# Looking for fun, non-cloying kids' music - what do you recommend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671 "2010-09-30T23:16:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/1 "2010-09-30T23:16:14Z")
I have one first cousin, and two first cousins once removed, all under the age of ten. For Christmas, I plan to make them a mix CD of children’s music with an illustrated sing-along book to go with it. Obviously, the first step is to come up with a good track list, so I’ve been skimming through Amazon’s and iTunes’s digital download shops to see what I can find. I’m looking for some fun, singable family-friendly songs that aren’t cloying or condescending. Any songs written or sung by a woman would be especially appreciated, since all three of my cousins are girls and the majority of the children’s music I’ve found has been done by men. So far all I’ve got nailed down is a couple of TMBG songs and Jonathan Coulton’s “The Princess Who Saved Herself.” What else have you got, Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/2 "2010-09-30T23:24:16Z")
I’m not a kid, but I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Kristin Andreassen’s [Crayola Doesn’t Make a Color for Your Eyes.](http://vimeo.com/5466273) Available on iTunes and Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/3 "2010-09-30T23:26:46Z")
Actually, all of the TMBG children’s albums are great. I listen to them on my own without the kids on a regular basis. They’ve got “Here Come the ABCs,” “Here come the 123s,” and “Here Comes Science,” which is my personal favorite. Also “No!” which is a little older. [Here’s “Meet the Elements” from “Here Comes Science”.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0zION8xjbM) ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/4 "2010-09-30T23:32:18Z")
Free to be…you and me. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/5 "2010-09-30T23:34:50Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Actually, all of the TMBG children’s albums are great. I listen to them on my own without the kids on a regular basis. They’ve got “Here Come the ABCs,” “Here come the 123s,” and “Here Comes Science,” which is my personal favorite. Also “No!” which is a little older. > > [Here’s “Meet the Elements” from “Here Comes Science”.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0zION8xjbM) I’m well aware of their children’s albums, but I’d like a bit more variety in the mix CD, or I might as well just get lazy and buy 'em each a copy of _Here Come the ABCs._ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WishIHadACoolName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WishIHadACoolName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WishIHadACoolName)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/6 "2010-09-30T23:36:42Z")
About 13 years ago, I had a fail-safe CD called For Our Children. It was classic/contemporary artists singing kid-friendly songs. I once had to listen to it for 9 hours straight (Autistic toddler, long car ride), and didn’t even commit homicide afterwards. Bette Midler, Pat Benetar, Sting, Springsteen, John Lennon… Lots of good stuff. Bonus: proceeds from the sales of the CD went to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/7 "2010-09-30T23:38:23Z")
Both of mine are somewhaty standard lyrics-wise but musically they’re not: Lunch Money – musically they’re pretty close to TMBG, except the singer is more of a female 90s-alt-singer like the Sundays or Bjork. Justin Roberts – Okay, his singing _voice_ **is** your standard clowny Weird Al-ish voice, but the music and the _phrasing_ of the singing are straight from 2000s pop-punk. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/8 "2010-09-30T23:41:47Z")
At the risk of stating the obvious, you can’t go wrong with Sesame Street music. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/9 "2010-09-30T23:43:23Z")
The independent album [Do Fun Stuff](http://www.dofunstuff.net/) is pretty neat, and purchase of it benefits research on Smith-Magenis Syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/10 "2010-10-01T01:46:24Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > I’m looking for some fun, singable family-friendly songs … Jonathan Coulton’s “The Princess Who Saved Herself.” What else have you got, Dopers? Well… this may all depend of course on your definitions of “fun” and “family-friendly”… but quite a few of JoCo’s songs appeal to my under-10 son (just turned 9 and has been enjoying Coulton for a couple of years). High amongst these are _Code Monkey_, _The Future Soon_, _Skullcrusher Mountain_, and _re. Your Brains_ (especially that last one, which involves leaping around playing air-guitar). He’s also a fan of Paul and Storm’s \*Live \*and _Cruel, Cruel Moon_. I’d avoid however _The Captain’s Wife’s Lament_… despite being a rollicking good sea shanty… at some point I’m going to have to explain the double entendre to him… 😃 (Paul and Storm’s, and Jonathan Coulton’s music all also has the advantage of begin released under a Creative Commons license… though naturally I’d of course encourage anyone to pay the artists if they enjoy them). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/11 "2010-10-01T02:46:41Z")
**[Tom Chapin](http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Chapin/e/B000APCISC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1285901006&sr=1-2-ent)**. He’s Harry Chapin’s brother, and a very good songwriter in his own right. I especially like **Moonboat**. The songs hold up very well for adults, too. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/12 "2010-10-01T02:55:28Z")
I’ve always enjoyed “The leader of the Laundromat” when I was younger. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/13 "2010-10-01T03:05:58Z")
Dan Zanes and friends! There are several singers actually, one is a woman with a lovely voice. [Here’s a song.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF6yuKXnMpo&feature=channel) I also like [Laurie Berkner.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLdDKNxrL68&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/14 "2010-10-01T03:10:02Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > **[Tom Chapin](http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Chapin/e/B000APCISC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1285901006&sr=1-2-ent)**. He’s Harry Chapin’s brother, and a very good songwriter in his own right. I especially like **Moonboat**. The songs hold up very well for adults, too. OMG. I just realized I used to have [Family Tree](http://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Tom-Chapin/dp/B00005OKSR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1285902522&sr=1-1) on tape when I was a kid. That takes me back. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/15 "2010-10-01T03:11:11Z")
Some more for your consideration: [**Wishful Thinking** by the Ditty Bops](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu7289s7l64&feature=fvw) [**New Soul** by Yael Naim](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgEfYGzojcA) [**Paradise** by Ana Laan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcgT7X3rDaE) [**Kaleidescope Machine** by Katie Costello](http://www.bradserum.net/Home/Listen_here.../Entries/2009/11/10_Kaleidoscope_Machine.html) ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/16 "2010-10-01T03:18:13Z")
Actually, Weird Al is good. The kiddo will miss most of the references, but should still enjoy the songs just as silly songs. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/17 "2010-10-01T03:19:11Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > At the risk of stating the obvious, you can’t go wrong with Sesame Street music. _The Muppet Show_ and _Fraggle Rock_ also have some great albums for all the family. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/18 "2010-10-01T03:33:24Z")
Sandra Boyton’s Philadelphia Chickens. My kids at 15 and 12 and we still have fun singing the songs. Great music, great vocalists and excellent lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/19 "2010-10-01T03:44:27Z")
Dan Zanes was my first thought, too. Also wanted to mention that my son was a little under 10 years old when he “discovered” the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671/20 "2010-10-01T04:05:43Z")
The Old Town School of Folk in Chicago has a music program for kids called the Wiggleworms and Wigglegrads. They put out a couple of CDs ([1](http://www.amazon.com/Wiggleworms-Love-You/dp/B000XFCXQQ/ref=pd_sim_dmusic_a_1) & [2](http://www.amazon.com/Songs-For-Wiggleworms/dp/B000QR1614/ref=pd_sim_dmusic_a_1)), which I find myself listening to even when my little one isn’t in the car. These are folk songs done by professionals, so it’s not some studio-produced crap done on a Casio. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-fun-non-cloying-kids-music-what-do-you-recommend/555671.md?page=2)