# Children's music that doesn't suck. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 24, 2004, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446 "2004-11-24T08:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DefyingGravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@DefyingGravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DefyingGravity)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/41 "2004-11-25T04:32:54Z")
Forgot to add that my son is developing a taste for musicals; I listen to soundtracks a lot and he really likes the soundtrack to “Wicked”. He requests that we listen to the song “Popular” in the car a lot (kind of an upbeat, silly song). I try to make sure that I have Wicked or something else fairly harmless in the player as opposed to Avenue Q when he’s in the car. I don’t need him going around the house singing “The Internet is for Porn.” ;\> Karen ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/42 "2004-11-25T04:44:48Z")
Best. Goddam [lullaby.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002M78/qid=1101357921/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/102-3668048-8524949) Collection. Evar. Cool [tunes](http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060557451/ref%3Dbr%5Fbh%5Fnr%5F3/701-4826813-0605963)for the green-oriented. Simply Mahvelous. Really. Love it still. And uh…load _[this](http://www.liveandlearn.com/weesingaudio.html)_. Of course, BB King/Eric Clapton has always been Da $#!+ for my youngest…we already know she’s gonna marry some 90 year old rich guy, and love him to death for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/43 "2004-11-25T05:41:51Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > I recommend the highly entertaining and entirely subversive compilation from Bloodshot Records, [The Bottle Let Me Down - Songs for Bumpy Car Rides](http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/bloodshotrecordscompilations/131). Bloodshot is the record label that brings you Ryan Adams and Neko Case. I’ll heartily second that recommendation. I will also recommend [Somebody Needs a Timeout](http://www.angelfire.com/indie/campfirecords/somebody.html), a children’s benefit CD featuring lots of Canadian indie bands. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/44 "2004-11-25T11:51:00Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Best. Goddam [lullaby.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002M78/qid=1101357921/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/102-3668048-8524949) Collection. Evar. > > Cool [tunes](http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060557451/ref%3Dbr%5Fbh%5Fnr%5F3/701-4826813-0605963)for the green-oriented. Simply Mahvelous. Really. Love it still. > > And uh…load _[this](http://www.liveandlearn.com/weesingaudio.html)_. > > Of course, BB King/Eric Clapton has always been Da $#!+ for my youngest…we already know she’s gonna marry some 90 year old rich guy, and love him to death for the rest of his life. Time for a hijack: Hey, **Inigo** , good to see you back! {{Inigo}} 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/45 "2004-11-25T16:42:02Z")
**Cinnamon Girl** Maybe Puff the Magic Dragon is just too slow and dramatic for some listeners; we were pretty much done with it when the kids became preschool age. (But I still like it!) Regardless, Pete Yarrow swears up and down that it is _not_ about pot. The land of Hanalei is actually a beautiful bay at Kauai (Hawaii.) The coolest thing about exposing your kid to all kinds of good music is the payback when they get big: my 15 and 21 year olds have turned me on to some really good tunes in recent years, and the hits just keep on comin’. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/46 "2004-11-25T19:27:27Z")
Actually, The Monster (my former housemate’s little girl) loved Gilbert & Sullivan Operettas, both to watch and to listen to. She was also corrupted by my tastes in filk, learning to love “Monster’s Lullaby” by Meg Davis. > [@](#): > > Nyahh, nyahh, your mother eats toads; may a girl find a wart on the tip of your nose. Ding, dong! The cat’s in the well - so run and fetch another one. I’ll also second recommendations for Trout Fishing in America, Kingston Trio, and Peter, Paul and Mary (especially the album/disc: Peter, Paul and Mommy.). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/47 "2004-11-26T13:23:46Z")
Folk singer Tom Paxton has some children’s CDS out. The first song he ever wrote was “The Marvelous Toy,” so you know he’s good. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/48 "2004-11-26T14:34:54Z")
Please tell me yourkids watch [The Wombles](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159227/) on TV. If not, they are wasting their childhood. Mike Batt made a number of albums to tie in with the show. They can be listened to on two levels. The little ones hear their favorite TV characters singing about being a Womble. The grown ups hear clever musical parodies of various different genres of music, from Elvis and the Beach Boys to Ennio Moricone to Mozart & Grieg. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/49 "2004-11-26T15:29:49Z")
> [@Caprese](#): > > **Cinnamon Girl** > Maybe Puff the Magic Dragon is just too slow and dramatic for some listeners; we were pretty much done with it when the kids became preschool age. (But I still like it!) > Regardless, Pete Yarrow swears up and down that it is _not_ about pot. > The land of Hanalei is actually a beautiful bay at Kauai (Hawaii.) > > The coolest thing about exposing your kid to all kinds of good music is the payback when they get big: my 15 and 21 year olds have turned me on to some really good tunes in recent years, and the hits just keep on comin’. 🆒 Yeah, I never thought it was about pot either, but apparently that myth will never die. I am lamenting the fact that I think it tarnishes a beautiful song. I don’t know if it’s ever been established with any certainty that Kauai’s Hanalei is represented by the mythical land of Honalee, but Kauaians like to think so. There is a land formation at one end of the crescent bay that is supposed to resemble that of a dragon lying on its belly (presumably waiting for Jackie Paper). Jury’s still out on this one. But it does remind _wistfully_ me of home…\* **Inigo** , thanks for the rec on the lullaby CD. Just from the Amazon previews, I’d say it is fabulous: a perfect addition to The Planet Sleeps! Duly added to wishlist. Also added to wishlist: [The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides (Bloodshot Records)](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000066JE8/ref=wl_it_dp/002-1714008-1535233?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I3ELJI7WRST0YF&v=glance&colid=OBLM5XFEUCFL). Thank you, thank you **CBCD**! 😃 [Big Blues: Blues Music for Kids](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000033VL/ref=wl_it_dp/002-1714008-1535233?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I247VFY8W0T5QV&v=glance&colid=OBLM5XFEUCFL) [For the Kids!](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006L7QX/ref=pd_sim_music_1/002-1714008-1535233?v=glance&s=music) Thanks **Chastain86**! [No!, They Might Be Giants](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000068C97/ref=pd_sim_music_1/002-1714008-1535233?v=glance&s=music). TY to all the rabid TMBG fans out there! There will not be any Raffi CDs in the Cinnamon household, however. I woke up inexplicably at 1AM this morning to the tune of Bananaphone in my head. Since this isn’t The Pit, I won’t say what Raffi can do with his Bananaphone, as a result. That’s just more than I can handle. Don’t be annoyed with me; more Raffi for you then. 😃 - Kauai resident for seven years. Still have family there. ---
**Author:** ![Paisley\_Park](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Paisley\_Park](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paisley_Park)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/50 "2004-11-26T15:44:32Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > My children are now 21, 18, and 15. Raffi’s is one of their musical cornerstones. Just a few nights ago my daughter came into my room with a Raffi songbook, and went through it, singing the first few lines from every song in it she knew. My 21 year old son will sometimes break into _Baby Beluga_. > > We have a New Year’s Day tradition in our family, which is to sit at the kitchen table and sing _I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad \* before breakfast. Without Raffi’s inspiration from records such as_ More Singable Songs\*, this silly and treasured tradition would never have come to be. 😃 And it looks like it’s shaping up to be that way with my family as well. 😉 If you don’t have it already, I highly recommend getting the [Raffi in Concert DVD](http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/raffiinconcert.php). You get three Raffi concerts in one, each from a different Raffi era: _Unplugged_ Raffi (solo, 1984), Raffi with the **Rise & Shine Band** (1988), featuring future jazz pianist-composer [Nancy Walker](http://www.nancywalkerjazz.com/home.html), and Eco-Raffi on Broadway (1993). All three are great shows! He really is a fantastic performer. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/51 "2004-11-26T17:30:36Z")
> [@Cinnamon Girl](#): > > [No!, They Might Be Giants](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000068C97/ref=pd_sim_music_1/002-1714008-1535233?v=glance&s=music). TY to all the rabid TMBG fans out there! Don’t forget to try this one out in your computer: it’s got some fun little animated dealies that go along with the songs. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446/52 "2004-11-26T19:00:08Z")
While I’m thinking about it, there’s a couple of other non-children’s performers (along the lines of **TMBG** ) that go over well with the kids… **Jonathan Richman The Pooh Sticks The Aquabats The Coasters Roger Miller** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/childrens-music-that-doesnt-suck/276446.md?page=2)