This time around I would like to list ten great songs you should download and play for your children. I’ll also tell you why these songs are worth your time and money. My number one requirement for a worthy song is the songwriting itself. You can have the cutest sounding cherubs or the silliest title in the world, but if the songwriting is lacking then the track won’t hold my interest or my child’s. So let’s go!

Number 10: Hideaway – This up-tempo rocker from Chicago’s Ralph Covert is bursting at the seams with great melodies, sweet harmonies, and a great message. This is one of those songs that can be equally suited for kids or adults. My kids love the energy and happy sound, but above all, it’s just plain fun. You can currently catch Ralph on tour at House of Blues locations nationwide.

Number 9: Winter In Wisconsin – Mr. Billy heats up the home of Lambeau Field with this great pop rocker celebrating winter in Wisconsin. The first time I heard this song I was impressed with Mr. Billy’s ability to make three months of winter snowstorms seem like a good time. He also has a fun video to go along with it available through his MySpace page. This song rocks and so does Mr. Billy!

Number 8: Won’t You Be My Neighbor – This track, from the CD produced by the people at Mister Rogers Neighborhood, features Jon Secada who you may or may not remember from the 80’s. But, this version of the now classic Mister Rogers theme song has a groove so sweet I found myself listening to this song over and over. The production is top notch and Jon Secada does a fantastic job of making this track sound hip and cool. The entire CD is worth the money but if you download only one track this is the one you want.

Number 7: Sesame Street- This is one of the best cover song/ remakes I have ever heard of a children’s classic. The pop/punk band Frankenbarry have taken an already great song and added just the right amount of rock and roll attitude to make this a classic as well. It’s really a combination of several Sesame Street songs although the main them is the primary focus. This cut can best be described as a rollicking good time that will bring out the four year old in all of us. Great energy, great vocals, and great fun!

Number 6: Share A Smile – Another candidate in the great songwriting department is the band Laughing Pizza. This infectious piece of sunshine will have the whole family singing along. I dare you to not like this song. This track embodies everything that music for kids should be about; solid songwriting, great message, memorable melody, and enthusiasm that jumps right out of the speakers.

Number 5: Dino Soaring – Forget any kind of educational value this song might contain, this song just plain makes me wanna dance. And it will make your kids wanna dance too!
Once again, we have a great song, excellent musical performance, and a certain vitality that can’t be manufactured. It’s obvious that these guys like what they do. As professor Clump said in the Nutty Professor, “It’s a real toe tapper.”

Number 4: One Little Slip – This is the Bare Naked Ladies at their pop/rock best. This is one of those songs that won’t leave feeling like an idiot when you find yourself singing at the top of you lungs right along with the kids. I love the lyrics to this song. Every kid in America can relate to Chicken Little and his desire to be loved for who he is. Great vocals and an easy to sing chorus make this one of my favorites.

Number 3: Great Big Sunshine Day - Everybody needs an anthem, even kids. This tune, from Madeline’s Toybox, takes two heaping teaspoons of sunshine, a little imagination, and a pinch of rock & roll and wraps it up into three minutes of summertime glory. Silky smooth vocals and crunchy guitars make this one as cool as a large grape slurpee!

Number 2: Rearrange – You may not have heard of Professor Yippit, but you should. He writes kids songs with passion and creativity. Rearrange pumps along like the little locomotive that could. This is one of the little guys that I hope you’ll be seeing, and hearing, a lot more from in the future.

And…drum roll please.
Number 1: Somewhere Over the Rainbow – I know, you’ve heard this song a million times before. Well, not like this. This version from Israel Kamakawiwo’ole is one of the best musical nuggets I’ve discovered in recent memory. The genius in this remake lies in its simplicity. You’ll hear only two things on this track, ukulele, and the beautiful voice of the man known simply as IZ. I usually judge a remake by its ability to bring something fresh to the table. And that…it does. This is one of those songs that you just need to hear to understand its brilliance. His voice has that rare ability to transport you to another place and frame of mind. The ukulele is brilliantly sparse while his voice wraps around you like a warm summer breeze floating down a white sand beach. If this was the last song I ever listened to I would die a happy man.

Well…that’s my list. I hope you can find some new favorites of your own here. Until next time, go forth and find new music. You’ll be glad you did.
Kris Hensler

There’s a revolution under way. No, it’s not your 3 year old demanding another package of fruit snacks. It’s a revolution in children’s music. Back in the old days, growing up in Middle America, we had two choices for children’s music. First, there were Disney soundtracks. And second, there were Disney soundtracks. To say there was not a lot to choose from would be an understatement. But that was 1966 and we’ve come a long way since then! The last 5 years have produced more high quality music for children than the previous 35 years combined. The Wiggles were one of the first to break the Disney mold by offering pop sounding tunes that weren’t condescending or trite. That was the early 1990’s. Fast forward to the new millennium and we start hearing new music from names like Dan Zanes of the Del Fuegos, Laurie Berkner, and Milkshake. That’s just the tiniest little tip of the iceberg. As teens who grew up listening to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Who, today’s parents are no longer content with the standard sugary sweet excess of a past generation’s idea of music for kids. We want our kids to be cool, hip, and most of all, like little versions of ourselves. So let’s take a look at what the current crop of independent artists have to offer not only the littlest ones in your family, but to parents as well.

Let’s start with the Big Apple. The Dirty Sock Funtime band from New York takes on the world with great melodies and an overall sound that takes equal parts Ska, Reggae, and outright silliness to new heights. The Dirty Sock gang packs each song with great style and excellent songwriting skills. Check them out on Noggin’s “Jack’s Big Music Show.”

Next stop on the road trip are the motor city rockers, Candy Band. This quartet is comprised of four moms who felt the need to let their Punk alter egos out into the airwaves. If you grew listening to bands like the Plimsouls and the Ramones, you’ll love Candy Band.

And the final stop on our tour is sunny southern California. The artist known simply as, CJ, takes children’s standards like “Five Little Monkeys’ and revs it up with a killer horn section and a wry sense of humor. In addition to providing a fresh take on children’s standards, CJ also gets high marks for a great sounding disc, a detail lost on some children’s performers. For great sounding standards with a twist, CJ’s your man!

That’s just three of the many independent artists that I will profile in the coming months. There is so much good music available right now that we owe it to our children to expose them to more than the traditional fare of past decades. Seek them out, buy their music, and support independent music for children. You’ll be glad you did.

Written by: Kris Hensler

The above artists can be found at:
www.dirtysockfuntimeband.com
www.candyband.com
www.cjtime.com