The kids music genre includes, of course, those songs explicitly written for kids. But it also includes those songs re-appropriated for kids, though perhaps not originally intended for that audience.
It was in the latter category that I thought "Crayola Doesn't Make a Color For Your Eyes," from Boston-based artist Kristin Andreassen and her solo album Kiss Me Hello, fell into when I first heard it (or, rather, saw the YouTube video below).
It's a love song, ostensibly, but it's about crayons. What a perfect re-appropriated song!, I thought.
And then I found out it won the "Children's Song of the Year" in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest back in 2006. Other winners in the category include Joe McDermott, Thaddeus Rex, and Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, so clearly it's not some out-of-left-field award. Andreassen wrote the song when she was teaching dance in grade schools.
Oh, well, loss of my preconceived notion is your gain, as you can go to the link above and download the track. Lots of fun.
Or you can just be mesmerized by the live rendition of the patty-cake on the album track. If your kids are anything like Miss Mary Mack, they'll be fascinated by the fact they keep that up for nearly 4 minutes.
A Last-Minute Valentine's Day Gift (or Two)
Never called the florist? Didn't have time to buy chocolate? Oh, well, the Internet has provided a couple free mp3s for your listening pleasure.
First up, Charity Kahn from the Bay Area-basedCharity and the JAMband has posted "Moon Hug," a mellow love song just as appropriate for a parental mash note to a child. Kahn says in an e-mail that she's working on a new album and the track is from that upcoming album.
And, across the Bay, the Hipwaders have posted "Valentine" at their Myspace page. It's more of a puppy-love song straight out of the '60s.
Both are available for download today only...
My Favorite Kids and Family Songs of 2007
I realize that 2007 ended almost 6 weeks ago, but I really want to make sure that I note publicly my 20 favorite songs in the kids music genre from the past year. I'm not going to go through the fool's errand of trying to rank songs (it's hard enough ranking entire albums), so I'll just provide you a top 10 list (with the songs in no particular order), along with a list of tracks 11 through 20 (again, in no particular order).
If people wonder why in the world you'd ever play kids music for your kids (let alone the whole family), I think these 20 tracks might change at least a few people's minds...
(Note: I've only posted links to complete songs. All links current as of February 2008.)
Top 10 Songs
The Deedle Deedle Dees - "Major Deegan"
Georgie James - "Grizzly Jive" (listen/download here)
ScribbleMonster - "I Wish I Lived In Michigan" (listen here)
Peter Himmelman - "My Green Kite" (listen/download here or listen here)
Steve Lee - "Grab A Balloon" (listen here)
Soccer Team - "I'll Never Fear Ghosts Again" (off the Play compilation from DeSoto Records)
The Nields - "Anna Kick a Hole in the Sky"
Orange Sherbet with Hot Buttered Rum - "Bit By Bit"
The Hipwaders - "Educated Kid" (listen/download here)
The Barenaked Ladies - "The Other Day I Met a Bear" (listen here)
Songs 11-20
Johnny Bregar - "Airplane"
Asylum Street Spankers - "Be Like You" (listen here)
Gustafer Yellowgold (Morgan Taylor) - "Pinecone Lovely" (watch video here)
Renee & Jeremy - "Night Mantra" (listen here or here or watch here)
Sugar Free Allstars - "Bathtub Boy" (listen here)
Andre 3000 - "Throwdown"
Recess Monkey - "The Pool" (listen here)
The Terrible Twos - "Caroline"
Uncle Rock - "Elephant in the Room"
Jambo - "Lady Bug Boogie"
New Music: "La Piragua" - Dan Zanes
Dan Zanes has made available a second track from his upcoming Nueva York! CD. The track is "La Piragua," and it's got a sinewy melodic line and groove that I think will lead to a lot of swaying dancing in concert (or possibly family rooms). That's Sonia De Los Santos joining Dan on vocals. And dig the guitar work.
Zanes says it's a Colombian song about a mysterious small boat written during the 1960¹s by Jose Barros, one of the country's most recognized cumbia songwriters. Barros, who also wrote "El Pescador," another Colombian song included in the album, died earlier this year.
Stream "La Piragua" (as well as the previously released "Colas") at Dan's Myspace page. Nueva York! is out in April on Festival Five Records.
Listen To This: "Zeroes" - They Might Be Giants
While we wait for the next installment of They Might Be Giants' Podcast for Kids (did you catch last week's gorgeously animated ballad "Even Numbers," along with "Letter Shapes" from Here Come the ABCs and the John and John finger puppets singing a silly song of their own?), how about listening to a song the old-fashioned way?
You know, on Myspace?
Catch TMBG's stream of the bright, South American-inflected "Zeroes" from Here Come the 123s here. E eats everything, so perhaps as punishment they've taken it out of the title of the song on the Myspace page.
Listen To This: "Tiny Dinosaurs" - Lunch Money
I know I'm a little late on this, but wanted to point out that the fabulous Lunch Money now has ("have"? grammar people, help me out here) their own Myspace page. (About time!)
Even better, it's streaming a new recording of a track intended to appear on their next album. "Tiny Dinosaurs" encourages roaring, always a fun thing for kids to do. Who knew there was a dinosaur called "microceratops?" (Go here to see them performing this song live this past summer.)
Oh, and go ahead and listen to "Silly Reflection" and "Yes We Have Rhythm" from their debut CD at the Myspace page. You know you want to.
