Need suggestions on Children's Music...

[4_Legs_Good]

Hey everyone!

I have a 2.5 year old boy, and I want to gather some good kids' music for him. He has a couple little Disney albums, but they *TOTALLY* grate on me, and I can't stand it. They're produced by like dips who think that Barney is the best thing ever and are sing-along style with lame bleh bleh bleh. I can't stand it!!!

I know I should be more concerned about what he likes, etc, but I'd rather subvert his opinion and get him some good stuff forcing my views on him! Mwah hah hah hah hah...

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions? Quality stuff that I won't hate but he'll like? The Rainbow Connection, Puff the Magic Dragon, Schoolhouse Rock type stuff that doesn't treat my kid like a freaking idiot, but is still fun for a toddler. The songs matter less than the cheesy production of the sing-along type deals. Like Willie Nelson singing Frosty the Snowman! Now that I can get behind, and my son really likes it.

Any help is appreciated!

david

[Lex]

1. Here's some ideas.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/546945/ref%3Dcd%5Fsp%5F5c/103-0572491-8510207

Plus you can read parent reviews of them too.

[Archae]

2. How's this?

There are many soft classical CD's made for babies and children, lots of soft classical music that won't grate your nerves like "Barney's Greatest Hits."

[Karenina]

3. A Child's Introduction to the Orchestra

IF it can still be found...

AND "Peter and the Wolf." Prokofiev

[ET Awful]

4. I have one recommendation, and it's a fantastic chunk of music

Get "Not for Kids Only" by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Mostly old-time kids songs, but with some guitar, banjo and mandolin work that will knock your socks off :)

It's just "kid" enough that kids love it, and is musically something that any adult can appreciate (meaning it doesn't drive you batshit).

Their rendition of "Teddy Bear Picnic" and the like will get both you and the kid hooked :)


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003913/qid=1106069942/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-1447617-8720061?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

[MissB]

6. That was the one I was going to recommend!

My boys loved it!

[ET Awful]

8. I'm not a kid, and it's one of my all time favorite albums :)

I love it!

[4_Legs_Good]

14. That sounds great! I'll check it out...

[Rambis]

31. Gotta put in a good word on that one

There is also a children's CD with Pete Seeger, Arlo G.

Leadbelly has an all kids CD and it kicks but like this- Good tunes like this are for adults too and they don't drive you Raffy or whatever his name is.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000I9EF/104-7760850-9966351?v=glance

[Lex]

5. Oh, a friend with 3 boys says she and the boys love

"Red Grammer" particularly the CD called "Down the Do-Re-Mi"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000AG5X/ref=pd_ys_ir_m_2/103-0572491-8510207?v=glance&s=music&n=173425

[MemphisTiger]

7. Try anything from the Wiggles

My son loves them.

[Left Is Write]

17. My kids do too. We have several CDs.

[LynzM]

9. Have you listened to Raffi at all?

I found his stuff to be much more fun, silly, tolerable than other stuff... There's another guy out there who sings a song about M-o-m-m-y needs c-o-f-f-e-e, D-a-d-d-y needs c-o-f-f-e-e, etc... he's funny but I don't remember his name.

[BurtWorm]

10. Pete Seeger has some excellent folk music albums for kids

They're not sugar-coated AT ALL.

My favorite is Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes (Little and Big), which collects two of his best 1950s recordings for children:

Pete Seeger released 28 songs and stories about animals on two short LP records in 1955 to an enthusiastic audience. Ever since, they have been sung by parents, grandparents and children themselves. The two original releases have been combined on this single CD creating an irresistible collection of songs to sing along with, to draw pictures about, to play hand games to, and to be enjoyed and learned by the entire family.

Fly Through My Window ~ I Had a Rooster ~ Come All You Bold Sailormen ~ Old Grey Mule ~ Alligator, Hedgehog ~ Frog Went A-Courting ~ Raccoon's Got a Bushy Tail ~ I Know an Old Lady (Who Swallowed a Fly) ~ Ground Hog ~ Mister Rabbit ~ Grey Goose ~ Teency Weency Spider ~ The Old Hen ~ Skip to My Lou ~ My Little Kitty ~ The Little Black Bull ~ Leatherwing Bat ~ The Keeper and the Doe ~ The Darby Ram ~ Mole in the Ground ~ The Fox ~ Turtle Dove ~ Old Paint ~ The Elephant ~ The Foolish Frog ~ Little Dogies ~ Bear Hunt ~ Old Blue

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. To expand your son's horizons

Putumayo has a couple of CDs of kid-friendly music from around the world.

One is called World Playground. Actually, I just checked their website, and they now have about half a dozen CDs for children.

Check out

http://www.putumayo.com

[4_Legs_Good]

23. Wow looks great!

I'll give them a shot. Thanks!

david

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. music and stories by willy claflin are a MUST.... also veggie tales

can be fun if you are ok with the religious aspect.

http://www.willyclaflin.com/

http://www.bigidea.com/



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Join the new Boston Tea Party!
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[auntAgonist]

13. Sharon Lois and Bram

http://www.skinnamarink.com/index2.html

my son really loved their stuff!


"The Elephant Show" was on tv for quite a while.

catchy tunes for kids..

"skinnamarinky dinky dink, skinnamarinky doooooo
I love you!
skinnamarinky dinky dink, skinnamarinky doooooo
I love you.

I love you in the morning and in the afternoon,
I love you in the evening underneath the moon.

skinnamarinky dinky dink, skinnamarinky doooooo
I LOVE YOU ..
I really mean it...
I............... LOVE ..... You tooo boo boo be doo!

[arwalden]

15. Dragon Tales

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005A09V/qid=1106071222/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/103-9119774-9691013

[BigMcLargehuge]

16. More Greatest Hits of The Monkees

I grew up on it. Any oldies compilations are good too.

[4_Legs_Good]

22. I could probably put together a good Beatles album for kids too

Octopus's Garden
Yellow Submarine
All Together Now
etc...

david

[bbernardini]

27. It's already been done - "Beatles Hits For Kids"

Featuring Jim Boggia and Scott Bricklin, two of Philadelphia's leading singer/songwriters.

http://www.bingorecords.com/about/beatlessongs.html

[Beware the Beast Man]

18. ROOFI!

"I like ice cream, I like ice cream, how bout you, how bout you? Topped with chocolate syrrup, topped with chocolate syrrup, whipped cream too, whipped cream too!"

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

19. Marylin Manson (nt)

[4_Legs_Good]

21. Woo hooo!!!

I was hoping someone would say that!

:)

david

[MissMillie]

20. Raffi!!!

My son loved Raffi when he was younger. Some of the songs are really fun to sing along to.

[Shopaholic]

24. Rock and roll baby--rock and roll

only way to teach 'em. Start 'em out young and one day you too might be the parent of a rock star. Or drug addict. :evilgrin:

[4_Legs_Good]

30. Of course! That's how I plan to fund my retirement!!!

On his paycheck!!!

I think folk-rock is very accessible for children. He gets lots of that - Traffic, Neil Young, Cat Stevens, CSN, etc.

david

[Book Lover]

25. You know, I don't play "kid's music" for my toddler

I mean, I sing all the standards to him, but I don't like kid's music, which makes me think he might not either. I play a lot of "regular" music: Rat Pack, real jazz, Italian and Chinese folk music, British Invasion... he seems to like 'em all.

[4_Legs_Good]

28. That's really what I'm after...

and that's what I did when he was really young, but he was exposed to kinda the "McDonald's" of music style, and, like all that kinda stuff, it get stuck with them. Plus (shhhhhhhhh...) the wife plays it for him sometimes too.

Anyway, so he likes the cheesy music, but also likes "Daddy's music" too, to a degree. My goal here is to wean him back off the silly-kid music and into at least music that isn't like fast-food.

david

[Book Lover]

32. Yeah, we nipped that in the bud

In the hospital, the first music he heard was "Making Movies" by Dire Straits, then some Zep, then some Dvorak. That's pretty much been the kind of playlist he's been exposed to. Oh, also, we put him to sleep for the first year and a half to the New Age music station we get via cable.

[bbernardini]

26. Four words: TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA!

The greatest kids group on the planet, Trout Fishing in America. www.troutmusic.com

[4_Legs_Good]

29. but we're vegetarians!

heh heh heh...

david

[Nye Bevan]

33. Sesame Street Platinum - All Time Favorites

Average review on Amazon: 5 Stars!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002B8G/qid=1106074159/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-1056237-6302302?v=glance&s=music&n=507846#product-details

[Debbi801]

34. Here's what we listen to...

My son will be 3 next month.

He loves Laurie Berkner. She sings in between shows on the Noggin channel, which is how we heard of her. Her music is fun and doesn't grate on our nerves.

For the Kids and For The Kids Too are also great. They are great kids songs like Rainbow Connection, Mahna Mahna, etc. sung by groups like Sarah McLaughlin and Bare Naked Ladies.

We have some Wiggles CDs, but they make me crazy after a while.

Dan Zanes and Raffi are decent, too.

There is also a CD called Kids Sing the Beatles, which is a bunch of little kids singing Beatles songs. While the songs are great, some of the kids' voices grate on my nerves.

HTH!
Debbi

[LWolf]

35. Plenty of great stuff:

Many of my favorites have already been posted:

Raffi--my grandson's absolute favorite
Peter & the Wolf
Mozart
Pete Seeger has great stuff

A favorite not already mentioned is Peter, Paul, & Mommy, too:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002MIP/ref=pd_sim_music_1/104-7496784-6631146?v=glance&s=music