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You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Whoa children

Whoa children

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My wife and listen mostly to children’s music now. It’s a a little more interesting than I thought. We can deal with Raffi in limited doses and kind of like the children’s music the guy from POTUSA does. We also discovered a great children’s album done by Doc Watson (Songs For Little Pickers) though we think Tennessee Stud may not be appropriate for very little children (great song, though). We also think the Rockabye Baby lullabies have surprisingly tasteful arrangements.

What children’s music would you recommend?

I remember some of the songs from when I was a kid so well! John Henry and Erie Canal especially. It’s kind of neat to me that these songs go back so far.

And here’s a picture of the baby!

Let’s raise a little more money for the Balloon Juice fund that is split equally among all Democratic nominees in all House districts currently held by Republicans.

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Reader Interactions

199Comments

  3. 3.

    JGabriel

    They Might Be Giants have a few children’s CD’s. Don’t remember the titles though …

  5. 5.

    Suzanne

    “Bed, Bed, Bed” by They Might be Giants.

    And Blink-182 is essentially Fisher-Price: My First Punk Band.

  7. 7.

    Chyron HR

    Start them on Close to the Edge now, or they’ll never be able to truly appreciate Tales From Topographic Oceans when they’re older.

  9. 9.

    trollhattan

    “Not for Kids Only ” by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman never lost its charm. We have a stack somewhere, I’ll check for reminders.

  10. 10.

    Brachiator

    I think Dolly Parton has an album of children’s songs called I Believe in You. I’ve not heard it, but it might be worth checking out. I respect Parton’s work in any genre.

  11. 11.

    donnah

    See if you can find John Lithgow’s album for kids. It saved my sanity and was sweet, entertaining, and fun. Can’t remember the name, but it’s a gem.

  12. 12.

    Mnemosyne

    @Suzanne:

    I have a Deep Thought about boobs for you in the bobcat thread from last night.

    (Fellas, you can read it if you want, but it’s not a happy fun thought about how girls who develop early are treated by boys and men. At all.)

  15. 15.

    Mnemosyne

    I am not a parent, but “Free To Be You And Me” is still engraved on my brain 40 years after the summer camp where they played it relentlessly. And it’s good liberal propaganda.

  16. 16.

    RepubAnon

    Tom T Hall’s “Sneaky Snake”

    Now, maybe you won’t see him
    And maybe you won’t hear
    But he’ll sneak up behind you
    And drink all your root beer

  17. 17.

    NJProf

    “Dan Zanes and Friends” have a number of great albums. My favorite is “Catch that Train.” I believe the first was “Rocketship Beach.” I still enjoy listening to them even though the cherubim are now teens and tweens.

    The They Might Be Giants kids albums include:
    Here Come the ABCs
    Here Come the 123s
    Here Comes Science (my favorite).

  18. 18.

    dnfree

    My grandkids really enjoyed a Scottish album by a fiddler that incorporates traditional folk songs and poetry with some newer things. They ask to play it when we’re on car rides, because my car doesn’t have a movie screen. Here’s the title song from it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqlKHLOZJsc

  19. 19.

    SWMBO

    There are old Sesame Street albums introducing kids to orchestra that are fun.
    Any of the Windam Hill/Rabbit Ears stories. Robin Williams as Pecos Bill or Cher as the Ugly Duckling for instance. They read the stories and have music in the background that fits the stories.
    Anything by Trout Fishing in America. All of their stuff is good. Keith and Ezra tour frequently and their live performances are great.

  20. 20.

    Betty Cracker

    What a cute baby!

    My husband and I didn’t do children’s music at all when we were raising Hellgirl. We subjected the poor kid to our music from birth. Hubby is a jazz pianist (used to play for a living until the youngling started school — he was home with her during the day when I was at my office gig, then played cocktail sets at night). He played piano for her too, but jazz standards, not kid’s music. Hubby and I are only a few years apart in age, but he has the musical taste of our grandparents’ generation. He hates punk. I love punk.

    One time when the kiddo was a toddler and she and I were home while hubby was out, I was blasting “Dead Kennedys” on the stereo since he wasn’t around to complain about it. Hours later, hubby came home, and the kid was running around the house screaming “Pol! Pot! Pol! Pot!” I said, “I can explain.”

    Long story short: I recommend the Dead Kennedys!

  21. 21.

    psycholinguist

    My two year old loved Miles Davis’s album Kind of Blue. She’d be swinging along in that wind-up swing thingy, almost in a trance when I’d put that album on.

  22. 22.

    donnah

    @donnah:

    On further review, the John Lithgow music we had was from a video (my kids are older now) and it was John Lithgow’s Kid-Size Concert. It’s worth looking for, if it’s still available out there.

  23. 23.

    Shaun Clark

    Yes!! The album Singin’ In The Bathtub is fantastic as are his sing-along picture books.

  24. 24.

    Tenar Arha

    Another vote for Free To Be You and Me. Also IIRC Judy Collins folk albums were nice too. I always liked the song Me and My Arrow by Harry Nilsson which was part of an animated movie (& soundtrack The Point!) when I was a kid. (I hurt my heart it when they used that song in the car commercial).

    Addendum: I also grew up on classical-modern symphonic music played at high volume with the occasional popular music from my mother like the soundtrack for Hair

  25. 25.

    peggyai

    This may not be everyone’s taste, but I enjoyed Laurie Berkner’s albums 14 years ago – not sure about her new stuff, always love Sandra Boynton books to music & as previously suggested, They Might Be Giants

  26. 26.

    Ceci7

    Classic: Sam Hinton’s album “Whoever Shall Have Some Good Peanuts.” Modern: Elizabeth Mitchell.

  27. 27.

    Suzanne

    @Mnemosyne: Yeah, I had the same experience as you. However, Spawn is 5′-2″, 100 pounds soaking wet, tiny and cute and small boobs. I wonder if some of that is the reasoning.

  29. 29.

    efgoldman

    How could we go this far down without Shel Silverstein’s Light in the Attic? Also, of course, any of his poems make great bedtime reading.
    Second to any and all Sesame Street audio, including the parody songs (“Born to Add”) and Big Bird Meets the Orchestra
    By the time daughter was five or so, she was very much into film music, which she still is 30+ years later. Granddaughter is moving in the same direction.
    We exposed her to everything; working at the radio station got us free tickets to Pops, opera, ballet, literally dozens of concerts, plus the ones in which mrs efg and I participated. She was still an infant when I had to take her out of Acis & Galatea. She was fine until Polyphemus (the bass) sang – loudly – “I rage!” So did she.

    ETA: She accepted all of our music, at every age …. except Janis Joplin. Chalk on a blackboard to her – then and now.

  30. 30.

    psycholinguist

    I’d add that if you don’t mind going all Pavlov’s dog on your kid, you might find some pleasing, soothing song and play it only as you put the kid to bed/nap. I did it by accident with Leo Kottke’s version of Bourrée, but once I figured out what was going on, I used it as a conditioned stimulus with near magical powers. The kid is 12 years old now, and I can put that song on and she’ll fall asleep on the couch at 3:00 in the afternoon.

  31. 31.

    narya

    try Billy Jonas Band (Billy Jonas dot com)–I tried to post a link but could not manage to do it without the whole post being a link.

  33. 33.

    Josie

    My granddaughter is mesmerized by the CD and/or the DVD from They Might Be Giants that does counting songs.

  34. 34.

    Mrs. Whatsit

    I’ll second Trout Fishing in America! We saw them in concert and it was great. We listened to the sirius/xm kids station back in the day (I have teens now) and there were quite a few amazing kids artists that didn’t make me want to tear my hair out. Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, and Lisa Loeb spring to mind.

  35. 35.

    Magda in Black

    My parents had an album by The Irish Rovers called “The Unicorn” that I worshipped. It came out in 1967, so I was a bit older than your child….but….its fun.

  37. 37.

    Tim C.

    @JGabriel: What does it say about this community that two of the first three, and a few more, and the one I was about to reccommend were “They Might Be Giants?” Something awesome I think.

  39. 39.

    Argiope

    Keller Williams’ KIDS, featuring Hulahoop To Da Loop and Mama Tooted.. (“She may say that she did not and she is probably right, but I am going to blame it on mama…..” )

    ETA link. Or try to.

  46. 46.

    Quaker in a Basement

    I can’t believe we’re this deep in the thread and no one has mentioned Dan Zanes. Zanes does all those old songs Doug! likes so well. Also many nice videos on YouTube.

  49. 49.

    trollhattan

    @donnah:
    Lithgow has a bunch of charming kid books, print and audio. Our favorite is “The Runaway Pancake.”

  50. 50.

    nycmt

    My first one had Wee! Sing!and various classical music, until he was two and a half, when it had to end with icepicks on those cds. Eh. By the time the older one was three, he was singing Lou Rawls standards.

  51. 51.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Mnemosyne: We raised our kids on it. And still occasionally sing it at each other or play it. We were singing “Parents are People” just a couple days ago.

    I’ll also recommend Cathy Fink, another voice from our kids childhood. Really talented banjo player. I think she partnered with Marcy Marxer on a lot of the kid stuff.

  53. 53.

    trollhattan

    @Betty Cracker:
    Heh. Always wondered how much of my listening habits made its way into our kid’s brain. Poor kid.

    Her revenge on dad is hip hop.

    When she complains about mine today I just tell her it’s there for her when she’s ready for it.

  54. 54.

    OldDave

    @SWMBO: So SWMBO beat me to mentioning Trout Fishing in America. They tend to perform a 50/50 split of children’s and adult songs – this one isn’t explicitly for children, but it will get them moving around. Not Fade Away.

  56. 56.

    The Golux

    When our kids were in grade school, we used to listen Bill Harley a lot. He’s quite funny; his “Zanzibar” is a tour de force about avoiding homework. Keep him in mind when your kiddo gets bigger.

  57. 57.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Tim C.: Learned about them when my daughter was listening to them, and often listened when she was listening. She took me to a They Might Be Giants live show once.

  60. 60.

    Coldie

    The Okee Dokee Brothers are great, especially Can you canoe? and Saddle Up. Their albums also come with an accompanying DVD that corresponds to the album. The Roe family singers are also very good,though if you are far from Mpls MN, they may be hard to come by. By far the best children’s cd in my eyes is the Jerry Garcia/David Grisman album Not For Kids only. Solid gold. I love Raffi, and grew up with his music. I exclude him only because these suggestions are music that is accessible to adults and kids on different levels at the same time. Okee Dokee Elmo,and raffi pandora stations are a lifesaver as well.

    Hope you enjoy and give it a shot!

  63. 63.

    Elizabelle

    Benjamin! is apparently enjoying life in his home, and looks forward to developing his own musical tastes.

  67. 67.

    Mnemosyne

    @Suzanne:

    As I was saying, I felt like Fun Home gave me some good insight to the interaction between the two things, if you haven’t read it. But definitely read it first and decide if it’s suitable for Spawn, because it’s pretty relentlessly dark and morbid. IIRC, Bechdel said that she wrote it in part to exorcise her anger at her father, so it’s pretty unforgiving.

    Ironically, the musical covers the same territory but is ultimately more about forgiving and healing. Plus it has musical numbers that give more overt emotion to some of the important points.

  68. 68.

    Jacel

    I recommend the recordings of songs from the animated show The Backyardigans. Each episode is centered on a different genre of music, which might or might not be closely related to the setting of the story. One of the show’s music directors is Doug Wieselman (a fellow clarinetist at UC Santa Cruz) who also was the music director for The Flying Karamazov Brothers (fellow UCSC slugs).

    Another friend from UCSC, Linda Arnold, specialized in music for children. Lisa Loeb (not from UCSC) has also done some fine albums for children.

  71. 71.

    efgoldman

    @John Revolta:

    ”The Unicorn!” Written by good old Irish Shel O’Silverstein!

    I’ve always been partial to “I’m being eaten by a Boa Constrictor” as both song and poem.

  76. 76.

    MP

    Hoots, Hollers and Rooftop Serenades by Pete Sinjin. Also, when I was a baby, one of my dad’s go-to songs to get me to sleep was Long Black Veil. Not sure I’d recommend that one (maybe something lighter link Sunday Morning Comin Down or Sam Stone).

  77. 77.

    Haroldo

    @efgoldman: Gimme ‘Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book!’ That, of course, was read when I was 8 or so in the pages of Playboy – all in the name of research.

  78. 78.

    Olivia

    Canadian Heather Bishop has some fantastic kids music out there. “Bellybutton” is a particularly catchy song for toddlers.

  80. 80.

    Mike J

    @Betty Cracker:

    My husband and I didn’t do children’s music at all when we were raising Hellgirl. We subjected the poor kid to our music from birth.

    I don’t remember ever listening to kiddie music. I listened to the radio and my parents took me to local free music things where there was blues or bluegrass or rock or whatever.

  82. 82.

    Ragbatz

    Blue Moo: 17 Jukebox Hits From Way Back

    Classic rock and pop with kid-friendly lyrics sung by, among others, Neil Sedaka, B. B. King , Gerry and the Pacemakers, Patti LuPone, Davy Jones of The Monkees, and Sha Na Na. There’s a running gag of four tracks or so winding through the album that is hilarious. Penguins, rabbit, hippopotamuses.

  85. 85.

    Mnemosyne

    @Mike J:

    I think that “children’s music” became popular when rock music started having more swear words in it. Nobody wants to be the mom who has to explain why her toddler is singing the F word.

  86. 86.

    oldster

    Choose anything that you want them to learn. Esp. stuff that you yourself will sing along with, so that they can start singing along with you.

  87. 87.

    Ohio Mom

    For the toddler set, Hap Palmer videos and/or CDs, especially the ultra-reassuring song “My mommy comes back, she never would forget me.” I don’t know anyone else who addresses the concerns of toddlers quite as accurately.

    For preschoolers, early Ralph’s World (before he sold his soul to Disney), Joe McDermitt, Justin Roberts — and as listed above, Trout Fishing, TMBG, Pete Seeger, Dan Zane and Raffi.

    Those are the ones that come to mind, anyway. We found almost everything at the public library. Well, we also found a lot of losers (Kidz Bop among them) but they were quickly returned.

    The one CD I still listen to is a compilation CD titled “Mary Had a Little AMP, Music’s biggest stars, childhood’s greatest songs.”
    I will never tire of Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed singing “Gentle Breeze” or Maroon 5 singing “Pure Imagination,” or the Dixie Chicks singing “The Rainbow Connection”, or Bonnie Raitt’s “Baby Mine”… It is a wonderful dreamy collection.

  89. 89.

    Czanne

    My sisters both swear by Vitamin String Quartet for keeping their sanity and avoiding kids’ music. It’s string quartet versions of any pop genre and era you can imagine, from Rolling Stones to Beyoncé. (Eldest kiddo was born during the worst of the Barney years. It was a dark time to be a parent.)

    Second kiddo had a thing for comfort videos on repeat, so that sib made sure the available videos had music she could deal with for a week or a month at a time. So yes, my 2nd nibling could recite all of Pump Up The Volume, Wayne’s World and Singles at age 3, but my sister didn’t want to firebomb The Mouse’s Dystopia Factory, either. The kiddos are now all above 10, but the best way to keep them occupied in the car is “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

    We knew the kids were going to hear our mouths, so censoring the music they heard when we were going to both talk and swear about reality in their presence seemed… counterproductive. However, all They Might Be Giants and a lot of Queen is generally safe, and later Chumbawamba (yes, really) tends to be kid ear friendly while installing a social conscience. (I recommend English Rebel Songs and A Singsong and a Scrap especially Bella Ciao.)

  90. 90.

    Suburban Mom

    We didn’t do kid music either. Our first kid as a baby and toddler was especially partial to Talking Heads and Los Lobos, as well as the Meters. She got involved in opera in middle school and eventually minored in vocal music, so I believe she was unharmed by our music choices.

  91. 91.

    Amir Khalid

    Norah Jones once said that parents loved her album Come Away With Me because it was great for putting little kids to sleep.

  94. 94.

    prostratedragon

    Buckwheat Zydeco’s album Choo-Choo Boogie is fun. Naturally, the tour includes a stop at the Audubon Zoo. (youtube playlist)

    In the end, this is true:

    Any music you like is kid music.

    Growing up, my favorite lullaby was either the Basie orchestra’s “Little Darling” or Ravel’s “Pavane for a Dead Princess.”

  96. 96.

    dnfree

    For all those who said their children weren’t raised on “children’s music”, but on whatever the parents listened to…..I’d say it’s not a question of either/or, but of both/and. My kids heard plenty of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez and Leonard Cohen, and they seem to be fine….I think….

  98. 98.

    Origuy

    Putomayo has a line of CDs for kids that goes beyond American and English pop. There’s stuff from Africa, Latin America, and France as well as American and Celtic.

  100. 100.

    NotMax

    Consider Yourself from Oliver! was a perennial favorite with the kids at summer camp song time when I was a counselor. Also I’ve Got Sixpence.” Music teacher in elementary school was especially partial to making us sing The Titanic.

    Don’t recall any of the tunes on them but do recall some of those bright yellow ‘couldn’t break it with a wrecking ball’ Golden Records mixed in with the more usual listening choice of classical music.

  103. 103.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    They’re sort of regional, but The Banana Slug String Band out of Santa Cruz is good. Lots of science and nature and humor. The voices are listenable.

    Circle Round is a good CD if you’re into Wicca at all and a pro Mother Earth vibe.

    Yes, my daughter also liked Laurie Berkner mentioned upstream.

  104. 104.

    germy

    @Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): I never “got” Mr. Rogers at first. But I remember one day when I was a high school student. I was home sick; I had a bad stomach virus. I was flipping around the TV channels and watched him. On that day he sang a song about repressed feelings. About a child feeling angry or scared, but not expressing it. It was incredibly deep. It was like a light went on in my brain. I appreciated him and what he was doing (and I was a cynical teenager).

    The song and lyrics blew me away.

    A few nights ago there was a PBS documentary on him, hosted by Michael Keaton. Lots of musical clips. The whole thing was incredibly moving.

  105. 105.

    mad citizen

    Somewhere around here I have the Rockabye Babies cd of Flaming Lips songs–recommended if you like them. I like the song John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. And Holiday in Cambodia–a classic!

  106. 106.

    efgoldman

    @NotMax:

    Don’t recall any of the tunes on them

    My earliest musical memory is my dad, who had a lovely voice but couldn’t carry a tune very well. singing “Over the Rainbow” to me for a bedtime lullaby.
    Mrs efg’s lullaby of choice for very young daughter was often “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins.
    My grandparents had Peter & the Wolf on a set of, i think, six 78s, and an expensive record player console (lords know how they could afford it). . When I was 3-5 i listened over and over and over….

  107. 107.

    altofront

    My son went through a big Laurie Berkner phase–very catchy, but more sly than Raffi.

  108. 108.

    zhena gogolia

    @germy:

    We’ve watched it three times in the last week. And I was a Mister Rogers mocker back in the day.

  109. 109.

    zhena gogolia

    The music I remember best from childhood was musical comedy cast albums played on the hi-fi. And Shirley Temple, of course.

    And those yellow records NotMax mentioned! Oh my darling Clementine?

    @NotMax:

  111. 111.

    trollhattan

    @efgoldman:
    Loved Peter and the Wolf as a kid. There’s a version out there narrated by David Bowie, think ours may have been with Peter Ustinov.

    Carnival of the Animals and Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra both enthrall kids even today. ETA PDQ Bach, Victor Borge and the Warner Brothers sendups also, too.

  113. 113.

    Bruuuuce

    @trollhattan: I’m partial to the Peter and the Wolf narrated by Viv Stanshall, with, among others, Manfred Mann, Brian Eno, and Phil Collins on instruments.

  114. 114.

    hellslittlestangel

    Tennessee Stud may not be appropriate for very little children

    Why? Is it about playing poker? A guy who gets laid a lot? A horse with a great job?

  115. 115.

    Central Planning

    Randy Kaplan has some amusing kid songs.

    +1 for Buckwheat Zydeco, Dan Zanes, and Laurie Berkner.

  116. 116.

    NotMax

    @trollhattan

    Now remembering the TV show Leonard Bernstein did for kids. Aired on a weekend afternoon, on CBS, IIRC, either just before or just after Walter Cronkite’s 20th Century documentary program.

  119. 119.

    Immanentize

    I haven’t read all the comments, so apologies if repeat:
    Dan Zane’s and Friends!!! Such excellent stuff for children — and adults. Dan Zane’s was the front man for the Delivery Fuegos…

    Also, Emerson University Radio streams and they have a show every Saturday and Sunday called, The Playground, which is two hours of only kids music (right after their a capella hours)

  120. 120.

    efgoldman

    @trollhattan:

    Carnival of the Animals and Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra both enthrall kids even today. ETA PDQ Bach, Victor Borge and the Warner Brothers sendups also, too.

    Yup and yup.

  121. 121.

    Another Scott

    Spike Jones’ stuff is very entertaining for kids and adults. Beetlebaum, Der Fuerher’s Face, William Tell Overture, etc. Lots of surprising and fun orchestration and entertaining stories. My dad had the original albums on 78s so I don’t know what CD “collection” to recommend these days.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  122. 122.

    HistoryDave

    Philadelphia Chickens – the first children’s CD that my wife and I would listen to without the kids in the car. Also, try the others in the series: Dog Train (which came after), and Rhinoceros Tap (which came before).

    Also, Elizabeth Mitchell, “You Are My Sunshine,” – The Ladybug Picnic is worth the whole disc.

    Shawn Colvin’s “Holiday Songs and Lullabies.”

    And for some reason, both of my kids loved the soundtrack to “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?”

  123. 123.

    way2blue

    I continue to enjoy listening to children’s songs by Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin from a CD entitled ‘An Irish Lullaby’. Also a CD of children’s songs entitled ‘Not for Kids Only’ by Jerry Garcia & David Grisman.

  125. 125.

    MomSense

    @zhena gogolia:

    Ha!! Nothing can bother me. We were hanging out in the igloo drinking beer and eating snacks. Neighbors kept stopping by to sit for awhile. I’m going back with more beer and homemade baked beans.

  128. 128.

    Immanentize

    @altofront: we like Laurie Berkman too. Hated Raffi — pablum. I agree with Ms. Cracker and others. Play what pleases you and they will be fine.

  132. 132.

    trollhattan

    @NotMax:
    SOMEHOW we avoided being dragged to The Wiggles on tour. Whew, close one.

    We harvested our Disney punishment later.

  134. 134.

    Immanentize

    @Immanentize: ugh. No editing power on this device — Berkner (not Berkman) Also, the Immp loved the soundtrack to Brother Where Art Thou.

  137. 137.

    SWMBO

    Loreena McKennitt has some good stuff and the kid will learn The Lady of Shallot
    Enya and the Chieftains are all good kid music.

    This is making me go back and look at the stuff we played for our kids when they were small.

    @OldDave: We got the nieces and nephews started on TFIA and they asked for the “booger song” after that.

    Also Weird Al Yankovic was good in the car.

    ETA Disney soundtracks, especially Nightmare Before Christmas and Oliver!, have catchy songs that are singable too.

  143. 143.

    SgrAstar

    @Origuy: love those Putumayo discs. There’s one with a version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight that our little guys *adored*. Also, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

  146. 146.

    MomSense

    @zhena gogolia:

    My neighbor built one in his front yard! It’s the greatest thing ever. He and his wife are retired and they are always doing cool things. He keeps bees and is my neighborhood garden co-conspirator. They have a sweet, old Bassett Hound who is a calming influence on my dog. A very harmonious day with dogs and people in the igloo.

  147. 147.

    NotMax

    @efgoldman

    From the Wikipedia page on Omnibus.

    Hans Conried was featured in the 1958 episode “What Makes Opera Grand?”, an analysis by Leonard Bernstein showing the powerful effect of music in opera. Conreid played Marcello in a spoken dramatization of Act III of Puccini’s La Bohème. The program demonstrated the effect of the music in La Bohème by having actors speak portions of the libretto in English, followed by opera singers singing the same lines in the original Italian.

  148. 148.

    Jim Bales

    For the younger ages, we used the Wee Sing tapes/CD. Then we shifted to Sandra Boynton’s Philadelphia Chickens (and others of her production). So, I second those recommendations.

    Another children’s CD we have a doored has been “Snacktime” by the group we would call BNL, because we didn’t want to say “Bare Naked Ladies” in front of the children :-)

    The more you know of pop music, the cooler the album snacktime sounds, as they riffed the sound of just about everyone, coupled with really, really cool lyrics!

    Best,
    Jim

  149. 149.

    efgoldman

    @Suburban Mom:

    On the bright side she totally kicks butt when there are opera questions at trivia night.

    So do I. But I flame out on the pop culture questions.
    ope he has a good teacher, and that she doesn’t take parts which require a bigger voice.
    (mrs efg is a coloratura soprano and teacher)

  150. 150.

    Central Planning

    I emailed this to DougJ too, but these early childhood music classes at the Eastman here in Rochester are great. For me, it was a way to spend 1:1 time with each kid, and it was a great way to get them exposed to and excited about music.

    Eastman link for those in the Rochester area that might be interested.

  151. 151.

    NotMax

    @efgoldman

    Also per Wikipedia:

    In 2005, the New York Philharmonic initiated a sister series called Very Young People’s Concerts, performed by an ensemble of eight to ten musicians of the Philharmonic at Merkin Concert Hall. Children arrive for musical games played with individual musicians, then sit down for a 30-minute concert featuring a story set to a major piece of music, like one of The Four Seasons of Vivaldi, or a portion of Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F. Children try small string instruments before they leave. The Very Young People’s Concerts also sell out on subscription.

    .

  155. 155.

    zhena gogolia

    @NotMax:

    Hans Conried is one of my few celebrity sightings, in the Huntington Rose Gardens in 1970. I heard his unmistakable voice first, then looked up and there he was. I adored him.

  157. 157.

    Shana

    @Mnemosyne: Fun Home, the musical, is terrific. The theme song for the funeral parlor done a la 60s bubblegum would be fun for kids….

  160. 160.

    drdavechemist

    For really little ones like yours, if you can tolerate “folky” stuff, Priscilla Herdman has several collections that we played all the time for our kids: Daydreamer, Stardreamer, and Moondreamer.

    The Sesame Street collection In Harmony features lots of “real” artists, including James and Livingston Taylor, Better Midler, Linda Ronstadt, and several others.

    Once the sprout is a little older and can start to appreciate the humor, the Boynton collections mentioned above are great as a gentle parody introduction to different musical genres: Dog Train is my personal favorite, but Blue Moo and Philadelphia Chickens are also very entertaining.

    I will also second the nominations of Here Comes Science and Beethoven’s Wig from above for providing some education along with entertainment.

    Finally, I will put in a plug for someone from my neck of the woods–Bill Harley from Seekonk, MA, writes great children’s songs. There’s a Pea on My Plate is one of my personal favorites, told from the point of view of a kid whose mom won’t let him leave the table until he tries at least one pea. You’ll find a nice mix of sentiment and gentle humor on all of his recordings.

  161. 161.

    Mnemosyne

    @efgoldman:

    “Feed the Birds” was Walt’s all-time favorite song. The Sherman Brothers sang it at his memorial service by his request.

  166. 166.

    Mel

    Elizabeth Mitchell’s “You Are My Little Bird” is a good option. And another vote for the Putomayo selections. They’re wonderful.

  167. 167.

    John Revolta

    @Mnemosyne: Ya beat me to it.
    Walt had a piano in his office, and when he was down, or having a tough day, he would send for the composer Richard (or Robert? I can’t remember which one told the story) Sherman and say, “Play it”.

  168. 168.

    Ohio Mom

    @Another Scott: We had a video of the Spike Jones TV show which we watched A LOT. It was hilarious and in its way, very deep.

    The fun thing about this thread is that it is reminding me of all sorts of things I’d forgotten.

  169. 169.

    Ohio Mom

    @NotMax: We saw the Wiggles when they were relatively unknown in the US. They were the opening act for a Barney show that had traveled to Dayton.

    It may have been excruciating for me and Ohio Dad but the look of delighted awe on three year-old Ohio Son’s face made it worth it. Parenthood really is one sacrifice after the other.

  170. 170.

    ThresherK

    Steven Universe, the show, the incidental music, the songs.

    We don’t have kids. Cartoon Network aims this show at a certain age (and up), and I don’t know or care what that number is. It is not mere “adults can put up with it” stuff, and there are real hooks-in for kids, as a CN show would have.

  172. 172.

    Bostonian

    Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. Their latest album (2016) was Infinity Plus One. Won the Grammy, deservedly IMHO.

  173. 173.

    Svensker

    That is a cute kid. Quite the little serious man.

    Lots of good kid stuff up above. I vote for all kinds of music. Our kid grew up loving Vivaldi, the Beatles, Beethoven, Dave Brubeck, Simon & Garfunkel, Prince and something awful called Smashing Pumpkins that he found on his own. (He still likes all of these, except Smashing Pumpkins.)

    Speaking of Brubeck, his Take 5 album is lots of fun for kids.

  175. 175.

    Sandia Blanca

    Also as mentioned by several people above, Trout Fishing in America are great.

  176. 176.

    Spanish Moss

    We were never much for children’s music with our first two children, they listened to our music, but after we had twins we discovered the magic of Tom Chapin (Harry’s brother), and he became a staple on car rides. The “Family Tree” and “Billy the Squid” albums were particular favorites. His songs span so many genres and the lyrics are clever — his was the only children’s music that my husband and I actually enjoyed as well.

  178. 178.

    Gravie

    Bobby McFerrin’s “The Elephant’s Child” if you can find it. (We had it on cassette, haven’t seen it on CD.) John McCutcheon. And when our kids were a little older, we listened to HMS Pinafore on car trips. Lots of fun, catchy tunes and lyrics.

  179. 179.

    EMedPA

    @NJProf: I’ll second Dan Zanes & Friends. Night Time features a great version of “What a Wonderful World” with Lou Reed on vocals and a Spanish rap as part of the bridge. It’s freaking brilliant.

  180. 180.

    Mnemosyne

    @John Revolta:

    It was most likely Richard you saw tell the story — Robert died a few years ago and was a little more reticent.

    I was able to meet Richard Sherman a few years ago and, honestly, he was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. So sweet about letting us take pictures with him, warm and friendly. Definitely in my top 10 celebrity encounters.

  183. 183.

    Mandarama

    @Ohio Mom: The Wiggles were huge when my (now teen) boys were toddlers. So that was the first concert each of them attended. I agree, the look on their faces was worth it all!

    They also loved a group called Imagination Movers—the album was Juice Box Heroes. And my baby nephew now loves Laurie Berkner, recommended above.

    We also listened to our own music with them…my all time beloved is Stevie Wonder, so we got to see that same amazed look on our grown-ish boys when we took them to see the Songs in the Key of Life tour a couple of years ago! ?

  184. 184.

    BellyCat

    Did not read thread, but wanted to to plug Keller Williams’ “Kids” album if not mentioned.

    Kids music is our new jam as well. Some amazing stuff!

    Pandora: create a new station based on Frances England and let ‘er rip!

  185. 185.

    BellyCat

    @Coldie:

    The Okee Dokee Brothers are great

    Co-signed! Saw them live in Crested Butte. Grammy award winners for good reasons.

    Basha and Choo-Choo Soul, as well — be ready to dance!

    Raffi is dead to us….

  186. 186.

    BellyCat

    For Cake fans, a killer version of “Mahna Mahna” (by the Muppets) is undoubtably going to put BellyKitteh in a neck brace!

    YouTube video here

  187. 187.

    Jacel

    Classical music that appeals to children came up strong after I last looked at this thread.

    A well selected inexpensive 6-CD set called “100 Best Children’s Classics” includes the usual suspects aimed at children (Peter, Carnival, Mother Goose Suite) along with general classical pieces that make a colorful pleasing impression.

  190. 190.

    Tehanu

    @efgoldman:

    Peter & the Wolf … When I was 3-5 i listened over and over and over….

    Me too. My dad was a music teacher so it was all classical at our house, except that my mom loved Rogers & Hammerstein. Heck, at this late date, R&H are classical music, sorta. Our local classical station plays movie music all the time too — Korngold, various Newmans, Herrmann, etc etc. Sorry, I’m wandering off topic. Point is, play everything for your kid, no matter what genre or type it is — he’ll find something he likes. Or all of it, for that matter. And btw, what a cute baby!

  191. 191.

    NotMax

    Just now remembered a children’s record of Gilbert & Sullivan selections. Decidedly not sung in the more formal D’oyly Carte manner.

  192. 192.

    J R in WV

    Here’s something I didn’t see up above, though I didn’t read all the comments.

    Larry Groce, who hosts Mountain Stage on NPR, also makes children’s albums. So check them out.

  193. 193.

    cosima

    For Our Children & For Our Children Too. Mary Had a Little Amp. Any & all of the Putumayo World Music series for Children (or for adults for that matter!). For the Kids (not the same as For OUR kids!). Disney compilation CDs or the soundtracks to the specific movies. Sound of Music soundtrack. Definitely agree with the Free to Be You & Me recommendation above. We have that as a book, and as a DVD, but I’m guessing you could easily get it as a CD somewhere — thing is, it is part stories and part music.

    I’ve spent close to 10 hours this week sorting out our iTunes (hate iTunes), and one of the things that I did was remove the hundreds of children’s songs, as Little C no longer listens to it. We still have the CDs, so if she gets nostalgic she can listen the old school way, but the kid stuff had to go. Raffi got a lot of playtime with our oldest, so I don’t want to talk smack about him, but he hasn’t held up as well as some other children’s music.

  194. 194.

    dianne

    Our grandaughter loved Cowboy Junkies (Trinity Sessions) and Marley. Once she got to daycare, her pristine taste in music began to be corrupted.

  195. 195.

    uila

    Doug, this one is criminally neglected, both in this thread and out in the world, but It doesn’t get any better than Carole King performing the works of Maurice Sendak in “Really Rosie“.

    YouTube: Chicken Soup with Rice

    The guilty pleasure of raising a child is getting to subject them to all the ridiculous things you liked at that age. Baby’s obviously too young for it, but the classic Sesame Street DVDs are a blast to revisit.

  196. 196.

    cosima

    I recently gave a copy of ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’ to a sweet little boy I know as a ‘get well soon’ gift, a ???th anniversary edition that had a CD included with Shel Silverstein reading the poems. I don’t know how school kids do that book in school these days, but when I was wee, that book got serious mileage in the classroom, and there was one year that we were required to memorise one of the very long ones. He (the little guy recovering from surgery) and I had a little talk about the fact that it was a book that I read in school when I was his age (loooooong ago). So, the little guy said his favourite so far is the homework computer poem. It’s not music, but I encourage folk to introduce their children to Silverstein’s books/poetry as soon as they are able — CD included or not.

  197. 197.

    Zinsky

    Very late to this thread, but this post is directed at DougJ! – I hope the thread name isn’t a reference to the chorus from Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones – it’s actually “War, children – it’s just a shot away”, not “Whoa….”. I thought the same thing for years, until I saw the authorized sheet music for the song. Not trying to be pedantic, just helpful…

  198. 198.

    Jacqueline Hutter

    Oh the memories. #1 (now a freshman in college) loved the Van Morrison favorite hits CD-so much that we became tired of Van the Man still to this day (Oy!). She also loved smooth jazz. The stuff you could find on CD’s was retched, but I bet today it’s easier to find decent selections. #2 loved “Sounds of the Everglades,” which made me very happy being from SoFL. For a bit later on, don’t miss the Muppets Sing Along Travel Songs-Elmo You Can Drive My Car is the best.

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