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To all the music snobs

talking about music

After writing this post, it sounds like there are a few self-proclaimed music snobs among us. So I figure it would be only fitting if we banded together and shared our secrets. There are few things I like better than discovering new, good music.

So friends, what are you listening to? Are you imparting your great taste to your children? What are they listening to?

I'll go first with a few favorites from a variety of genres…and honestly we all listen to the same music and our tastes are all over the map. The other day I was in the kitchen listening to bluegrass, I walked into the living room and Dan had Elizabeth in his arms, and the girls around him dancing to Dean Martin. Oh, and lest you worry, on some of the "grown-up" music we listen to, I do censor some of the songs…..

1. My all-time favorite children's CD: Renee And Jeremy
: It's a Big World. Watch it on YouTube, with another favorite song, Night Mantra.
2. Anything by Elizabeth Mitchell, though I'm rather fond of You Are My Little Bird

3. Catch the Moon
by Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell.
4. When the girls were a little younger we were big into Laurie Berkner's CD, Whaddaya Think of That?
. But I burned out and we haven't listened to it in awhile. But it's great.
5. Innocence Mission: Now the Day Is Over
…probably no. 2 on my list. So good.

Other here and there faves:  Woody Guthrie
, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary (I feel like "Peter, Paul and Mommy" is the soundtrack from my childhood.) Smithsonian Folkways Children's Music CollectionBest of the Land of Nod Store Music, we also do some classical, some odd Russian Folk music, we've even been known to bring home a CD of gregorian chant from the library. 

an oldie

In the "not necessarily intended for kids" category, but other stuff we like and all listen to:

6. Ricky Skaggs
and Kentucky Thunder
7. Gillian Welch : Orphan Girl
was the song I sang to emma every night.
8. Anything Patty Griffin
9. Emmylou Harris…they are really into the story behind the song Kern River
right now. And this one is a classic favorite
.
10. Dean Martin

11. The John Michael Talbot Collection
is our Sunday morning standard.
12. The Mills Brothers
13. Fiddler On The Roof. The movie
, the music
, the videos on YouTube–Le chaim, the bottle dance, "tradition", matchmaker, "If I Were A Rich Man". They can't get enough. Elizabeth cheers when it comes on, shakes her belly and says something that sounds a lot like "yubba dibby dibby dum".

So I know I'm forgetting some good ones, but that's a sampling. I'd love to hear what you're listening to!

**That second picture is an oldie of Emma–as in it's on one of the first pages of my flickr photostream, take me back to the beginning, kind of oldie. It slays me. I can hardly look at it.

Happy Friday. Happy Weekend.

talking about music

After writing this post, it sounds like there are a few self-proclaimed music snobs among us. So I figure it would be only fitting if we banded together and shared our secrets. There are few things I like better than discovering new, good music.

So friends, what are you listening to? Are you imparting your great taste to your children? What are they listening to?

I’ll go first with a few favorites from a variety of genres…and honestly we all listen to the same music and our tastes are all over the map. The other day I was in the kitchen listening to bluegrass, I walked into the living room and Dan had Elizabeth in his arms, and the girls around him dancing to Dean Martin. Oh, and lest you worry, on some of the “grown-up” music we listen to, I do censor some of the songs…..

1. My all-time favorite children’s CD: Renee And Jeremy
: It’s a Big World. Watch it on YouTube, with another favorite song, Night Mantra.
2. Anything by Elizabeth Mitchell, though I’m rather fond of You Are My Little Bird

3. Catch the Moon
by Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell.
4. When the girls were a little younger we were big into Laurie Berkner’s CD, Whaddaya Think of That?
. But I burned out and we haven’t listened to it in awhile. But it’s great.
5. Innocence Mission: Now the Day Is Over
…probably no. 2 on my list. So good.

Other here and there faves:  Woody Guthrie
, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary (I feel like “Peter, Paul and Mommy” is the soundtrack from my childhood.) Smithsonian Folkways Children’s Music CollectionBest of the Land of Nod Store Music, we also do some classical, some odd Russian Folk music, we’ve even been known to bring home a CD of gregorian chant from the library. 

an oldie

 

In the “not necessarily intended for kids” category, but other stuff we like and all listen to:

6. Ricky Skaggs
and Kentucky Thunder
7. Gillian Welch : Orphan Girl
was the song I sang to emma every night.
8. Anything Patty Griffin
9. Emmylou Harris…they are really into the story behind the song Kern River
right now. And this one is a classic favorite
.
10. Dean Martin

11. The John Michael Talbot Collection
is our Sunday morning standard.
12. The Mills Brothers
13. Fiddler On The Roof. The movie
, the music
, the videos on YouTube–Le chaim, the bottle dance, “tradition“, matchmaker, “If I Were A Rich Man“. They can’t get enough. Elizabeth cheers when it comes on, shakes her belly and says something that sounds a lot like “yubba dibby dibby dum”.

So I know I’m forgetting some good ones, but that’s a sampling. I’d love to hear what you’re listening to!

**That second picture is an oldie of Emma–as in it’s on one of the first pages of my flickr photostream, take me back to the beginning, kind of oldie. It slays me. I can hardly look at it. If you’re looking to learn an instrument or learn more about music in general, check out runthemusic.com.

Happy Friday. Happy Weekend.

24 comments on “To all the music snobs”

  1. Oooo, I’m so glad you posted this! I’ve been “collecting” good stuff for my 4 year old since before she was born.A new to me find: The Jellydots (music teachers from Austin. . . awesome).Always on rotation: anything from the putumayo labelsome other artists: Frances England, Justin Roberts, Trout Fishing in America, They Might Be Giants kids’ album, Bare Naked Ladies kids’ album

    some other albums with mixed artists: Big Blues: blues music for kids; For the Kids (with big winners like Cake doing the old muppets tune Mahna Mahna); Jazz for Kids: Sing, clap, wiggle and shake

    Some not kids’ music for kids: Spearhead/Michael Franti (w/rushes to turn the volume down!)The Beatles Octopus’ Garden? Perfection.Jack Johnson (no, NOT the curious george soundtrack)

    And hands down the best ever? Free to Be You and Me. Seriously. . . good GOOD stuff.

    There’s so much more, I’m sure, but I can’t spew it out right now. I’ll be watching the comments here with baited breath!

  2. my kids are huge Pink Martini fans. Huge. And they love the Plain White Tees. And Bob Marley. There was nothing better than my 3 year old blond bespectacled Gunnar belting out “Get up. Stand up! Stand up for your right.” Nothing. Oh, and Neil Diamond. They love themselves some Sweet Caroline.

  3. We have a lot of amazing folk/indie singers here in Canada. We love The Be Good Tanya’s. Po’ Girl, Kate Maki, The Great Lake Swimmers, Jill Barber, Bonnie Prince Billy, Sarah Harmer, Serena Ryder, and Ron Sexsmith to name a few.

    My son loves Elizabeth Mitchell, Woody Guthrie, Feist (1234 especially), Pete Seeger, Ella Jenkins and Tom Waits (The Early Years).

  4. For my girls Ella Jenkins is always a hit and they love Juno soundtrack although there are a few songs that I have to run to turn the volume down at parts. Thanks for the great list.

  5. My kids love Mika especially the ‘Lollipop’song,Scissor sisters, they love dancing along to that disco music.Motown gets them jigging in the car and a bit of Paul Weller.They also love ‘Joshua Giraffe’ on the Raffi – ‘Baby Beluga’ CD.Have a great weekend

  6. I sang ‘Born to Run’ to both kids when pacing the floor with them during those late nights – and ‘Seasons of Love’ from ‘Rent’.

  7. Two of our favorites (not on your list) are Barenaked Ladies’ kids album “Snacktime” and anything by the group Hot Peas and Butter. We also have a great Jazz kids album with all the greats on it that we have a lot of fun dancing too.

  8. So many of our favorites have been mentioned– the Be Good Tanyas’ “Littlest Birds” is getting me through this winter, but I do have a few to add–

    U2, always.Nanci Griffith, esp. Flyer and One Fair Summer EveningEddie from Ohiothe O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack– the boys love it– we listen to it every summer when we are riding in the country (“In the Big Rock Candy Mountain, you never change your socks. . .” :-)I have a lot of George Winston and other Windham Hill music esp for mealtimesSome Dan Zanes and Mary Chapin Carpenter, some old Rich Mullins, some Caedmon’s CallSimon and Garfunkel, a bit of Sting. . .

    I love posts like this, because they always send me off to listen to fun samples, etc.

  9. Hey Molly, based on your tastes, you will love 1) Hem and 2) The Weepies. Have you heard of either of those bands? Also, I love Josh Ritter and the Gabe Dixon Band (cool piano band). And Chris Thile is amazing, so is Nickel Creek. Bare Naked Ladies’ Snacktime and Jazz for Kids totally rock!! Hope you guys are well!

  10. One of my all time favorite artists is David LaMotte, an independent singer-songwriter from North Carolina. Here’s his website: http://www.davidlamotte.com/home.html. Unfortunately, he’s just “retired” from singing to go into fulltime international peace work. Actually, I think that’s a very good thing. Any of his music would be great for kids, but in particular his “S.S. Bathtub” cd was written for children. He even wrote a book by the same title. You can still download his music, or listen for free from his website. Definitely worth checking out.

  11. Gordon Lightfoot, his songs are all stories set to music…

    He has one song called, “The Pony Man,” about a wonderful man who brings special ponies to town and they feed them candy apples and go on adventures on boats and more.

    Oddly, he also sings, “Sun Down” which definitely is in the “Adult” category as topics go.

  12. I have to agree, They Might Be Giants and BareNaked Ladies have really fun albums. We saw TMBG at the Old School of Folk Music a few years back and it was the greatest! I only wish my kids were old enough to really remember it!

    I also like Harry Connick Jr’s kids album. There are a lot of Mary Poppins songs…

    I have a very low tolerance for kids music. Most I really detest, unless it’s a “non kids” artist singing for kids…Oh, we also listen to XRT in Chicago ( I know you know it! ) All my kids started saying the call letters at very young ages! 🙂

  13. OMG. I followed your link to the “It’s a Big World” video. My daughter and I love it! Love! You have turned us on to new favourite music and art. Sweet.

    We love Dan Zanes around here. He gets us all up and dancin’.

  14. I’m a children’s librarian, so there’s only so much kids music I can handle. We currently love old Elton John (especially Crocodile Rock), Willie Nelson’s kid cd “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, all Ella Jenkins, all Pete Seeger, Kathy Reid-Naiman. I want to shoot Raffi most days, but can sometimes handle it. Duplex (a family band from Vancouver, BC) is also really fun.

    Non-kids stuff: Feist, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Be Good Tanyas, Sarah Harmer – anything folky/dancey/bluegrassy/jazzy.

  15. you might like michael card’s sleep sound in jesus. if you’re ituning, listen to “barocha” off that album- great song. i like john michael talbot+michael card- you can tell they write straight from scripture. i discovered renee and jeremy through your site and think they’re pretty great.

    a new one to me is shannon stephens. out of seattle, a believer, on the asthmatic kitty label with sufjan stevens… she has some great songs on her self-titled album. if you’re checking her out, listen to “welcome to new york” and “i’ll be glad.” i think the whole album is great, from what i can tell! judging from your musical taste- gillian, patty, and the likes- you will probably dig her. :0) happy i-tuning!

  16. you know, i’ve been listening to a lot of willie nelson lately and loving it. i too, like carrie love michael franti but you do need to know when certain words/phrases are about to appear if the kiddos are around.

    rosie thomas – lyle lovett (some) – lucinda williams – ani difranco – jack johnson – stephen stills – neil young – bob marley -….. the list goes on

    i have to tell you – you’re #7, 8 and 9. i’ve seen them all together in concert. twice. once in vermont and once in central park. and my life really isn’t that cool. but those two shows sure were.

  17. I love everything on your list!We love old-school, in-concert Raffi. The Diddy-Bops are funny and bubble gum like 40’s style music. Kids love them and I can stand them in spades.We also YouTube Plain White T’s often.Be Good Tanya’s, the Waifs, Missy Higgins.

    I used to follow Lisa Loeb around LA in High School/Early college. We’d hit every show she’d play. Ahh, good memories.

    Great list, Molly!

  18. We listen to a lot of Really Rosie, Free to be You and Me, Schoolhouse Rock, The Animaniacs, (throw backs to my childhood) Laurie Berkner, Mary Miche, Song of the Lakes, Barenaked Ladies, The Cages, Disney classics, and Raffi.

  19. Kids:RaffiCedarmont Kids – we have a huge collectionLaurie BerknerDan ZanesVeggie Tales sing a longsElla JenkinsHap PalmerJazz for Kids – various CDs of this typeSusie TallmanMusic for Little People (Rock, etc)

    Me:Ray LamontagneFernando OrtegaBluegrassJazz vocalists like Dinah Washington80s New WaveU2

    I love Pandora. I start my own “station” with an artist or two that I like and I’ll find out about a lot of other artists that are similiar.

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