This week was back to school for the my four year old. I had the pleasure of being in his classroom yesterday. I watched as he stood, dumbfounded, as his teacher sang various preschool songs.
This poor kid is so deprived. His older and brother spent years listening to cool kid songs. We rocked out regularly to Laurie Berkner and Justin Roberts. The Beatles tribute album for kids was on constant rotation.
Then the third kid came along and I decided to take my radio back. He’s had a steady diet of mom’s music and while that’s not a bad thing, sometimes I feel guilty for depriving him of some of our favorites.
So today’s mini-van mix is in true mini-van style-for the kids. Let’s keep in mind though, this mini-van is driven by a music addict, so there’s nothing cutesy about these kids songs.
Rock on Little Ones.
They Might Be Giants-Alphabet of Nations: We discovered TMBG did kids’ music when they wrote the theme song for Higgleytown Heroes-an early t.v. favorite. Once we discovered this CD, we were hooked. Now they’ve even expanded to kid pod casts! Those wacky Giants.
Justin Roberts-My Brother Did It: This is particularly fitting around here.
Shawn Colvin and Ernie (Elmopalooza) I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon: If I’m being honest, this song used to make me cry. On those long days when I questioned what the hell I was doing having all these kids and leaving my “real” life behind for diapers and peek-a-boo, I’d hear this song and remember even if I wanted to visit the past or escape to the future, there was no place I’d rather actually BE than right where I was with the little people I was with.
The New Seekers-Free to Be You and Me: I mean, c’mon, you thought I wouldn’t have this?
This last one isn’t a kid’s song per se but to me each song on this woman’s debut, IS my first born. It seems this was on constant rotation during those dark days of early infancy and then through PPD, when I would just sway, with the girl in my arms, in the dark of our chilly family room and weep over her beautiful little self. I loved every track of this collection, but through the years I found when I tried to listen the memories were too strong and my reaction too uncomfortable.
Monday marks, nine years since those nights when I wasn’t sure I’d make it through. Nine years it’s taken me to listen to this CD again. Just like every day of those nine years, the wait was worth it because the pay off is so sweet. I’ve had this on constant play in the car all week and every track is as perfect as I remembered.
Norah Jones-Seven Years
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My Brother Did It is a fav in our house. As is Meltdown. Afraid they’re VERY similar to our real life. Can’t wait to check out the others. Thanks!
Meltdown? Yeah, we all know the words to that one by heart.:)
Great tunes. My boys were big TMBG fans and we listened to tons of kids music. Sometimes I’d be driving for a good 10 minutes alone in the car alone before I’d realize I didn’t *have* to be jamming out to Ralph’s World. We never listened to Kidz Bop, but now that my 11 year-old has developed a fondness for top 40 music (top ten, really, these play only a handful of songs over and over), I can see the appeal of Kidz Bop. Oh, those lyrics.
Congrats on making it through those dark, early days. Hope it’s a great school year for all of you!
I try to avoid Kidz Bop like the plague, but they keep asking for it and quite frankly the lyrics are better so I may just have to give in… God help me!