Even if you aren’t a parent, for better or worse, it’s hard to escape the grasp of music for children these days. A section of the record store that was once a copy of Really Rosie and a few Disney Read-A-Longs has quickly moved past the Wiggles and Dora The Explorer to a booming business filled with artists like They Might Be Giants and Medeski Martin and Wood who have found a way to make a living playing for the Pull-Ups set. Wired has an online interview (in the “Geekdad” section) with Baby Loves Disco founder Andy Blackman Hurwitz which gives some insight into the whole phenomenon.
Hurwitz has the music industry cred to back up his entry into the business, with the on again off again indie Ropeadope, so one way his releases have an angle on the market is to feature actual musicians:
GeekDad: What differentiates Baby Loves Music albums from more mundane releases?
Andy Blackman Hurwitz: I hate to be a music snob and like to think that there’s some merit to anything creative so I don’t want to come across as “dissing” other kids music - it’s just that ours is created and produced by the best in the business, musicians with decades of experience in the art of songwriting and songcrafting and I think that’s what makes the difference - REAL musicians.
GeekDad: Is it difficult to get well-established, professional musicians - such Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood - involved in the recording of an album for kids? Is there a stigma attached to children’s music?
Andy Blackman Hurwitz: For me, I think, it was a bit easier because of the fact that I had a reputation in the business as being fair and as a “music guy” so they weren’t worried that it was gonna turn into some cheesy thing. But also, it’s the nature of a “kids” project that makes these folks want to get involved: 1) because it’s for kids - and everybody (almost) wants to do something good for the kids, right? - but 2) being in the studio under the guise of a “kids’” project just takes a lot of the pressure off these guys. They’re all consummate professionals, so to have a project that’s fun and loose and laid back makes it more appealing to these guys.
It’s hard to argue against any reason to get Sharon Jones in front of your kids instead of Soulja Boy–nearly every kid in my son’s first grade class knew the Soulja Boy dance before his album had dropped–so that’s probably the main reason the genre has surged recently. At least from my experience, it can be nearly impossible to strike the appropriate balance between, say, your child telling people Salt ‘n’ Pepa’s “Push It” is his favorite song, and having to listen to Dora The Explorer discs in the car. When the artists on the disc are ones you recognize–”Oh, I used to really like the Del Fuegos!”, for example–it makes the purchase and hopefully the ensuing listening experience more palatable. Yeah, you certainly could just force your music down their ear canal, but there’s also something to be said for kids having their own music, something that allows them to be naive for just a bit longer, and if you can have Prince Paul behind the boards, that makes the decision a bit easier.
Baby Loves (Almost) Everything [Wired]
Yeah, I think this is a great thing. I love the idea of “grown-up bands” playing music for kids.
I wonder if the reverse would be true. What adult wouldn’t want to hear The Muppets covering “Heroin” or Raffi jamming the hell out of “Baby Beluga”?
I think the extended adolescence phenomena among yunge parents also contributesd to this trend. The idea that the music can appeal to both kids and adults who aren’t ready to “grow up”. Also, it’s nice to know that there is a playfulness involved with the music, instead of the typical, “this is what kids think like” happy-sappy crap condescension of most kids albums.
Biz Markie, Devo and Dean & Britta have all appeared on Yo Gabba Gabba. Everyone wants to save the kids from Soulja Boy and Hannah Montana.
And aside from TMBG there are plenty of ‘adult’ artists with songs that are kid-friendly (upbeat, poppy, etc). I play mixes of Beatles, Prince, Joe Jackson, B-52s, early Michael Jackson, Weird Al, Dan the Automator, Holly Cole, Madonna, Jurassic 5, and so on and so on. Sure they still also love Wiggles and Backyardigans songs, but then when I put on something like Me First or Raveonettes it doesn’t entirely freak them out.
Chad Orzel at Scienceblogs has been putting together similar lists recently in anticipation of having kids:
A-B:
[scienceblogs.com]
C-G:
[scienceblogs.com]
H-N:
[scienceblogs.com]
O-S
[scienceblogs.com]
@revmatty: Good point. Young children definitely have a tendency to reject their parents’ music and need their own, but there’s always some stuff that can be mutually enjoyed. I used to love it when my mom would play The Beach Boys’ Endless Summer, or Top 40 records from the 1950s. I remember “Rock Around The Clock” was one of my favorite songs.
Also, teh bebes can’t process the lyrics as fast as adults can. Hence the reason for the “dumbed down” sing-songy types of songs.
@pantycrickets: True. But I would like to hear more happy shouting in songs. I think The “Spongebob Squarepants” theme is the greatest kids song ever for this very reason.
I like that there are nursury versions of Tool and RAdiohead out there.
@rogerniner: As long as Elmo isn’t singing, I’m a happy woman.
Do you remember the Ren & Stimpy themesong? No lyrics, but you could really shake your ass to it.
@pantycrickets: You just filled my heart with Happy Happy Joy Joy.
As the resident Idolator kids’ music expert, I’ll weigh in here.
While that BLHH disk is pretty good, Hurwitz oversells his product — trust me, there are tons of “real musicians” making music for kids and families out there. Beyond the musicians who’ve devoted a significant chunk of time just to the kids genre, I think the number of “adult” musicians making the one-off album for kids — on tap in the not-too-distant future are Barenaked Ladies (you in the back, stop snickering!) and Luscious Jackson — will only increase as musicians figure out one way to extend their careers is to broaden their fanbase.
Which isn’t to say the Wiggles or Barney is bad, or just playing your own music is bad, or just Dan Zanes is bad — like most things parental, an open mind and some base ground rules is a good idea.
Wanted to add R.E.M. My five year old LOVES them.
@SAShepherd: Sage advice. Funny how I comment on the quality of kids music while not having kids. Make me seem… human.
Anything to bring up Jason Falkner’s Beatles album. It was the greatest gift I could have given to my niece.
@pantycrickets: (whizzes on the electric fence in memoriam)