I know... a video in the midst of KidVid Tournament 2010? Just not fair, is it?
Trust me, I wouldn't be posting a video in the midst of all these awesome videos if it wasn't awesome itself. Tell me that this video for "A Counting Error" from John Upchurch and Mark Greenberg (John and Mark's Children's Record) shouldn't get an immediate spot in a Sesame Street video rotation (or a first-round bye in KidVid Tournament 2011).
Yes, I already told you once about the Noggin video for Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" -- the version is on the B is for Bob remix/re-imagining album from his son Ziggy.
But now there's an officially sanction version on YouTube. And it's such a sweet (almost dorkily so) video, that I wanted to share again. If this had been out last month, it totally would have made KidVid Tournament 2010.
Bob Marley - "Three Little Birds" [YouTube]
I know, interrupting KidVid Tournament 2010 for... a video? I promise, I'll get back to a more regular swing of news and reviews soon (sometimes the real world intervenes, though for all good reasons), but when The Telephone Company makes a video for my favorite song from Panda Brain!, then I'm all over it.
A fairly literal video translation. One can only wonder what the passengers on the passing trains must've been thinking as they saw the video shot...
The Telephone Company - "What Am I Gonna Do With This Baby?" [YouTube]
Yeah, I know, 48 hours late. But how appropriate would this have been Monday morning? Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! (Three gifted singers, indeed.)
The Muppets - "Danny Boy" [YouTube]
As much as 2009 was a great year for kids music, I think it might have been even more the year of the kids music video. In past years, coming up with 16 good kids music videos, let alone 20, was hard work. This year, it was hard, but not because there wasn't enough good stuff. There was too much good stuff.
I'm still not sure why that is -- while you have your fair share of material developed for DVDs or TV pilots, there are still plenty of videos on this list that seem created solely for the purpose of promoting a song or album (and perhaps amusing their creators). But it doesn't really matter, does it? Here, then, are my 20 favorite kids music videos from 2009 (2009 defined roughly as March 1, 2009 - February 28, 2010), starting off with the #1 video of the year... (or you can watch the whole list at my YouTube playlist of these 20 great kids music videos).
1. They Might Be Giants - "Meet the Elements" [YouTube]
Videos are flavor enhancers -- they don't do much for a bland song, no matter how technically proficient or cool the visuals are. But a good video can go a long ways toward implanting a song into the brain. And combine a great song with a great video, and you can put this result at the entryway to They Might Be Giants' wing in the Kids Music Video Hall of Fame.
I probably should lead with the newest video, but it's a video for a song called "Donut Brain Aliens." How could I not lead with it?
It's from the Dirty Sock Funtime Band, and it's from their new show that starts tomorrow (Wednesday, March 10) on WQED in Pittsburgh. It features "educational adventures... aimed at youngsters ages 3 to 8."
Adventures involving donut brain aliens, apparently.
Dirty Sock Funtime Band - "Animal Song" [Vimeo]
