
You want to know why I keep posting these videos from They Might Be Giants' Podcast for Kids? It's because they're all awesome.
And if you're afraid that somehow they're just posting the only good videos from Here Come the 123s... they're not.
They Might Be Giants - "The Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go To Work)"
