You probably don't need much more than general Irish music to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with your kids. The adults would prefer an adult libation or two, and I can't help you with that. But in case you're looking for something ever-so-slightly more kids-focused, here's a free mp3 from Irish band The Speks. "Saint Patrick's Day" is an original song which, according to the band, is "based on a section of the traditional Irish figure dance called the High Caul Cap. For the song's finale we play a traditional Irish reel called Captain Kelly's." I dig the end the most, but it's a fun tune that I also think would be of interest and use to early childhood educators. Stream (or download the mp3 for the price of an e-mail address) below...
Also: their debut album Sing-Along Songs from Glasses Island - Volume 1 is on sale digitally for just $1.99 here. If you're at all interested in Irish music appropriate for kids, it's definitely worth it at that price.
Share: "Skywriter" (and more) - Baron Von Rumblebuss
It's been awhile -- not quite light-years, but too long in any case -- since we in the rest of the solar system have heard new music from outer-space-via-Raleigh's space oddity Baron Von Rumblebuss, but it looks (and sounds) like that will change this year.
The good rocker has posted three tracks for downloading at his Reverbnation page, including the dreamy "Skywriter" and the angular power-poppy "(It Wuzza) Boo-Boo." (There's also a P.S.A. called "Flush the Toilet." They're unmastered tracks from the Baron's upcoming album, and available for the price of an e-mail. (There are also 3 other tracks from the first BVR album available for streaming, which I highly recommend doing.)
As for the new album, the Baron (who here on earth is also known as Tray Batson) reports that the new album will probably be out this summer. It'll be called Agreeably Loud (which is a pretty awesome kids music album title) and "will feature 'skits' and 'commercials' to mimic an intergalactic radio broadcast (the E- E- K)." Other tracks scheduled for inclusion on the album include "Helicopter," "Agreeably Loud", "(Ooh La, La) Play That Song," "I'm from Space," "Did You See Where the Cat Threw Up?", "Wait", "The Sound is the Thing, " and "Boulderboy." There's also another P.S.A called "Nobody Likes It When You Whine." Batson promises an "amp[ed] up... Python/SNL/Electric Co. stupid humor vibe on this one." Works for me.Share: "Do The Potty Dance" - Ralph's World
I'll admit to being a little conflicted by the latest song from Ralph's World. I previously hoped that "Do the Potty Dance" would be better than the Rice Krispies jingle Ralph did. I think this new song is a wee bit better, if only because it manages to avoid mention of Pull-Ups. But if your kids have passed that stage, this wouldn't be your Number One choice.
I guess this would be the first song you don't want to play in the car for fear of triggering a Pavlovian response -- the whole point is getting them to wait to pee.
Anyway, if you want to download the song (and the video) you can go here or you can go here if you want to avoid Huggies and the greater Kimberly-Clark empire altogether.
Or if you have the urge, just watch below.
Do The Potty Dance! from Huggies Pull-Up's on Vimeo.
Share: "Home Run Ronnie" - Debbie and Friends
Today's free tune comes courtesy of Debbie and Friends, who's releasing her (their) second album, More Story Songs and Sing Alongs on March 30. For the price of an e-mail, you can get a free mp3 of "Home Run Ronnie," which mixes some '70s-era pop-rock with a story song about, well, you can probably guess the sport (March 30 is a particularly apropos date, no?). Just when you think the story's getting a little too schmaltzy, Ronnie starts talking and pulls it back ever-so-gently from the edge.
And, if you want to hear the song first, here's a storyboarded version of the upcoming video for the song.
Share: "Row Row Row Your Boat" - Charity and the JAMband
The Bay Area's Charity and the JAMband have been pretty good about sharing tracks with the general public, and the latest is one of the coolest tracks from their latest album, the 2-CD set Party Like a Twinkle Star. This month (ignore that whole "January 2010" thing - it's new) it's their funky take on "Row Row Row Your Boat," and as lead singer/songwriter Charity Kahn suggests, it's a pretty great music-and-movement song. But you'll probably like it even stuck in carpool traffic. More details (and coloring pages) here, or just stream or download it below.
Share: "All About Bob" - Ralph's World
One of my favorite tracks from the upcoming Ralph's World disk All Around Ralph's World is "All About Bob."
Want to share it amongst your family and friends to see if they agree with me? OK -- Bar/None Records is offering a free download of the track -- go here to download the mp3.
Tres catchy.
