At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long - Idolator Comments

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

drjayphd — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:04:52 EDT

@pantycrickets: (whizzes on the electric fence in memoriam)

drjayphd

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

gorillavsmarykate — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:52:00 EDT

Anything to bring up Jason Falkner's Beatles album. It was the greatest gift I could have given to my niece.

gorillavsmarykate

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

rogerniner — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:26:34 EDT

@SAShepherd: Sage advice. Funny how I comment on the quality of kids music while not having kids. Make me seem... human.

rogerniner

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

revmatty — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:17:14 EDT

Wanted to add R.E.M. My five year old LOVES them.

revmatty

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

SAShepherd — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:02:40 EDT

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.

SAShepherd

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

rogerniner — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:26:21 EDT

@pantycrickets: You just filled my heart with Happy Happy Joy Joy.

rogerniner

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

pantycrickets — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:48:24 EDT

@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

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

Tenno — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:41:48 EDT

I like that there are nursury versions of Tool and RAdiohead out there.

Tenno

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

rogerniner — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:38:55 EDT

@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.

rogerniner

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

pantycrickets — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:10:00 EDT

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

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

Gumboots — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:53:27 EDT

@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.

Gumboots

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

revmatty — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:31:00 EDT

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

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

pantycrickets — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:51:56 EDT

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.

pantycrickets

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

rogerniner — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:42:39 EDT

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.

rogerniner

At This Pace, It'll All Be Kids Music Before Long

Gumboots — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:36:30 EDT

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"?

Gumboots