Steve Denyes and 20 Kindie Artists Write 20 Kindie Songs in 20 Days

Sounds like a logic problem, right? "If Steve Denyes and 20 kindie artists write 20 kindie songs in 20 days, how many days would it take Steve Denyes and 1 kindie artist to write 1 kindie song?"

The answer -- contrary to what logic would tell you -- is one day.

Or, to be more specific -- today. That goes for whenever you read this, because for the next 20 days, Denyes (best known as the main guy in San Diego's Hullabaloo) and a guest artist will pick a song title out of a hat and, by 5:00 PM daily, write, record a post a song based on that title. Actually, both Denyes and the guest will each write a song, so it's actually 40 songs in 20 days, but Denyes' title was already set. (Logic is tough, y'all.)

Why would Denyes do such a thing? I'm sure there are many intrinsic motivations, but an external one would be to raise money for Happy Star Melodies, a San Diego-based charity that brings musical instruments and performances to kids facing long hospital stays. Denyes has already raised a nice sum of money, and although the time to suggest songs is long past, I'm sure the group could use whatever you can spare via the donation page.

I could list some of the guest artists, but then I'd be afraid of leaving some out, and, really, there's no good way to handle the issue other than to say the guest artist for the first day, February 1, is Jason Didner, and there's plenty more good stuff coming.

Denyes' plan is to post the song(s) by 5 PM Pacific time daily, and my plan is to update this post -- hopefully daily -- with all the songs.

So, again, visit that donation page and give a little bit if you can. And enjoy the music!

"My Best Friend Riley" - Steve Denyes / "My Best Friend Riley (Is a Dog)" - Jason Didner

"Ant and Bee Went Looking for a Cookie" - Steve Denyes / "Mr. Ant and Mrs. B" - KB Whirly

"My Trip to Paris" - Steve Denyes / Ashli Christoval (aka Jazzy Ash)

"Hugs for My Family, High Fives for My Friends" - Steve Denyes / Randy Kaplan

"Help!" A Snake Is Gonna Eat Me" - Steve Denyes / Jim Cosgrove (aka Mr. Stinky Feet)

My Annual Post About "Felt Around the World"

A couple years ago -- exactly two years ago, April 1, 2012, I shared one of my favorite all-time posts here on the site, the world premiere of "Felt Around the World," which was "We Are the World" for a new (puppet) generation.

Last year I shared how the song had generated hundreds of dollars for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Now, I'm happy to report that the world's greatest song performed by Fabricated Americans has generated thousands of dollars for St. Jude's. That's right, thanks to album sales and radio plays, we (that is, me and the folks at Recess Monkey, who coordinated the video and the musical contributions from our puppet friends) have now contributed more than $2,200 to St. Jude's.

Contributions keep trickling in, and you can still purchase the track at CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon. Thanks again to everyone who produced, purchased, or listened to the song. Enjoy -- I still smile when I watch and listen today.

Hand Aid - "Felt Around the World" [YouTube]

Video: "The Princess Who Saved Herself" - Jonathan Coulton

I briefly thought about not posting this, because by doing so I prove that I'm not infallible. Because if I were infallible, I wouldn't be posting this video nearly 18 months after it originally went on YouTube.

But then I thought, there must be others like me who haven't seen this either. So I'm sharing. It's for Jonathan Coulton's stone-cold (and incredibly popular) track "The Princess Who Saved Herself" from the fine Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti compilation.

It's a fan video. Not just any fan. But a whole bunch of school students. I don't typically like fan videos, but there's something about the match of the elementary school art juxtaposed against Coulton's whip-smart lyrics that warms my heart greatly.

Jonathan Coulton - "The Princess Who Saved Herself" (fan video) [YouTube]

Video: "40 Things To Do in a Blackout" - The Pop Ups

I don't think write, record, and film a video for a benefit song was one of the 40 things the Pop Ups mention in their new song, "40 Things To Do in a Blackout," but singing along definitely was. The new track was inspired by (if that's an appropriate phrase) Hurricane Sandy, and all proceeds benefit Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. (Purchase the track via Bandcamp, Amazon, and -- soon -- iTunes.) The song takes a while to get a head of steam, but once it does, it's a ton of fun and worth a buck. The video is just that much more fun. After all, everything's better with puppets (another suggestion from the band, of course).

The Pop Ups - "40 Things To Do in a Blackout" [YouTube]

<a href="http://thepopups.bandcamp.com/track/40-things-to-do-in-a-blackout">40 Things to do in a Blackout by The Pop Ups</a>

Video: "On Hockey Days" - Raffi

On Hockey Days single coverHockey has not exactly had the reputation of a gentle sport; perhaps as a result, gentle kids music legend Raffi is probably not the first kids musician to come to mind when you think of "kids song about hockey." (Of, course, neither was James Superstar Kochalka, and his song was pretty good.)

But, he is Canadian. So perhaps that helps explain why he's just released a new song, "On Hockey Days," about the sport, and about youth hockey in particular. It's a benefit song for his Centre for Child Honouring, and on the song's page for his website, he notes that the new song honors "hockey parents who devotedly take their kids to the rink all winter long, and sounds a call to fun, fair play and respect." It's not a new album, but as a one-off single from Raffi, it's not bad at all. The charity single was released north of the border last week and will be released here in the States tomorrow.

Or just watch the video.

Raffi - "On Hockey Days" [YouTube]

"Felt Around the World" - "We Are the World" for a New Generation

Felt Around the World coverBig news in the kindie world today as more than a dozen kindie puppets officially released a new song, "Felt Around the World," designed to raise awareness of puppet rights. Accompanied by a video and a brand new organization -- Hand Aid -- the song is designed to make listeners aware of the inherent dignity of sock-, felt-, and cotton-based puppets both inside and outside the kindie music world.

The song is the brainchild of puppet songwriter Marion Aeder, who's written for such puppet music luminaries as Kermit the Frog, the Von Trapp Family puppets, and the version of Punch and Judy currently being performed by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. "I was tired of seeing my puppet friends treated like mere toys," and wanted to give voice to the feelings all puppets have," says Aeder.

So he contacted his friend, the puppet impressario Mayor Monkey. MayMo is best known, perhaps, as the excitable hand puppet band manager of Seattle kids music band Recess Monkey, but he also has served stints as a Public Interest Research Group organizer, and it turns out MayMo had been hearing many of the same concerns Aeder had.

West Ginger Liberty

The two puppets banded together -- Aeder providing the music and lyrics, and Mayor Monkey contacting his many compatriots in the kindie world. For example, Socrates Monk, sock puppet manager of Australian-American kindie band The Mudcakes, was happy to join in. Likewise, West Ginger Liberty, Princess Katie's right hand-er, puppet, also immediately said yes -- her performance on "Felt Around the World" is her first on-record singing performance.

Aeder and MayMo -- like Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, or Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones before them -- merged an anthemic song with a cast of stars. Unlike "Do They Know It's Christmas?" or "We Are the World," however, they didn't need to all gather in one place. Technological advances of the past 25 years meant that they could all record in the comfort of their own... homes, and send their work into Mayor Monkey, who by this time had also managed to corral (hound? badger?) Recess Monkey into playing backup and Jarrett J. Krosoczka into contributing album art.

Enthusiasm among the kindie puppets ran high for the project, with many new kindie puppets joining in, sometimes for very personal reasons. "Felt" participants Macho Nacho and Mouth Trumpet from Musical Stew met after being placed in Time Out after a peaceful 2004 demonstration in Medford, Oregon as the "Puppet Movement" was gaining momentum. Others, like Yosi's super-exuberant Eugene (he of the instantly memorable adlibs during the song's bridge) or Todd McHatton's Marvy had no personal tie to the project, but found themselves instantly drawn in. (Marvy is rumored to be working on a solo record, in fact.) And clearly it gave some puppets like The Wolf, best known for his demolition business, an opportunity to share skills he's honing with Debbie and Friends.

Felt Around the World co-mastermind Mayor MonkeyWhile the primary purpose of Hand Aid and "Felt Around the World" is to raise awareness of puppet rights, it's also going to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. (All net proceeds after mixing, mastering, and Mayor Monkey's new megaphone he bought to keep everyone in line will go to St. Jude's.) Listeners got a sneak peak of the song yesterday at Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, Ages 3 and Up!, Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl, and Hilltown Families. But you can purchase the song today at iTunes, Amazon (affiliate link), and CD Baby.

Or enjoy the video right here. Remember, folks, puppets are people, too. OK, they're puppets. But they deserve our respect.