Children’s musicians Erin Lee and Marci bring us the next of their regular posts with thematic recommendations for kid-friendly music, plus activities to make the songs an interactive experience for the whole family.
Look for Erin Lee and Marci here on the first Monday of each month, or visit their homepage, www.gottaplay.org.
I’ve created links to Amazon for the full albums (click the album image or name), plus links to Amazon MP3 downloads, when available, for those who want only the singles. (Click the song name.) I also have a widget after the jump that will let you preview all three songs without leaving Mombian. (I’m of the opinion that the Amazon screwup last month was indeed a screwup, but unintentional on the part of the corporation. See the statements from the Lambda Literary Foundation and prolific lesbian author and publisher Patricia Nell Warren.)
The very first children’s song Erin Lee wrote was “Grampa & Me.” We were doing a show to celebrate Grandparents’ Day, and for some strange reason almost every book, poem and song that we found featured gentle, patient, country-living, garden-growing grandparents. Now, of course, there are many wonderful grandparents out there who are just like that—but Erin Lee’s Grampa wasn’t one of them. He used to stand on his head until things fell out of his pockets, and whatever treasure fell out, she got to keep. And Marci’s Grampa used to cut her hair (not as a profession, but for fun—badly). Grandparents, just like families, come in all shapes, colors, sizes . . . and speeds. So here are some songs celebrating all sorts of Grandparents!
“Bubbie’s Big Bluff
Bubbie’s been turning 32 every year since, like, 1984. Try explaining that to a 9 year-old! You can’t, but the grownups that get it will thoroughly enjoy watching the young narrator try to sort it out. Of course this song is a true story, and we know lots of families in this same predicament! Mama Doni writes Jewish music with a hip, funky twist, but you certainly don’t need to be Jewish to get a kick out of this tune. Whether you have a Bubbie, a Nana or a Gramma, Mama Doni’s quirky, madcap lyrics will appeal to families of every background.
“Fast Train to Grandma’s
This is a great tune for kids whose Grandmas live in a different town. The narrator yearns to be in the same town as her grandmother so slumber parties and kitchen dances can be a part of everyday life. The narrator isn’t particularly sad about the situation; she knows that being separated from a loved one is sometimes a part of life. But that doesn’t stop her from plotting a road trip to get to Grandma and dreaming about what they will do when they are reunited. We have lots of friends who were big fans of Lilith Fair artists and are now parents looking to introduce their kids to that kind of sound—and we are thrilled to say that Frances England fills that bill quite nicely. She has a great indie-artist feel and is fun and friendly without being too overstimulating.
“Grampa & Me
Grampa is the world’s best pretender. Our narrator spends hours with Grampa rocketing to the moon, searching for King Kong, and sailing a pirate ship, stopping only for dinner and dessert. This song is our celebration of both an active imagination and a really cool relationship with a senior.
Do Something New: Talk with your kids about the important older people in their lives. What do they do? What are they like? What are some favorite memories about these people? Then, interview a senior citizen to learn what they did with their grandparents when they were children. Record your interview on tape, video or make a picture book—you’ll be so glad you did!