Strollerderby : kids music

New Rick Springfield CD For Kids

Brett Singer — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:33:00 GMT

Rick Springfield just released a new CD. But this time it's for your kids.

The guy who wondered why he couldn't find a woman as great as the one Jesse had eventually settled down and had two kids of his own. Turns out they weren't great sleepers. So Rick, being a songwriter, wrote them some lullabies. When he recently found the songs "stuck in the back of a drawer," he found that he liked them and decided to put them out for the world to hear.

In an interview, Rick (he lets me call him Rick) referred to the tunes as "baby pop songs." That's a good description, but they also feel deeply personal. Listening to the CD feels a little bit like eavesdropping. These are actually songs he wrote for his children, and by his own admission, they aren't as polished as some of his other work. That doesn't mean unprofessional; the sound and production values are fine. But since the songs weren't initially written for everyone to hear, they have an appealingly private quality.

Put simply, don't expect "Jesse's Girl" or "Love Somebody." These are lullabies, meant to help kids fall asleep. As such, they're calm, pleasant, and enjoyable to listen to. Unlike an artist who switches from his "real" music to kid stuff, this is an adult musician who also happened to write some kid-friendly songs years ago, and only just decided to release them. As a father, it's hard not to get a little misty-eyed listening to the disc. There's a lot of genuine emotion in the music and the lyrics. Like "I love to watch you sleep / In the quiet of the night" from the title track -- what parent doesn't understand that? It may not be deeply profound, but so what? For grown-up Rick fans (and there are many, as I found out when I interviewed him and my mother, wife, and babysitter all suddenly expressed a keen interest in my work), "My Precious Little One" is certainly different from what you're used to. Check out some preview tracks at RickSpringfield.com and see for yourself. This might be the only time when a musician won't be offended if you tell him you fell asleep listening to his songs.

"My Precious Little One" is now available at Amazon.com exclusively for eight weeks; after that it will be available at retail outlets everywhere.

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Desert Island Disks – Kid Music Edition

Cole Gamble — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Everybody has played the Desert Island Disks Game: if you were stranded on deserted island for the rest of your life, what 5 compact disks would you bring? That’s right; I said compact disks, no IPods. I know my list would at least have OK Computer and Weezer’s Blue Album on there somewhere. But I just concocted a variation on the game: what if the 5 disks you chose had to be kids’ music? Don’t claw you’re face off just yet; there’s some pretty decent kids music out there. I think I’d have to take some Backyardigans and that new Yo Gabba Gabba CD that came out.

What about you? What would you take if it could only be kids’ music? Let’s get a big, fat list going.

Laurie Berkner on Soundcheck

Brett Singer — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:00:00 GMT

What do the Pussycat Dolls, New Kids on the Block and Laurie Berkner have in common? Give up? They're all part of a new performance series called Soundcheck from Wal-mart. So if you think Laurie hasn't made it to the big time, you are very, very wrong.

From the press release: "Soundcheck spends a family-friendly day with The Laurie Berkner Band. Delivering a bright and fun-filled set, they play the kids’ favorite songs, including ‘Going On A Hunt,’ ‘We Are The Dinosaurs’ and brand new tracks from the upcoming CD. Plus, Laurie opens up to Soundcheck about tough critics, motherhood and the importance of music."

Bottom line: if you love Laurie, we got some video for you. A quick preview of the performance is below, and the full video can be found here.

Laurie Berkner performs on Soundcheck
Uploaded by soundcheck2008

image: M80

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5 ways to get revenge on your kids

Brett Singer — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

They're cute. We love them. But sometimes, they make us insane. "Revenge" may sound like too strong a word, but let's be honest: sometimes you want to get back at the little buggers.

Some of these are real, some are not, and some just go too far. I'll indicate what I think about each. None of these acts will, as far as I know, lead to your children placing you in an old-age home run by people who were deemed too mean for dental school. But use your own judgment.

-   Repurposing dinner: you know that chicken I cooked that you refused to eat? Here. You can have it for lunch. (This, I have done. In fact, I did it today.)
-   Take them to the wrong movie: Batman? Nah. We're seeing "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2." (This, I would not do, mostly because I can't imagine seeing any film about pants that travel. But if you like that sort of thing, give it a try.)
-   Replace their CDs with something you like better: goodbye Raffi, hello Elvis Costello! (This, I have not done, but I might try it.)
-   Sing those annoying songs that they like in public: Loudly. (Thanks to Hannah for this one.) Can't recall doing this but it's entirely possible that, after a sleepless week of 2am diaper changings, that I did.
-   Speak in gibberish if you catch them getting high: This was on an episode of "My Wife and Kids". The parents, Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, speak sloooowwly, wear the strangest clothes they can find, and pretend to see things that aren't there. It was quite amusing, and it definitely scared "Junior" straight. Of course, that's on TV, but this could work. Certainly more fun than the standard "drugs are bad, bad, bad" speech.

I know there must be other ways to get back at 'em that I missed. Anyone got a good one? After all, it takes a village.

image: AllPosters

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Return of the son of stuff YUPPIE parents like

Brett Singer — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Because too much is never enough. And besides, didn't you want to see this photo at least one more time?

1. Organic everything: from a commenter. I've succumbed to some of this, partly because, living in Manhattan, the cost difference isn't as great as it used to be, and sometimes the quality is better. I also admit that I feel less guilt giving my kids "organic" pre-packaged crap than I do giving them "chemical-laden" pre-packaged crap. It's still crap, but it's ORGANIC crap.

2. Classes and activities: yes, from the same commenter. She said, "mommy and me classes" but in my experience it's much more than that. Around here, it seems like everyone has their kids doing something all flippin' day. A parent once told me that she didn't understand why Kindergarten went until 3pm; she wished it ended at noon so her kid could take advantage of everything Manhattan had to offer. I replied that I thought Kindergarten should go until 8pm. We don't talk much anymore.

3. Kids' music that parents can enjoy: All parents have benefited from the boom in kiddie rock. While I am of course very glad that children's music has evolved beyond Raffi (who really isn't that bad) and Kidz Bop (which is), sometimes this preciousness can go a little too far. Sure, anything by Dan Zanes or The Dirty Sock Funtime Band is better than Barney's Greatest Hits, but a little James Taylor, Peter Paul and Mary, The Beatles – lots of great "adult" music out there that kids might like.

4. Taking their children to live rock 'n' roll shows: "Alternadad" Neal Pollack brought his little one to see The Hives, a rather loud quasi-punk act. I spotted two sets of parents who had dragged their children to see Yaz at the Beacon theater (I myself was dragged by my wife, but that's another story). When commenters on Gawker are giving good parenting advice ("Neil [sic], seriously--ear plugs"), you know something is out of whack in the universe.

5. Anything that isn't made of granite. At least after we found out about the radiation.

For more, click here.

image: nostalgiacentral.com

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Hip Hop Friday with video: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

editors — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:03:00 GMT

Easy by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

Our fave in the bunch, this dad with the super cool name decided there had to be a compromise between the adult hip hop world and the sugary sweet kid music choices. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s new record Easy hits the mark with lyrics that don’t shout "this is kid stuff!" even while referencing robots. No choreographed tunes for your rowdy rhymer, this MC is about freestylin’. He’s also about keeping things positive and we think he got it just right with Gotta Be Me! Check out this vid.

Hip Hop Friday with mp3s: Ah-Choo

editors — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:27:00 GMT

Ah-Choo

A former teacher, Ah-Choo first used hip hop to teach kids phonics. While his approach can be more educational than, “What a fresh jam!" (as your grandma would say) this ode to PB&J is, well, just adorable.

01 Peanut Butter And Jelly.mp3

Also check out this video for "I'm a Little Kid But I Have a Cell Phone" sung to the tune of Old McDonald. Yes, it is a little scary.

BZ (Beyond Zanes): Music my kids like that isn't "kids music"

Brett Singer — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:15:00 GMT

You know all the usual players - Dan Zanes. Laurie Berkner. Milkshake. The Dirty Sock Funtime Band. And maybe Raffi if you want to kick it old-school. (Baby Beluga in the hizzouse! OK, I'll stop now.) Nothing wrong with any of it. But there's other tunage out there that will make the kids get up and shake it like a Polaroid picture. Here's some that my offspring have enjoyed:

	Abba: I don't know why but the Swedish quartet used to work wonders on long car trips. ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits was the CD of choice, although the Mamma Mia! London cast recording was a hit as well.
	Peter Paul and Mary: This one may not be a surprise to you, but it's also sort of like Purloined Music - hidden in plain sight unless you know where to look. I picked up a cassette copy of their Greatest Hits in a bargain bin and for a year it was in permanent rotation in Thing 1's mini boom box.
	James Taylor: Perhaps this is also not a surprise entry but it's not quite as obvious a choice as the authors of "Puff the Magic Dragon." JT's Greatest Hits has "Sweet Baby James", "Shower The People" and lots more. The version we have is on cassette (same bargain bin) and was about half as long as the CD version linked here.
	Cubanismo!: (The ! is in the name, like Yahoo!) Thing 2 was way into Mardi Gras Mambo when I put it on. Great beat, lots going on musically. The lyrics to "Mother In Law" aren't something you want them repeating ("She's the worst person that I know...") but there's nothing really bad in there that I could hear.
	Louis Armstrong: "What a Wonderful World" works, but so does "Hello, Dolly!" Again, some might not be thrilled with the lyrics to "Mack the Knife," but as long as they aren't repeated to a teacher you should be okay. The Greatest Hits I bought is sold out for some reason, but you can get the MP3 version for under 10 bucks.

Other music not-technically-for-them that friends' kids were into at a young age include LL Cool J (hearing a three year old sing "Aretha Franklin got a big ole butt - oh yeah!" is something everyone should experience at least once) and Los Lonely Boys. I'm sure some of you have more music that the whole family enjoyed despite the fact that it doesn't say "for the whole family to enjoy" on the label. If so, holla! I mean, leave a comment. (I'm too old to say "holla".)

images: babies in headphones, WashingtonPost.com; others, Amazon.com

One-Stop-Shopping for Cool Music and Media at Pokey Pup

Alisyn — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:09:00 GMT

The Pokey Pup is a sweet online resource for parents looking to expand their kid-friendly music and media collection. Don't roll your eyes - you won't find any heinous "Music Together" or Barney sing-alongs here. What you will find is cool for all ages, and maybe even something for the hard-to-buy-for dude in your life for Father's Day: classics like The Electric Company Greatest Hits and Bits, and thoughtfully selected discs like The B-52's Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation, Bruce Springsteen's The Seeger Sessions, and Shonen Knife's Let's Knife - music that is not made with kids in mind, but that kids can appreciate, enjoy, and even learn from.

The media section boasts oldie-but-goodie books on CD like Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, Dr. Seuss Presents: Greatest Hits, and Casey at the Bat, as well as DVDs like They Might Be Giants Here Come the ABC's and several Pancake Mountain selections, which rock so hard, I watch them without my kids. There area also some really intriguing "world music" selections that don't include Enya - stuff like New Orleans Playground, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Los Lobos. You can search the site by age or category, and everything that pops up is virtually guaranteed not to make your ears bleed. Pretty cool, right?

I had no earthly idea that Johnny Cash made a children's album but, thanks to Pokey Pup, it's what my girls are getting their dad for Father's Day! Check their selection out, and tell me what you were happy to find.

Dan Zanes & Friends: A Fabulous Live Show

Alisyn — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 12:14:00 GMT

If you happen to be a member of one of the unfortunate families who has not yet had a Dan Zanes & Friends experience, then you need to go to his website right now, and buy tickets for the next show anywhere near you. Go now!

Yesterday was my second time seeing Dan & co. at the beautiful, old Herbst Theater in San Francisco, and it was just as good as the first time, if not better. Last time, Hazel was a little freaked out by the crowd of rambunctious kids, and rode the show out in her dad's lap, while 5-month-old Violet dozed in the sling. But this time around, Hazel, Violet and their friends jumped, twisted, clapped, sang, and ring-around-the-rosy'd their way through the whole set, from start to finish. It was a live music-loving parent's dream come true, and it was freaking adorable. It helped that the show itself, from the set list to the setting, was awesome.

Dan & co.'s spring tour is in support of their latest album, the Grammy nominated Catch That Train, but the songs played yesterday were hits from his newest and oldest albums, and included the anthems "All Around The Kitchen", "Sidewalks of New York" and "Wonder Wheel". The dance-friendly "The Fine Friends Are Here" and "Let's Shake," both from Catch That Train, were conspicuously absent, but the little known "Sail Away Ladies" was a fun surprise, and the booty-shaker "House Party" had everyone on their feet. The band's founding members - Dan, the lovely Barbara Brousal, the crowd-pleasing Father Goose, and cute Colin Brooks - were on hand, as well as new members John Futi on accdordian and Saskia Lane on upright bass. They invited San Francisco's Orange Sherbet and Oakland's Westlake Middle School Band to join them on stage for a song, in keeping with their tradition of showcasing local musicians at their shows. Dan kept the crowd engaged with his laid-back, friendly chatter, and he wore the "leader of the band" badge with an easy going pride, but the real star of the show was the music. People of all ages were standing in the aisles clapping, dancing and singing out loud. There were a few embarrassed first-timers, awkwardly clapping and looking around to see if anyone was watching them, but the majority of the crowd, myself included, was rockin' - and didn't care who saw.

If you have the time and the opportunity, don't miss Dan Zanes & Friends when they come to your town. Your kids will thank you for taking them, and you'll be thanking your kids for the opportunity to go. Cockadoodle doodle doo!

Strollerderby : kids music

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