Pop Music that children might like

When I was young (was I young once?) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had a top 40 hit
with a song called "House at Pooh Corner." It's also been recorded by Kenny
Loggins (who wrote it, I think) and it's been covered by the Indigo Girls. I
read something today that reminded me of the song, so I downloaded it (I
love buymusic.com). I was not surprised that my little boy LOVES this song.

Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are any
other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme that
young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not having
much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

Best,
Ann

--
Where we are weak, harshness and fear will not make us strong;
where we are strong, gentleness and forebearance will not make us weak. --
Jamie

Ann Porter wrote:
When I was young (was I young once?) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had a top 40 hit
with a song called "House at Pooh Corner." It's also been recorded by Kenny
Loggins (who wrote it, I think) and it's been covered by the Indigo Girls. I
read something today that reminded me of the song, so I downloaded it (I
love buymusic.com). I was not surprised that my little boy LOVES this song.

Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are any
other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme that
young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not having
much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

Best,
Ann

I suppose any bubble gum music would work -- The Archies, for
example. Or a song where part of the lyrics can morph into
a bodily function (Hooked on a feeling comes to mind with
its ooga-chuckas that we always sang as Uppa-chuckas -- DS
would get a big chuckle out of that song if he ever heard it,
but we don't listen to dinosaur rock stations). However, I
can't think of a good keyword to search on, either.

I guess I can only close this by saying Winnie The pooh
doesn't know what to do.

Scott DD 10.5 and DS 8

On the other side of the coin, don't do what I did and explain to my
seven-year-old what the double meaning was in the "Henry the Eighth" oldie
(she had listened to the lyrics and had gotten a chuckle out of them). She
wanted to know what had happened to all of Henry's wives, and we ended up in
a discussion about capital punishment. NOT where I wanted to go with that.
Especially not while driving...

Dena

Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are
any
other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme
that
young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not
having
much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

Best,
Ann

In ,
Ann Porter wrote:

*When I was young (was I young once?) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had a top 40 hit
*with a song called "House at Pooh Corner." It's also been recorded by Kenny
*Loggins (who wrote it, I think) and it's been covered by the Indigo Girls. I
*read something today that reminded me of the song, so I downloaded it (I
*love buymusic.com). I was not surprised that my little boy LOVES this song.
*
*Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are any
*other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme that
*young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not having
*much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

well, I don't know about *pop* music, but as far as "not children's music"
that kids like, I can tell you what my 3.5 year old and 17.5 month old
enjoy!

Let me just take a look at their iTunes playlist...

OK. Weird Al Yankovic is a hit with them. In particular, Smells Like
Nirvana (my 3 yr old calls this "raising cattle" because of the lyric "a
garage band, from seattle, well it sure beats raising cattle...", Lasagna,
(This Song's Just) Six Words Long, and Dare to be Stupid. Other favorites:
The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," Barenaked Ladies' "Pinch Me"
(because of the "just made you say 'underwear'" lyric, I think); Aerosmith
"Walk this Way" my 17 month old LOVES, Was not Was "Are you OK" they both
enjoy for some reason..., South Park Chef Aid "Bubblegoose" probably
because it just sounds silly, some songs from the Beastie Boys "Licensed
to Ill" go over really well for similar reasons...

Of course, the hands down FAVORITES are still the Wiggles
But these other songs are also frequently requested - to the point they
are on my iPod in a separate playlist for use in the car!

--
hillary israeli vmd http://www.hillary.net
"uber vaccae in quattuor partes divisum est."
not-so-newly minted veterinarian-at-large

In article ,
(Hillary Israeli) wrote:

In ,
Ann Porter wrote:

*When I was young (was I young once?) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had a top 40 hit
*with a song called "House at Pooh Corner." It's also been recorded by Kenny
*Loggins (who wrote it, I think) and it's been covered by the Indigo Girls. I
*read something today that reminded me of the song, so I downloaded it (I
*love buymusic.com). I was not surprised that my little boy LOVES this song.
*
*Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are any
*other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme that
*young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not having
*much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

well, I don't know about *pop* music, but as far as "not children's music"
that kids like, I can tell you what my 3.5 year old and 17.5 month old
enjoy!

Let me just take a look at their iTunes playlist...

OK. Weird Al Yankovic is a hit with them. In particular, Smells Like
Nirvana (my 3 yr old calls this "raising cattle" because of the lyric "a
garage band, from seattle, well it sure beats raising cattle...", Lasagna,
(This Song's Just) Six Words Long, and Dare to be Stupid. Other favorites:
The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," Barenaked Ladies' "Pinch Me"
(because of the "just made you say 'underwear'" lyric, I think); Aerosmith
"Walk this Way" my 17 month old LOVES, Was not Was "Are you OK" they both
enjoy for some reason..., South Park Chef Aid "Bubblegoose" probably
because it just sounds silly, some songs from the Beastie Boys "Licensed
to Ill" go over really well for similar reasons...



Speaking of BNL, my eight-year-old is a fan of "If I Had a Million
Dollars" and a song from a recent album (don't know the name of it, or
the song) whose refrain is "I know that it's going to be all right when
we go shopping."

When she was younger, she liked the Beatles, especially the bouncy
numbers like Penny Lane and Yellow Submarine. And there's a great Linda
Ronstadt album, "Dedicated to the One I Love," where she reimagines a
bunch of 60s girl group songs (and miscellaneous others) as lullabies.
We used to play it in the car a lot. I've never thought of "We Will
Rock You" quite the same way since.

On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 23:31:26 EST, "Ann Porter"
wrote:

[...]

Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are any
other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme that
young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not having
much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

How about Peter, Paul and Mary (e.g. "Puff the Magic Dragon")?

For more ideas, you might also want to look through the "sing-along"
kids page from the (believe it or not) National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences:

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/music.htm

Nick

--
Nick Theodorakis

nicholas_theodorakis [at] urmc [dot] rochester [dot] edu

"Ann Porter" wrote
Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are
any
other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme
that
young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions?

We have an album called A Child's Celebration of Folk Music. It's 100%
kid-oriented, but not just "kids songs" per se. Performed by Pete Seeger,
Buckwheat Zydeco, Doc Watson, Taj Mahal, etc. Really fun.

Not sure of your religious affiliation, but my two older kids have both
loved Jesus Christ Superstar since they were each about 5. As long as they
know the basic Jesus story, they will be able to relate to it as a narrative
(perhaps with some help), and the music is really good, catchy,
rock-by-way-of-Broadway -- emotional and "big". If you do decide to try
this, be sure to buy the version of the album that is called something like
"original concept album," as opposed to a recording from one of the shows.

My kids have also loved, since their preschool years, an album by the Byrds
called Sweetheart of the Rodeo -- it's the Byrds, but it's country! (which
killed the Byrds' career, I think) Great music, very singable.

Also, the Go-Gos. I bought DD a "Best of..." album when she was 4 and
asking about Britney (don't ask how she knew who Britney was at 4 -- social
osmosis?). These songs don't tell stories the way folk and country songs
often do, but they're just plain fun ("bubble gum pop"). Same general idea
for the Beatles (no, I'm not equating the Go-Gos with the Beatles) --
pretty, fun songs.

And there's an album called For Our Children, which is mostly kids' songs
but also includes some other stuff, such as the Beatles' Golden Slumbers and
Rogers and Hammerstein's Getting to Know You, all performed by famous (or
then-famous, 1991) pop stars. It was re-released in 2001, so should be
available. Benefits the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

HTH, Beth

(Nick Theodorakis) wrote:

On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 23:31:26 EST, "Ann Porter"
wrote:

[...]

Children's music is a genre all it's own, but I'm wondering if there are any
other songs that were pop or country hits that have a story or a theme that
young children might like? Do y'all have any suggestions? I'm not having
much luck with a Google search...probably not using the right terms.

How about Peter, Paul and Mary (e.g. "Puff the Magic Dragon")?

For more ideas, you might also want to look through the "sing-along"
kids page from the (believe it or not) National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences:

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/music.htm


When my kids were young I sang goodnight songs to them, and two of the
favorites were "Hush Little Baby" by Frank Sinatra (and also the one
about the ant and the rubber tree plant) and 7 Nights in a Barroom by
the Weavers. The latter was a particular hit because of the phrase "A
mustache on a mush melon, I never have seen before" - not because of
the actual content of the words.

I'd take a look at folk music - a lot of it is appropriate for
children. Also camp songs like John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith.

grandma Rosalie

Hush, by Bobby McFerrin w/ Yo Yo Ma is a favorite with my students-as is
Bobby McFerrin in general.

In general anything with silly lyrics will appeal to young kids. Ruth
Crawfor Seeger (the mother of Pete Seeger) collected a large number of folk
songs for children in the 1940's (There is a reissue of her book, along with
a 2 CD set recorded by Pete and Connie Seeger, which is wonderful if you do
singing with children) and comments that one of the favorites with the
children was "That silly song-the one where the baby eats cake!"-ie, "Hush a
bye, don't you cry, go to sleepy little baby"-hardly a silly song to adults.

My students like a lot of 50's early 60's rock-both because it has silly
lyrics (Wooly Bully, Rockin' Robin) and because it's often used on TV ads or
in movies.

Music K-8, which is a favorite resource among music teachers and students
has recently begun a download service where students can get a copy of just
1 or 2 songs (as compared to buying the CDs designed for teachers, which are
quite costly, because you're buying performance rights when you buy the
CD)-they have a lot of pop-style (and any other ones you want) songs
designed for children which are just plain fun. The dinosaur ones are
especially good. I think it's musick8kids.com, but I'm not sure.

DS likes "Bicycle Race" by Queen. I think that They Might
Be Giants have a kids album .. I've been meaning to look
into it.

--
Emily
mom to Toby 5/1/02