Video: "Super Strong" - The Deedle Deedle Dees

Hey, it's a new video from the Deedle Deedle Dees! That's right, America's favorite history-inspired band of kids musicians march through Brooklyn (what is it about Brooklyn-set kids music videos this week?) to their song "Super Strong."

While the theme of being "super strong" could lend itself to any one of a number of different historical figures, in this case the song celebrates everyday toughness -- ballerinas, teachers, cancer survivors -- and, by implication, encourages fortitude in others. That sounds Really Dramatic, but the song moves gently along with an electronic percussive accompaniment, and the video, directed in black and white by chief Dee Lloyd Miller, has just enough goofiness and shots of kids dancing down the street to make it sweet and fun. It features a number of Miller's family and friends, and all the dancing isn't a random choice -- he says he thought:

"a joyous, natural way to [celebrate being strong] would be to use dance in the backdrop of my own neighborhood in Brooklyn. I love to dance and I love films and music videos that use dance in all its forms."

It's not the technicolor vibrancy of parts of La La Land but it's joyful just the same. I'm happy to give the video its world premiere here. (The song itself can be found on the Dees' 2016 album The Rocket Went Up!: Sing-Along History Vol. 2.)

The Deedle Deedle Dees - "Super Strong" [YouTube]

Radio Playlist: New Music January 2017

Hoo boy, it has been awhile since I've done one of these. (October 2016, to be exact.) But skip the holiday music, and there's still some stuff to listen to, to get your 2017 off to a good start if it hasn't already.

As always, it's limited in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums. But I'm always keeping stuff in reserve for the next Spotify playlist.

Check out the list here (or right here in you're in Spotify).

**** New Music January 2017 (January 2017 Kindie Playlist) ****

"Dreamland" - Mo Phillips

"Let's Dance" - Antibalas

"Being Different" - Karen K

"Back Seat Bop" - Katie Ha Ha Ha

"Lily 'o' Lily" - Nick Cope

"Find a Way" - Stacey Peasley

"Top Secret Personal Beeswax" - Junie B. Jones Musical Cast Album

"Elephant" - Priscilla Ahn

Video: "Say Hey!" - Mil's Trills (World Premiere!)

I know, we're in the midst of winter -- short days, overcast skies, and long sleeves. (Even in the Arizona desert!) So every now and then it's nice to see video clips clearly not filmed last week.

This brand new video from Amelia Robinson AKA Mil's Trills definitely scratches that midwinter itch. Filmed via GoPro while tooling around Brooklyn with friends, family, and random strangers on the street, "Say Hey!" from her latest album Now That We're Friends is a bright, sunny pop anthem celebrating friendliness and curiosity about your fellow human beings. That's a sentiment worth getting behind any time of year. Maybe specially in winter.

Anyway, the video gets a live biiiiig-screen premiere at Robinson's 7th Annual Winter Bash in Gowanus, Brooklyn this weekend, but I'm happy to be world-premiering the video (edited by Helen Murphy) for you today. Enjoy!

(And, for what it's worth, I'm much more of a carrot man, myself.)

Mil's Trills - "Say Hey!" [YouTube]

Top Kids and Family Podcasts (January 2017)

It's a new year, but time once again to take a look at the nebulously-ranked world of podcasts, this time for January 2017. (Here is December's list of top-ranked kids and family podcasts.)

There was definitely a little movement in the list this time around, with some new entries, although the rankings of these particular podcasts within the "kids and family" charts in the iTunes and Stitcher kids and family charts are generally in the same range as last time.

As with last month, none of the podcasts ranked here ranked within the "all podcasts" chart on iTune. But the number of podcasts on one of the two lists jumped to 32, an all-time high.

As always: this is a blunt instrument, combining pure rankings from two fairly opaque charts, and for a variety of reasons has only marginal value as a measure of quality. (Results compiled from Top 100 podcasts on iTunes and Stitcher "kids and family" charts on Saturday, January 21, 2017. Podcasts that appear on both charts are listed with numbers; remaining podcasts only appeared on one list.) In this particular month, the hybrid nature of the chart probably penalizes what may be the most popular podcast, the brand-new Disney Story Central podcast. It's only available on iTunes, and can't chart on Stitcher. So: grain of salt noted.

Two other reminders:

1. If you're looking for a list that has most (or all) of these podcasts, check out my comprehensive list of podcasts for kids.

2. If you're interested in the future of podcasts for kids, you might be interested in Kids Listen, a grassroots organization of podcasters and folks like me interested in helping high-quality audio for children thrive. We're looking for other interested folks -- producers or otherwise -- to join in!

With that out of the way, let's get to the chart.

1. Stories Podcast

2. Brains On

3. Storynory

4. Tumble

5. Story Time

6. Story Pirates

7. The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel

8. The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian

9. The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified

10. The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd

11. But Why?

12. Short and Curly

Others (listed alphabetically): Activated Stories, Book Club for Kids, Children Stories and Joyful, Children's Fun Storytime, The Cramazingly Incredifun Sugarcrash Kids Podcast, Disney Story Central, Dream Big, Ear Snacks, Elmo's Adventures in Spending Saving and Sharing, Family Folk Tales, Little Stories for Tiny People, Molly and the Sugar Monster, Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome, Official Adventures in Odyssey, Podcast Kid, Spare the Rock Spoil the Child, Sparkle Stories, The Story Home, That Story Show

Video: "Mellows On My Mind" - Henriques²

There is no shortage of spousal teams in kids music -- think of Lunch Money, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, or many more -- and unsurprisingly lots of parents and children, but siblings? Those pairings are far fewer.

But there's a new such pairing on the horizon, and it's one I'm really looking forward to. It's called Henriques², and it features the siblings (natch) Lori Henriques and Joel Henriques. "Mellows On My Mind" - Henriques² The two of them have paired up several times before on videos for Lori's music, but now they're joining forces musically for a full-length album due out this summer.

Based on the first track, it's definitely something I'm looking forward to. The track is called "Mellows On My Mind," and it's retro (perhaps that's more Lori's influence) and forward-looking (Joel's) at the same time sonically. And marshmallows (not to mention cereal) are always a popular item around kids. Says Lori, "When we were writing the lyrics, we loved the idea of one simple quotidian thing (a bowl of cereal) inspiring us to create something more amazing."

I'm really happy to be world-premiering the video, which features drawings by Joel's kids, animated by Joel himself. More details on the album to come!

Henriques² - "Mellows On My Mind" [YouTube]

Video: "Esta Es Tu Tierra (This Land Is Your Land)" - Sonia De Los Santos

Sonia De Los Santos and her band, sometimes in front of America's most potent nineteenth-century symbol the Statue of Liberty, sing Woody Guthrie's classic song from the twentieth century, refashioned for the twenty-first.

Sonia De Los Santos - "Esta Es Tu Tierra (This Land Is Your Land)" [YouTube]