Monday Morning Smile: "Light As A Feather" - Cat Doorman

Light As A Feather cover

Typically these Monday Morning Smiles focus on tracks that weren't conceived as kids music, but I thought this track was just the thing needed for a sunny spring Monday morning.  It's "Light As A Feather," in both title and effect, and it was released last December by Portland's Cat Doorman, with help from fellow musician and artist Alexis Gideon.  You can not only stream the track below, but all proceeds from buying the track (just $1) will go towards Save the Children's Syrian Refugee Fund.

Win win, all the way 'round.

Monday Morning Smile: "When I Grow Up" from Matilda the Musical

I finally had a chance to see Matilda the Musical recently and I'd recommend seeing it if musicals are at all your family's thing.  (The show recently closed on Broadway, but a touring production continues to make its way across the country.)  Based on the Roald Dahl novel, it's obviously kid-friendly enough for the youngsters and.... based on the Roald Dahl novel, it's obviously subversive enough for the no-longer-youngsters who tag along.  The music and lyrics from Australian comedian Tim Minchin (who's also done the music and lyrics for the new musical of Groundhog Day) do a good job of matching Dahl's tone.

One of the musical's high points is "When I Grow Up," which features wistful lyrics that will sound quite different to kids' ears than to adult ears.  Matched with some gorgeous choreography on swings, it's a moving moment in the show.

London Cast of Matilda the Musical - "When I Grow Up" [YouTube]

Monday Morning Smile: "The One Moment" - OK Go

OK Go is the official artist of "Monday Morning Smile."  This latest video hit the internet just before Thanksgiving, and at least twice over the holiday break I went down the rabbit hole with the family with all the other incredibly elaborate videos they've done.

For "The One Moment," they took 4.2 seconds of incredibly precisely calibrated motion and activity, slowed waaaaaaay the heck down and created something really beautiful (and something that just about demands a repeat viewing once you've seen it the first time.  (My kids and wife did, and so did I, anyway.)  "This Too Shall Pass" is still my favorite video of theirs, but this is a close second.

OK Go - "The One Moment" [YouTube]

Monday Morning Smile: "Vote for Jim Gill" - Jim Gill

Vote for Jim Gill cover

As you're aware, usually these Monday Morning Smiles are not kid-music-specific, but when I saw this video from Jim Gill, I knew that this movement-based song would be perfect for this morning of the first presidential debate of 2016.  It's a bit of "Vote for Jim Gill," the title track from his brand-new album, and it's tailor-made for playing during the ad breaks in tonight's debate.

It even includes a baby-kissing politician.  Seriously -- couldn't be more appropriate for this evening's event.

Jim Gill - "Vote for Jim Gill" [YouTube]

Monday Morning Smile: "Sing a Song" - Earth, Wind & Fire

So of course Earth, Wind & Fire are awesome, and "Sing a Song" is awesome.  And this video, which overlays the studio track onto some live footage (that choreography! those clothes!), is pretty awesome.  All of which begs the question:

How exactly has this not been covered by a kindie musician yet?

Earth, Wind & Fire - "Sing a Song" [YouTube]

Monday Morning Smile: "Upside Down & Inside Out" - OK Go

Let's face it, OK Go aren't the unofficial video band for adults on Zooglobble... they're pretty much the official video for adults on Zooglobble.

You probably saw their latest video a dozen times on Facebook.  If you didn't, or if your kids didn't, you really should see this.  Filming a video in zero gravity could be a gimmick.   Or it could be brilliant.  This is brilliant.

OK Go - "Upside Down & Inside Out" [Facebook]