We’ve been listening to a lot of kids’ music in my car lately. I suppose it’s appropriate since I now drive a total momobile. Ove the summer, our friends introduced us to a satellite radio station called Kids Place Live. And now, that’s virtually all the kids want to listen to in the car.
In general, kids’ music today has, I think, come a long way. There are a lot of adult artists who are putting out kids’ music (Barenaked Ladies, The Verve Pipe, The Nadas), and many of the kids’ artists are making music that appeals to adults as well. I’m a fan of the Kindie Rock movement; take indie rock or an alternative sound and write songs about going to the dentist or summer camp, and you’ve got the idea.
I’ll do a post soon with my favorite kids’ artists and songs, but for today I wanted to share some music we’ve been hearing that just cracks us up. They are funny and sometimes clever kids’ songs that can brighten up your whole family’s day.
1. Puppy Dog, The Not-Its!
A song about a naughty little puppy who’s chewing things he shouldn’t. ”You ate thirty dollars and topped it off with a tub of Crisco.” Best use of Crisco in a lyric EVER.
2. Mama Tooted, Keller Williams
This song is really more of a meditation on flatulence: “It can sound like a duck, it can sound like a frog, it can sound like an elephant or a sigh.” What’s kind of brilliant here is that we are left unsure of whether or not it was actually Mama who tooted, because “she may say that she did not and she is probably right, but I am going to blame it on Mama… all night.”
3. Toast, Heywood Banks
This song is really hard to describe. Suffice it to say Heywood Banks plays a toaster while singing a clever and funny song about—yep, toast.
4. Happy Noodle vs. Sad Noodle, Logan Whitehurst and The Junior Science Club
Another song that’s hard to characterize, but I find so funny. It’s kind of a cross between a story and a song about Happy Noodle and Sad Noodle who have an epic battle.
5. Open Sesame, Billy Jonas
No, not one of the Jonas brothers. This is my new favorite kids’ song. Jonas takes common expressions, interprets them literally, and then comes up with a funny consequence of that interpretation. Hence: “They said ‘WEAR IT OUT,’ so I did; made my family blush… They said ‘BREAK THE CHAIN,’ so I did—and now it does not flush.”
If you are looking for some kid music inspiration, try these gems. They are all available on both Spotify and iTunes (except Toast, which is only available on iTunes).
Have a good weekend!
