As an annoying “Mommyblogger” it is my sworn duty (in the back of my head, the Kaiser just laughed at me for saying ‘duty’) to post about kids music. I had to take an oath on my Poop posts and everything.
Yes, Sweet Juniper and Sweetney and others are up on this. But I wanted to make sure. Because as much as I trust you to know these things…sometimes other moms surprise me.
For instance, the uber-cool, ultra-tattooed, hip, Mommyfabulous, boss of my husband recently spent her son’s first birthday party (the tot has a mohawk-yeah, they are hard core) spinning the same, earpiercing, children’s chorus, London Bridge if falling down, Mulberry Bush, ting ting, chime, chime, CD.
Unacceptable.
So I am here today, just to double check that you are aware there is more out there than the Wiggles and Raffi. I recently burned a “Kidz Rock” CD mix that every mother needs in her Momvan. I’m adding to it daily. And Ninja Poodles and I agree everyone needs some XM kids too. I will gladly email files to those of you desperate for some decent tunes. queenofspainblog@yahoo.com
First and foremost, go laugh along with the Thunderlords. While they are not my favorite sing-a-long in the Momvan, they are hilarious to those of us who may or may not have had some big hair days. I plead the fifth.
Top of my kid list, currently, are the Imagination Movers. The kids sing-a-long, and I crack up at the lyrics. It’s catchy too. The Farm (The Roosters, not the Roof, are TIRED, not on Fire) is our favorite. But we also like Clean My Room (pick it up now). Plus, the guys are cool.
We also love Terri Hendrix-Nerves. Let it play for a bit…trust me. We chase eachother around the house to that song.
Another favorite is Chocolate Milk by ScribbleMonster and Pals. Good for learning those letters too.
I have to throw in Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell too. While they are more tame, they satisfy the etherial, Canadian, girlie, music lover in me. And make no mistake, I am a Lilith Fair junkie. If it weren’t for my husband, well…let’s not go there.
Don’t forget They Might Be Giants, Laurie Berkner (who gets me more search hits for being naked than I could ever possibly thank her for), The Sippy Cups (who I find simultaneously annoying and funny), and Jack Johnson. I know, I know, the Kaiser is going to really make fun of me for that last one…but I like it. When faced with Row Row Row your Boat by the Kids from Bubblegum Land or Upside Down from Curious George…I pick the cute surfer boy.
Don’t forget the Spongebob soundtrack. Because we’re all Goofy Goobers (ROCK!)
My work here is done.
Have you tried any “Ralph’s World” – I particularly like “M-o-m-m-y needs C-O-F-F-E-E.” Oh, Yes.
Hook me up. You know where I live. My kids have just been listening to a messed up amount of Laurie Berkner and The Misfits. We could use some help.
ps – no Jack Johnson, please.
Sorry, but I must snub ALL Jack Johnson haters. He is the bomb and one of the only things besides world music that X will listen to! I LOVE that hot surfer singer!! He rocks!!
You’re gonna kick me, but I’ve never heard of any of these people you mentioned.
Dawson will only listen to polkas in the car. And at home, we listen to the Backyardigans soundtrack.
Kick you for your Ann Coulter love…yes. Kick you for not knowing, that I can forgive. Tee hee hee.
Sarah, I’m attempting to email you. It’s taking a long time.
What’s wrong with Jack Johnson? I like him a lot (mostly the pre-Curious George stuff, though), and I don’t even have kids.
I’ve got to say, Raffi’s Baby Beluga ROCKS! Sorry.
I said “duty” “etherial, canadian, girlie” “lilith fair” AND that I like Jack Johnson and the Kaiser STILL has not commented.
Tapping my fingers anxiously on my desk here.
I’m not sure what more I need to do, except maybe discuss hookers and booze.
Terri Hendrix?! Holy crap, now I’m going to yell excitedly when I meet you at BlogHer. Terri is fantastic…I’ve seen her in concert numerous times when I lived in Texas. That was before she did a children’s CD. She kinda makes me all wet and I don’t even have wet parts.
Robey likes Garcia & Grisman’s Not Just For Kid’s Only.
Now, instead of making fun of you and your girly words, the Kaiser can trash talk me for being a damn hippy.
Ohhhh love the tunes!
What, no Dan Zanes? What’s up with that?
Ok. I left out Dan Zanes because I really like him…but the “& Friends” woman that sings with him makes my ears bleed. So I just figured it was best not to say anything.
We LOVE Dan Zanes around here.(And, yes, some of his “friends” could use some work)
Will prefers techno and hip-hop, so he normally listens to what Jay listens to… I don’t mind Raffi and Laurie Berkner, but I’m not quite as cool as Daddy.
And you must, must, MUST add “Trout Fishing In America” to every child’s repertoire. True GENIUS.
And Raffi sucks SO much. They should lock him in a room with “Absolutely Mindy” until they’re both insane.
Ak! Belinda just invoked the “Name that shall Never be typed” -Abso-ickly Indy-May.
I must go back to Mindy proof cave and HIDE. HIDE I SAY!
So Um. Did I ever tell you guys the story of how I got an email from a mindy lover, telling me how evil I was??? Maybe because I said someone should rip her vocal chords out…but I wasn’t really saying someone should really rip her vocal chords out…I was just, um…you know…being me.
Oh, you must check out Music for Aardvarks.
http://www.musicforaardvarks.com/
You can hear some samples on the site. He can sing about velcro with cool jazz beats, playdates in the style of the Ramones, a flamenco on hair, and several rich ones channeling Lou Reed or David Bowie, then turn around and get all folksy about a tea party or bedtime.
We fell in love with the music while taking the classes in NYC, but we’ve found it travels well, and the kids still love the songs.
Now I have to check out your suggestions. Though I have to say, we got some They Might Be Giants for mister B, and I found him singing, “someday mother will die and I’ll get the mo-onnneeyyyyy.” Ahem. Okay, it cracked us all up, but still.
Oh thank GAWD for this. Because my daugther has memorized every kids’ song, including commercials, and sings them in the minivan, regardless of what’s playing up front. And by the way, They Might Be Giants is awesome on DVD. It’s great to throw in during birthday parties. It hypnotizes the parents while we ply their kids with sugary cake and cookies!
A couple of blogs you’ll want to check out for good recommendations on kids music:
Zooglobble
Children’s Music That Rocks
And here’s a little Laurie Berkner for ya.
A couple of blogs you’ll want to check out for good recommendations on kids music:
Zooglobble
Children’s Music That Rocks
And here’s a little Laurie Berkner for ya.
Hey! Your (Ann Coulter loving) friend just bought Kids Bop (snickersnort). It was the generic version, though. We were browsing titles at the music shop yesterday and I saw it on clearance.
I now know WHY it was on clearance. I can’t listen to this music. It’s like a million munchkins from Munchkinland singing “On Top of Spaghetti” and other annoying tunes.
What was I thinking?
My boys love the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” soundtrack – and it is tres cool, because it was done entirely by Danny Elfman (former music God of Oingo Boingo fame).
They are also huge Green Day fans.
No kiddie albums in my vehicle, thank you 😉
Oh the things I hope to god I’ll never need to know.
Mine are big into Green Day, too. Check out Arctic Monkeys, our new favorite. They so rock.
I also figure anything not in English counts as homeschooling, so Brazilian and Cuban are in our mix. Gotta remember some School House Rocks, too, but like all of the kiddie stuff except for Aardvarks, it gets old.
Sorry, wasn’t able to read through every single comment to see if this one is already mentioned, but I wanted to add John Lithgow. Hilarious, of course, and he redoes some of the old children’s songs that came WAY before our time but are really great. We also have the Lisa Loeb & Elizabeth Mitchell one – it’s great breakfast/waking up music. There are some “music for the rest of us” cds out there as well, that have great stuff by Barenaked Ladies and others. AND, don’t forget They Might Be Giants! Their kids CD is called, “NO!” ha ha
If your kids like Green Day, check out their version of Skinnamarink. (sort of). You might like Gwen Stefani’s version of Mulberry Bush.
And the whole Music for Little People record label — kids’ music by Buckwheat Zydeco, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal, Cedella Marley-Booker, Catfish Hodge, Ladysmith Black Mambazo… there’s some great stuff there!
Of course, TMBG rocks. And the girls I know LOVE the Wizard of Oz soundtrack.
My current fave (for the kids, of course) is this CD by a band called Duplex — a bunch of local musicians who started letting their kids jam with them, which evolved into this awesome multi-generational album.
We also like the Smithsonian Folkways kids’ collection.
I bet you could also find a good mix at Pandora.com, but if you get addicted for yourself, don’t blame me.
I have been abusing Pandora for awhile now. And yes, abusing is the right word.