I may have been a year or two older when I first heard Peter and the Wolf but I bet the age difference wouldn’t be all that great these days. In any case, it or other works that introduce instruments might be worthwhile. Couldn’t hurt.
Just about any Trout Fishing in America. It’s very “folk” but kid-friendly and quite listenable to grown-ups.
There’s a CD called “Saturday Morning: Cartoons’ Greatest Hits”. Cartoon theme songs by real bands. Some better than others, but none too bad.
Black Wind, Fire, and Steel by Manowar. dorky youtube clip
Kids love this kind of thing.
Cool! yeah, I’ll take you up on that.
I recently met friends of friends who were here in Australia with their kids. They were carrying lots of kids CDs and most apparently came from CDBaby who have a huge range of interesting things and very generous samples for checking them out.
My 3-yr-olds fell in love with the movie Fantasia last summer, and demand “Mickey Mouse” (we have the soundtrack) when we’re in the car. They often get into trouble for playing with water in the house, so I think they can relate to the little rodent.
Downside is, I’m absolutely SICK TO DEATH of The Rites of Spring.
The rest of the time I just play my music for them (so glad to hear I’m not the only one who absolutely despises children’s music) – the Commodores’ Brick House is a big hit, along with Earth, Wind and Fire and some Stevie Wonder.
Id go with this poster, I used to die for the beach boys when I was under 5!
This is an amazing album.
Right now my kids really like the Laurie Berkner band, and her stuff isn’t too grating for adults.
Just for fun, check out the new music by Steve Burns - but be warned, some of it isn’t for four year olds, and all of it is way different from the stuff he used to sing to an animated blue dog.
Check out Stay Awake, a “various artists” album of people doing songs from Disney films.
I love this album, and I neither am a kid nor own one.
Loosely related to the Autumn songs theme - They Might Be Giants has a song called “C is for Conifer”. An earlier poster mentioned their “No” cd for kids. They also have “They Might Be Giants Here Come the ABC’s” that I confess I listen to even without the kids on occasion.
Justin Roberts has great kids music, and so does Dan Zane.
My folks had me listening to Roy Orbison, The Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and that kind of stuff. The Traveling Wilburys had Orbison, Petty, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne. Good stuff and won’t scar the kids.
The cast recordings of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and CATS.
My kids (5 and 2 1/2) (and my husband and I) love:
Sandra Boynton’s Philadelphia Chickens, which you find in the book section, since it comes with a book of music and lyrics. She has some other stuff out too. The songs are awesome, good for adults, and are sung by people like Eric Stoltz, Scott Bakula, the Bacon Brothers, Patti LuPone, and Kevin Kline.
Ralph’s World, Ralph’s World, which includes a very funny kid’s version of “Shake Your Booty” and Under the Sea, which includes the Banana Split TV theme song, and a great song called “Malcom McGillikitty, The Psychic Cat.”
Laurie Berkner: Buzz Buzz Buzz, and Whadda Ya Think of That?
Richard Perlmutter: Beethoven’s Wig 1 and 2. The first half of each album are classical pieces with funny words (“Beethoven’s Wig. Is Very Big. Beethoven’s wig is very curly and it’s white . . .” sung to the 1st movement of the 5th Symphony) and the second half are the same pieces as instrumentals. My kids really love these. The older one is currently very into The Hall of the Mountain King.
Dan Zanes: If you like blues and folk, you can’t beat Dan Zanes. We have Night Time and Catch That Train. I thought at first listen the kids would hate them, but they really love it.
I second Tom Chapin’s Family Tree. That’s a great album.
My kids also like “Monster Mash” and the Alvin and the Chipmunk’s version of “The Witch Doctor.” They’re also into The Rutles (they sing "Hold My Hand a lot) and all the kiddie Beatles: Hello Goodbye, Yellow Submarine, Octopuses Garden, etc.
Much of the stuff on my nephews’ (ages 4 and 6) MP3 players aren’t much different than what I hear on the radio (more pop than hard stuff). There is a set of children’s CDs out that is filled with clean modern rock music by bands like Coldplay. I can’t remember the name of the collection, but I could probably find out if you’re interested (and if you don’t want to hear bands like Coldplay, I can understand that, too. <shiver>)
My girls (3 & 4 this January) love Devo ever since I played them “Peekaboo”.
I liked a lot of the stuff already said as a kid (still do).
Children’s entertainers that are good: Paul Hann, Sharon Lois and Bram, Eric Nagler, Raffi and Fred Penner (I still listen to them on my own sometimes without my son around just because it’s fun).
She might like Teddy Bear’s Picnic.
I also loved Johnny Horton (Sink the Bismark, Battle of New Orlean’s) lots of Irish Rovers (The Unicorn Song was a big favourite of mine). Hit The Road Jack that I forget who its by, Little Honda by The Hondells. Lots of those teenage sad songs (Tell Laura I Love Her, Leader of the Pack, Last Kiss).
I’d have to dig up my mixed tapes my Dad made and have a listen to remind myself what’s on them (I have the songs, I just can’t think of them right now!)
Oh! Limbo Rock was another favourite.
I’d like to throw out an oddball choice or two that my two and four rental kids just love:
**The best of Ethel Merman ** (they can’t get enough of this cd.) I’ve been meaning to make a copy of this for all the kids for their birthdays. Put on Effel Merman, Ms. Shirley. Effel Merman.
and the Best of Opera’s Tenors (or something like that. Top 100 songs of Tenors) That is another popular one in the car. Especially with one of the neighbors kids whom I strongly suspect as having some borderline Autism/Aspergers thingie going on. This kid digs opera like nobody’s bidness.
My daughter likes:
[ul]
[li] Moxy Fruvous’ “King of Spain”[/li][li]Boney M “Rasputin”[/li][li]Queen “We Will Rock You”[/li][li]Ray Charles “Hit the Road Jack”[/li][li]Billy Joel “IN The Middle Of The NIght (River of Dreams)”[/li][/ul]
She also likes the Disney Classics Disks.
“Effervescing Elephant” by Syd Barrett. Cutey cute cute. I have a friend who uses it in his elementary classes, and the little boogers can’t get enough of it.
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie soundtrack is pretty great:
I haven’t heard the wole thing, but what I have heard is really good. “Just a Kid” by Wilco is a classic, happy and fun with a good message for kids (everyody has to do something they don’t want to do). We put it on the playlist for our wedding reception. 