5-Minute Time Out: Neil Sedaka
With a new kids album, the '60s crooner has a song for every generation.
by Jeanne Sager
May 13, 2009
How did your son and his wife feel about the girls being pulled in on this project?
My daughter-in-law was thrilled. She said, "I always hoped you'd do a duet with my kids." It really was a thrill being in the studio. As a matter of a fact, I was on CBS morning television, and there's a clip of my granddaughters in the studio. (See video, previous page.) The reason I got them to sing for that long on a microphone in a studio was I bribed them with cookies and candy.
As every grandfather has to do.
That's right. They think every Papa can sing and write songs, because I've been singing to them all their lives. It's very strange when they see me in concert; it's a mixed emotion. They are almost a little jealous that I am being shared by the audience. Charlotte
has said to me, "But you're my Papa! You sing to me in my living room, and now all these people are listening to you and asking for your autograph." They are a little bit jealous.
How did they feel about having the old songs changed?
They were delighted by the songs. As a matter of fact, Charlotte and Amanda always say, "Oh, we can share them with our friends now." They go to parties and they have sleepovers, and they can share them with their friends.
I needed help with the lyrics. Instead of "macaroni and cheese," it's "mac and cheese" today.
It's kind of a guessing game when you turn on the album and you start listening and trying to figure out which song they came from. Some are very obvious —
Breaking Up is Hard to Do became Waking Up is Hard To Do — but then
Calendar Girl became Dinosaur Pet. You kind of have to know Sedaka to know what you're listening to.
The tune is familiar, but you have to listen for awhile. My son has helped me with several of the lyrics, since he has little ones; instead of "macaroni and cheese," it's "mac and cheese" today.
What made you think that doo-wop would work for today's kids in general, not just your own grandkids?
They're very happy songs; they came from a time when the songs were very positive and very naïve and very happy and very uplifting.
What else are the girls listening to now?
Oh, you know, Dora the Explorer. They have their own DVDs in the car and when we go on planes. Every December I take them to Hawaii for ten days where Papa does a concert, and they get to swim with the dolphins.
I'll adopt you as my grandfather!
Thank you, get in line! I love being with them. You know, I'm a kid at heart, and I think part of my appeal is "Oh, you know, he looks like my favorite uncle," or "He's reachable, he's touchable, he's not aloof." I think that's part of my success. And I would
see people taking children to my concerts even before I did this album.
About the Author
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Jeanne Sager is a freelance writer and photographer living in upstate New York with her husband and daughter, Jillian. She maintains a blog of her award-winning columns at jeannesager.blogspot.com. |
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