The Top 50 Kids Songs of All Time: Songs 31-35

The list continues. I'd been planning to post this entry this morning, so I found the fact that somebody just posted a comment on the last list of "Hey, whatever happened to the rest of the list?" amusing. And to think I originally thought I'd crank these out in about two weeks. In any case, here are the previous entries: Songs 36 through 40 Songs 41 through 45 Songs 46 through 50 And don't forget, there's still time to enter the contest. You can win a free CD! 35. "All Through the Night" - traditional: A traditional Welsh lullaby with less than straightforward lyrical hurdles to jump ("Soft the drowsy hours are creeping / Hill and dale in slumber steeping"), it's the melody that makes this classic. I'm amazed that this isn't covered more -- it's not like the lyrics are that difficult -- easily within the reach of a parent tired of singing more familiar lullabies. (Listen to a sample from Mae Robertson's rendition here.) 34. "Skidamarink" - traditional: Most uptempo lullaby ever. Actually, I'm not sure it's even a lullaby -- I just first heard it on a lullaby album. Compared to the very serious lullabies (see #35, for example), this is a refreshing alternative. (You can hear a sample of the version that introduced me to the song here. Listen to a sample from the Old Town School of Folk Music rendition here. A bit more uptempo.) 33. "Skip To My Lou" - traditional. There's the innocuous version ("Fly's in the buttermilk / Shoo, fly, shoo") and the embittered, scorned-preschooler version ("Lost my partnet / What'll I do?... / I'll find another one / Prettier than you"). (Raffi does the innocuous version, Bullfrog Jumped includes the other version.) 32. "If You're Happy and You Know It" - traditional. One of those songs that if you're the least bit cynical and tired you're just not going to appreciate. But it's a very simple song that kids have fun with -- who doesn't like clapping their hands or stomping their feet when they're 3? (The Old Town School of Folk Music -- who else? -- does a fun version on Songs For Wiggleworms -- sample here.) 31. "BINGO" - traditional. Actually, this is kinda hard for kids to completely master, though they'll have fun clapping. Now that I think about it, by the time the song gets to "clap, clap, CLAP CLAP OH!," I still have problems with it. Unfortunately, I can't think of any must-hear versions of the song -- it's too prescriptive for massive creativity. (Still, you can always go back to Wiggleworms Love You here.)

The Third Way of Ralph's World

Parent Place, the Orlando Sentinel's parenting blog (and Friend-of-Zooglobble, Media Division) has posted an interview with Ralph Covert of Ralph's World. It includes a quotation from Covert talking about "the vision of, it ain’t Barney and it ain’t Disturbed. It’s the sweet spot in the middle that actually pleases everybody." Covert's offering a third way, and while I'd certainly take Ralph's World over either extreme he offers, it's an interesting parlor game: Barney or Disturbed?

Brady Rymer Celebrates Earth Day With A Pig On His Head

There's no detail on the website at the moment, but The Green Apple Festival, a 3-city 200-artist music and arts festival schedule for Earth Day weekend (April 20-22, 2007) will include a free concert featuring The Laurie Berkner Band and Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could. Rymer will open up the Sunday, April 22nd show in New York City's Central Park at noon, with Laurie headlining at 1 PM. Should be pretty cool... No word on who's scheduled to shout "The Sounds of Silence!....." into the deep Manhattan night. Shows are also scheduled for Chicago and San Francisco -- I can think of a few bands in both places that might be a good Earth Day backing band...

Review: The SqueeGees - The SqueeGees

TheSqueegees.jpgThe advantage to the reviewer of an 18-minute CD, such as the 2006 self-titled debut from Southern California-based duo The SqueeGees, is that you can listen to the album a lot before putting fingers to keyboard to write a review. The result of those repeated plays, however, is that some of the odd edges of this CD get rubbed away. Which is too bad, because it's those odd edges that help the CD stand out. Take "Ivan the Terrible," for example, which leads off with the lyrics "His beard is long, his eyes are wild / He terrorizes the town." It encourages the listener to growl. But after hearing it eight, ten times, it no longer seems so outlandish (even for a song in which we find out Ivan is not quite so terrible). Too bad, really. In fact, it's the conventional lyrics here that are sort of dry -- it's when co-singer/songwriters Samantha Tobey and Roman Bluem don't worry about the "point" of the song that the songs are at their most vibrant (the listing of fruits in "Apples, Oranges, & Peaches," all the different sounds in "The Elements"). Musically, the duo pack a lot into what is pretty basic folk-rock. A lot of this has to do with the vocals -- Tobey has a clear and distinct voice that is very inviting, while Bluem has a dry vocal sensibility. (That sensibility fits perfectly with "The Ol' WWW" -- "Saw a picture of a jet on the internet / The ol' WWW / Bid on a Chia pet on the internet / The ol' WWW" -- which will probably go way over the head of the target audience but will amuse their parents.) But they also craft some nice melodies --- "Nala the Chihuahua" is particularly ear-wormy. Despite the claim on the CD cover that the CD is for "ages 0 - adult," I think kids ages 2 through 6 are most likely to enjoy it. You can download a couple tracks and listen to samples of others here, and there's always their Myspace page or CD Baby album page. The SqueeGees is an album which takes a slightly skewed approach to fairly typical children's music material. The album is sadly too brief, but it does make me curious as to what they will come up with next. I hope it's even odder than this CD.

Geckos Rock!

Thanks again to Bill and Ella for having me on this morning's Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child broadcast. I had a great time playing some rockin' tunes talking about the care and feeding of geckos with the two of 'em. And happy early birthday to Liam, too! For those of you who care, my notes on my playlist... 1. The Call - Let the Day Begin -- I heard this recently and was reminded how much I like this song. An anti-lullaby song of sorts. In a good way. 2. Ralph's World -- The Coffee Song -- My wife loves (or at least needs) coffee while I can't stand the stuff. This is her favorite Ralph's World song. 3. Anne Hathaway -- Great Big World -- Our daughter loves this song and sings along. (Listen to the broadcast for my discussion with Ella on why you can't find it in stores anymore.) 4. The New Pornographers -- The Laws Have Changed -- The insane number of layers this song has sonically floors me. And it is, as far as I can tell, kid-friendly. (Bill says he's checked.) 5. Asylum Street Spankers -- Sliver -- I like this version better than the original. 6. Lunch Money -- I Want A Dog -- We do not have a dog, but lyrically Molly Ledford nails the pleading/hopeful voice of a child perfectly -- for any object. (It's about here that the show digresses into a gecko-fest. My wife wishes me to emphasize that gecko invasions only happen during the summer.) 7. Dan Zanes -- Rattlin' Bog -- A couple years ago when our daughter was obsessed with this song, she could track back the order better than I could. 8. Gabby Pahinui -- Aloha Ka Manini -- Our few slack key guitars CDs get a lot of play. They're excellent quiet time music. 9. Elizabeth Mitchell - Jubilee -- This song makes me feel warm all over. 10. Semisonic -- Closing Time -- Go ahead and guess what this song is about. (You'll have to listen to the broadcast, or read drummer Jacob Schlichter's excellent set of diaries on life as a musician on a major label, So You Wanna Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star, to find out.) 11. Justin Roberts -- Cartwheels and Somersaults -- There might be better songs by Roberts, but this is the one that meant the most to our family after our son's arrival 12. Talking Heads -- This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) -- Because "Stay Up Late" was too obvious and "The Great Curve" wasn't nearly so kid-friendly. "Love me 'til heart stops. Love me 'til I'm dead." It might just be the best rock song about family ever. 13. They Might Be Giants -- Theme From Higglytown Heroes -- Our daughter has never seen "Higglytown Heroes," only the video promo on the "Here Come the ABCs" DVD. But she loves the song anyway. (Y'know, maybe it's because of the video promo...) And just because it is a cool (and kid-friendly) video...