Music Monday - A Little Baby Music, Please!

Wha-wha-whaaa?? A Music Monday column?? Didn't that thing die off a year ago??

Yeah, pretty much, only instead of "die" it more "went to sleep" and unlike animals who "went to sleep," this column occasionally wakes up and makes a guest appearance.

The topic that dragged it out of hibernation this week?

Music for my baby girl, of course!

I consider music as a necessity, vital for a full and enjoyable life. It's also one of the easiest seeds to plant in your kids, because in my experience, they all leave the factory loving music!

Since in the pre-Danee days, our youngest was Tyler, age 11, it had been a while since I'd visited the world of kids music. With each kid I've been around, from my nieces and nephews in the '80s, through my own kids, there have been the classics that you always play for kids like Disney's Movie Music, Sesame Street, and the Chipmunks. Well, Chipmunks are mainly at Christmas time... so we won't go there this time around.

There have also always been one or two contemporary releases that somehow beat the odds and emerge as a quality album that kids and parents can enjoy together. When those "new" albums become "old" they may lose the charm that made them so much fun. (Hi there Teletubbies! Long time no see!) But a few of them remain perched high above the landscape of wretchid children's music, pitying the kids whose parents don't know any better and buy the overly sweet, pandering, patronizing sugar jobs that pass for entertainment in the mass market at any given time.

These albums are good not because of a timely gimmick, or commercial tie-in, but because they are actually GOOD MUSIC! Take away the kid centered, nonsensical lyrics, take away the squeaky voices, and you still have a well arranged, well produced and well played collection of songs.

So why is it that the kids albums I've loved for more than 20 years are not available today, outside of ebay, garage sales and lucky finds in Grandma's attic??

I've got a couple of prime examples, and a couple that I used to have and would love to have again.

THE HAVES:



Two of my prized possessions, and both still quite playable - yes, I've archived them digitally so the actual records never get touched anymore...

First up: Smurfing Sing Song



If you were a kid in the '80s, you know this album. You may not have owned it, you may not have even heard it, but you know it! The commercial for it was EVERYWHERE during our TV Time! Amazingly, after a couple weeks of searching YouTube, I have been completely unable to find that commercial. But trust me, it was ubiquitous.

I was a little old for the Smurfs by the time this album came out in 1980, so I used to mock the commercial with my friends... And then, because my nieces were spending so much time at our house, my mom bought the album.

And while I certainly wouldn't have intentionally listened to it, I overheard enough of it that after a few days, I realized that it was actually a very well made album! There's not a bad song on it, and there's enough variety that you can listen to the whole thing and not want to claw your ears off.

Years later, it's still great! But if you want it, you better be able to play records... because it's not available on CD or (legal) download. I think that's tragic, because it's one of Danee's favorite things to listen to, and I'm sure other babies would love it too!

Next Up: SESAME DISCO



Remember what I said about these timeless albums not honoring current trends? Throw that away for this one. This was all about the Disco Craze of the late '70s.  And yet - it's GREAT!! It's not quite up to Smurf level, with maybe two songs that don't sparkle as brightly as the rest, but it's a very solid album. And the visuals that go along with it must have had the muppeteers and photographers in stitches.. Just check out the Cookie Monster / George Clinton-esque picture from inside the cover!



Just like pictures of the real George Clinton, I can't really tell where the feathers and accessories end and the face begins...  and the song that goes with that picture, "Me Lost Me Cookie At The Disco" is absolute, 100% Pure Disco Gold!

And like the Smurfs, I'd really love to hear it in crystal clear digital stereo... At least my copy of the record is in pretty good condition.

Here's a newer one that I KINDA have...

Arthur & Friends:



I really, REALLY wanted to hate this CD. But man, from the opening riff of Ziggy Marley's theme song, it's a shockingly good play! Tons of variety from Reggae to Rock to '60s Girl Group Soundy Stuff, and then the one truly skip-worthy song from Art Garfunkel. (who? and more importantly, WHY?)

Best of all, this one's still available! Not from amazonmp3.com, but at least you can get an actual CD directly from the record company!

Finally, here's one that I had as a kid - I'm pretty sure I had it on 8-Track... And I would LOVE to have it again. I can't remember any of the specifics, but I remember loving it, and I think it would make a great companion to Sesame Disco:



That album cover takes the fun of Sesame Disco and multiplies it by infinity to come up with the ultimate tribute to Saturday Night Fever! I want this album. I'm going to have to start searching...

I also had a Disney disco album that wasn't nearly as good... Even at the time, it seemed Disney was just doing a disco album for the money, but the Sesame Street gang was doing it because they loved it. I remember one song was called "Disco Mickey Mouse" and was really, really weak. I'm pretty sure there was a Donald Duck song too, and since Donald's my hero, it was my favorite on the album. I'd like to hear it again, but it's not something I'd put much effort into finding...

Okay, I just looked up that Disney one, and the Donald song was "Macho Duck" - and now, I DO want to find it again! Still not as badly as Sesame Street Fever, but seeing this does bring back the memories...



The floor is now yours - what great kids music did you listen to, that you've been able to share with your kids? Anybody got copies of my missing classics?