Three years ago, on April 1, 2012, I published one of my favorite all-time posts here on the site, the world premiere of "Felt Around the World," which was "We Are the World" for a new (puppet) generation.
Last year I reported that the world's greatest song performed by Fabricated Americans has generated more than $2,200 for St. Jude's. Contributions keep trickling in, and you can still purchase the track at CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon. Thanks to Recess Monkey, who coordinated the video and the musical contributions from our puppet friends, and folks who purchased the track and played it on radio both terrestrial and satellite.
This still makes me smile - hope it does for you, too.
I am a longtime Sandra Boynton fan, so I was pleased to hear a couple months ago that she had yet another kids music album coming out. Frog Trouble was released in book/CD form last month; the CD itself was released this week.
The new CD is country(-ish), and features some well-known country stars like Ben Folds, Mark Lanegan, Fountains of Wayne, and Linda Eder. Just kidding, they're on the disk but they're not country stars, Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakam, Darius Rucker, and Kacey Musgraves? They are, in fact, country music stars, and they, too, make appearances here. You can download 3 tracks from Musgraves, Ryan Adams, and Folds for free (or make a tip with 80% going to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital). I particularly like the Ryan Adams track. Worth the e-mail address and possibly your cash.
Regardless of whether you missed it last April 1, or you felt it [wait for it...] surround you with love, take a couple minutes and watch the video.
OK, so maybe I was having a little fun.
OK, a lot of fun.
And I couldn't have had that much fun if Jack Forman from Recess Monkey hadn't helped turn my music and lyrics into an actual song.
Nor could I have had that much fun if more than a dozen kindie puppets hadn't lent their talents to the song and the video.
But here's the best part -- thanks to those of you who purchased a copy of the single or who played it on air, we've been able to make a donation of nearly $300 to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, which reflects all proceeds after the mastering and mixing costs of the album.
It's a small amount, but between the donation and the warm and fuzzy feeling [wait for it...] that song gives listeners, I think it's a big result. Thanks, everyone!
Felt Around the World coverBig news in the kindie world today as more than a dozen kindie puppets officially released a new song, "Felt Around the World," designed to raise awareness of puppet rights. Accompanied by a video and a brand new organization -- Hand Aid -- the song is designed to make listeners aware of the inherent dignity of sock-, felt-, and cotton-based puppets both inside and outside the kindie music world.
The song is the brainchild of puppet songwriter Marion Aeder, who's written for such puppet music luminaries as Kermit the Frog, the Von Trapp Family puppets, and the version of Punch and Judy currently being performed by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. "I was tired of seeing my puppet friends treated like mere toys," and wanted to give voice to the feelings all puppets have," says Aeder.
So he contacted his friend, the puppet impressario Mayor Monkey. MayMo is best known, perhaps, as the excitable hand puppet band manager of Seattle kids music band Recess Monkey, but he also has served stints as a Public Interest Research Group organizer, and it turns out MayMo had been hearing many of the same concerns Aeder had.
West Ginger Liberty
The two puppets banded together -- Aeder providing the music and lyrics, and Mayor Monkey contacting his many compatriots in the kindie world. For example, Socrates Monk, sock puppet manager of Australian-American kindie band The Mudcakes, was happy to join in. Likewise, West Ginger Liberty, Princess Katie's right hand-er, puppet, also immediately said yes -- her performance on "Felt Around the World" is her first on-record singing performance.
Aeder and MayMo -- like Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, or Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones before them -- merged an anthemic song with a cast of stars. Unlike "Do They Know It's Christmas?" or "We Are the World," however, they didn't need to all gather in one place. Technological advances of the past 25 years meant that they could all record in the comfort of their own... homes, and send their work into Mayor Monkey, who by this time had also managed to corral (hound? badger?) Recess Monkey into playing backup and Jarrett J. Krosoczka into contributing album art.
Enthusiasm among the kindie puppets ran high for the project, with many new kindie puppets joining in, sometimes for very personal reasons. "Felt" participants Macho Nacho and Mouth Trumpet from Musical Stew met after being placed in Time Out after a peaceful 2004 demonstration in Medford, Oregon as the "Puppet Movement" was gaining momentum. Others, like Yosi's super-exuberant Eugene (he of the instantly memorable adlibs during the song's bridge) or Todd McHatton's Marvy had no personal tie to the project, but found themselves instantly drawn in. (Marvy is rumored to be working on a solo record, in fact.) And clearly it gave some puppets like The Wolf, best known for his demolition business, an opportunity to share skills he's honing with Debbie and Friends.
Felt Around the World co-mastermind Mayor MonkeyWhile the primary purpose of Hand Aid and "Felt Around the World" is to raise awareness of puppet rights, it's also going to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. (All net proceeds after mixing, mastering, and Mayor Monkey's new megaphone he bought to keep everyone in line will go to St. Jude's.) Listeners got a sneak peak of the song yesterday at Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, Ages 3 and Up!, Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl, and Hilltown Families. But you can purchase the song today at iTunes, Amazon (affiliate link), and CD Baby.
Or enjoy the video right here. Remember, folks, puppets are people, too. OK, they're puppets. But they deserve our respect.
