Continuing Lunch Money Day, here's an early version of "You and Me and a Bottle of Bubbles" from Lunch Money chief songwriter/donut wrangler Molly Ledford. She actually posted this to her sweet songwriting blog way back in February. On Original Friend, the tune also features vocals from Frances England, and that version's lovely, but Ledford does this song quite nicely on her own.
Molly Ledford (Lunch Money) - "You and Me and a Bottle of Bubbles" [YouTube]
And while we're at it, how about one more song from the new album, or at least an early version, recorded more than a year-and-a-half ago...
Monday Morning Smile: "C Is For Cookie (Larry Levan's Funky Version Special Disco Mix)
This 1978 remix of the Sesame Street classic "C Is For Classic" was apparently the first remix by New York DJ Larry Levan. From a kids music perspective, it mostly buries the melody and the vocals, so the original is mostly obscured. From a shake your (and your kids') booty perspective, totally awesome.
Cookie Monster - "C Is For Cookie (Larry Levan's Funky Version Special Disco Mix)" [YouTube] (via Maura Johnston)
Video: "Fits Right In" - Robbie Schaefer
It's been a long time since Robbie Schaefer released new music for families. I mean, he gives us the goofy (and fun) Songs For Kids Like Us more than four years ago, and then what happens? He goes and gets himself a radio show on Sirius-XM's Kids Place Live. Apparently being a music director for a radio station means you don't get to record new carp-related family music.
But Schaefer's finally gotten around to recording "Fits Right In," which he's been playing at live shows for a little while now. It's a catch little piece of kids folk-pop -- fans of Justin Roberts will quite enjoy it, I think. You can download it here and on iTunes. I don't think it's going to take 4+ years before the next Schaefer release. Listen to Schaefer play the song solo (and acoustic), captured live by Gwyneth.
Robbie Schaefer - "Fits Right In" (Live @ Eddie's Attic, Atlanta) [YouTube]
Stream Frances England's "Mind of My Own"
San Francisco's Frances England may be a pro at making lovely handmade art, but she's also good at that newfangled electronic stuff. As I noted this summer, England's signed up with the folks at Topspin to get her music heard far and wide.
And so it is that her new, not-even-yet-released album Mind of My Own is available for your streaming pleasure. Just click away below. Might I suggest the leadoff title track, or #6 ("Place in Your Heart," with Mates of State), or perhaps #9 ("Cookies and Milk," featuring the Jellydots' Doug Snyder)? Or perhaps just the whole thing. And once you've done that go here and give her other albums a spin. Mind of My Own is released Nov. 9th.
Listen To This: "You Are Here" (Lunch Money vs. Grody Remix) - Lunch Money
A couple months ago, I premiered "You Are Here" by the South Carolina band Lunch Money. It was one of the many fine tracks on the Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti benefit disk released on Bill Childs' Spare the Rock Records.
And then about a week afterward, I received an odd e-mail -- a remix of the song by one Bil Hooper (known here as Grody), who described the result as "re-imagined as a cross between Neutral Milk Hotel and the Sundays." Yeah, he had that about right. I said it sounded pretty cool, and Hooper apologized for the low sound quality of the remix since he only had the actual mp3, not the individual tracks.
"You know, Molly [Ledford, Lunch Money songwriter extraordinaire] might be willing to share the original tracks with you," I said (essentially).
Which is how Bill world-premiered the remix below on his show this morning and why, with Bill and Molly's permission, you can stream it here. I still think it's pretty cool.
Listen To This: "Hula Hoop to Da Loop" - Keller Williams (World Premiere)
Keller Williams is releasing his new album for families, Kids, on October 26 and, courtesy of Williams, I'm happy to offer a world premiere of one of those songs, "Hula Hoop to Da Loop," right here. Your kids don't have to be expert hula hoopers, nor do they have to be experts in looping technology, to enjoy and groove to the song streaming below. (And don't forget to check out all the other Williams songs streaming this weekend, which Gwyneth kicked off yesterday.)
