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Kid Tunes
The adult songs in the infant music class this week were "Love Me Tender" and "Loco-motion", solidly old-fashioned tunes in two very different registers. I can't sing either of them, or at least I couldn't the other day, but in fairness, things get pitched a little HIGH in music class, and I'm a bit more of an alto.
Love Me Tender is obvious, I suppose, a love song (pre-Elvis, it was called "Aura Lee or the Maid with the Golden Hair") written in the 19th century, that brings tears to your eyes. I was interested, though in the choice of Loco-motion, which you Carole King fans out there will recognize as a hit by the Chiffons, the super cool girl group that also recorded "He's So Mine" "I have a Boy Friend" and an long-time favorite "One Fine Day."
Periodically, some parents I know have complained bitterly about having to listen to popular kid music, attend kid music concerts, and such. This is something different from the standard "Wheels on the Bus" scenario (and yes, I'm already sick to death of the song and ready to throw myself under those proverbial tires by the third or fourth verse). I am not familiar with the work of Dan Zane or Raffi and I really don't want to be. It just seems incredibly annoying.
What is interesting, though, is the way certain "adult" artists have become drawn to children. I'm cynical, but even I don't think this tendency comes entirely from the impulse to make a buck. It must be a curious challenge to try to figure out what would appeal to people whose minds are so much younger. They Might Be Giants, for instance, produced a couple of kid-centric CD's (Here Come the ABC's and No!), and Slate had an interesting piece a while ago about kid music by grown up types. They even talk about this really strange and kind of great stuff that Raymond Scott composed in the 1960's. Scott's experimental music is a lot of fun generally, and his 3-volume set Soothing Sounds for Baby is really interesting and a nice break from the endless whoosh of The Happiest Baby on the Block (which has saved many a night's sleep for me, so don't think I’m knocking it). Soothing and stimulating, that's where it's at. But remember, this is the guy who composed "Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals."
One of the amazing pleasures of being a parent is getting to impress the things I love onto Felix, who I also love. For now, since he can't protest, I've been trying to introduce his ears to my music. Recently, he's been loving (and I feel I can say this with some confidence) the clear dulcet voice of Sam Cooke, and I can safely say that the video my husband shot of Felix and me dancing to "Twistin' the Night Away" (or was it "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha"?) will never see the light of day because as embarrassing as it will be to him, it will be doubly so for me.
posted by Elise at 7:23 PM
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