Let me start off by saying that "children's music" no longer means what it once did (apparently): an endless, insanity-inducing loop of "The Wheels on the Bus" and "I Love You, You Love Me." In fact, I find myself listening to the "children's music" we have for Sophie even when she's not around.
Most recently, I got my hands on Elizabeth Mitchell's "You Are My Little Bird," which I'd seen recommended all over the place. Her web site has clips of a few songs from this album and others. Just about all of the songs made me cry on account of their magic and sweetness. They're made by Elizabeth, her husband and their daughter, Storey. I purchased "Bird" (favorite songs: "Little Bird, Little Bird" and Mitchell's version of the Velvet Underground's "What Goes On,") and another children's album Mitchell made, "You Are My Sunshine" (favorite song:"So Glad I'm Here").
(By the way, the magical cover art for "You Are My Little Bird" was created by Ida Pearle. Strangely enough, "Ida" is also the name of Elizabeth Mitchell's regular band. Must've been fate.)
Other favorite "children's" albums at our house include They Might Be Giants' "No!," and Dan Zane's "Family Dance." We're also currently working our way (via the library) through the kids' albums put out by Smithsonian Folkways, including gems from Ella Jenkins, Woody Guthrie and Elizabeth Cotten.
2 comments:
Jessica, did you know about the Innocence Mission's children's cd:
http://www.theinnocencemission.com/now%20the%20day%20is%20over.htm
Also, odd but perhaps good if you are liking the Smithsonian collections: Leadbelly Sings for Children.
we've been singing "Little Bird" all morning long.
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