Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood

As I mentioned before with Love is All, an easy way to attract kids to good music is video. One day I had my British friend James for diner. As a good old Brit he had to listen to good old British pop. So he went to Youtube and, I can’t remember why, but he put Clint Eastwood from Gorillaz. My daughter was mesmerized, she loved the video. First I was a bit skeptical because there are some skeletons in the video, and everything is a bit dark. I thought she would get scared, but she didn’t. In fact, she still asks me to put the video a few times a week because she loves when the monkeys dance (thank god she doesn’t know Michael Jackson yet so she doesn’t know the monkeys dance like him). Also I’m quite lucky because she doesn’t question me too much on the lyrics (she is too busy starring at the video). Because I think “I’m useless” is not really uplifting, but she doesn’t listen to it. And instead of “I ain’t happy” I just sing “I’m happy” ;o)

Lyrics

Oh oh oh oh oh
I ain’t happy,
I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I’m useless but
Not for long
The future is coming on

I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless,but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on

Yeah… Ha Ha!
Finally someone let me out of my cage
Now, time for me is nothing cos I’m counting no age
Now I couldn’t be there
Now you shouldn’t be scared
I’m good at repairs
And I’m under each snare
Intangible
Bet you didn’t think so I command you to
Panoramic view
Look I’ll make it all manageable
Pick and choose
Sit and lose
All you different crews
Chicks and dudes
Who you think is really kickin’ tunes?
Picture you gettin’ down in a picture tube
Like you lit the fuse
You think it’s fictional
Mystical? Maybe
Spiritual
Hearable
What appears in you is a clearer view cos you’re too crazy
Lifeless
To know the definition for what life is
Priceless
For you because I put you on the hype shit
You like it?
Gunsmokin’ righteous with one token
Psychic among those
Possess you with one go

I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless,but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on

The essence the basics
Without it you make it
Allow me to make this
Childlike in nature
Rhythm
You have it or you don’t that’s a fallacy
I’m in them
Every sprouting tree
Every child apiece
Every cloud you see
You see with your eyes
I see destruction and demise
Corruption in disguise
From this fuckin’ enterprise
Now I’m sucking to your lies
Through Russ, though not his muscles but the percussion he provides
with me as a guide
But y’all can see me now cos you don’t see with your eye
You perceive with your mind
That’s the inner
So I’m gonna stick around with Russ and be a mentor
Bust a few rhymes so mother fuckers
Remember where the thought is
I brought all this
So you can survive when law is lawless
Feelings, sensations that you thought were dead
No squealing, remember
(that it’s all in your head)

I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless, but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag
I’m useless, but not for long
My future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
My future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
My future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
My future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
My future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
My future is coming on
It’s coming on
It’s coming on
My future

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The Juju Orchestra – Kind of Latin Rhythm

One of my friend told me “I really like your blog, the music is great and I’ve started introducing it to my son… but it’s only about old stuff“. And my answer was “of course it’s old stuff, do you know good music made after 1979 except Jazz ?” (or course this is a completely unfair statement but it was just to piss my friend off). And I have to stress it out again, music is an art : good art spreads through centuries, bad art quickly dies. So there is no old or new music, there is good and bad music (and that’s completely up to your taste, of course).

So, coming back to the topic “what modern music does my daughter listen to ?“, the answer is “not much” (thanks to her dad). But recently I came across a fantastic tune that she loves : Kind of Latin Rhythm from The Juju Orchestra. This German band was created in 2004. In 2007 they recorded the album Bossa Nova Is Not A Crime from where Kind of Latin Rhythm appears.

Why does my daughter love this tune ? First of all, it’s really uplifting, so she loves to dance on it (and I love it too). As the title says, it’s a kind of latin rhythm with percussions, groovy guitar and a dancing double bass. All the ingredients to make you dance.  Then, she finds the lyrics intricate : “latin rythme known as the Bossa Nova, but this is not really bossa nova“… and it goes on “but this is not really bossa nova“. Because we listen to a lot of Bossa Nova at home, when my daughter turns to me and asks “is this Bossa Nova ?” I turn to her and reply “this is not really bossa nova“, so she says “ok, but if it’s not bossa nova, then, what kind of music is that” and I reply “well, this is not really bossa nova” (and this game can go for quite long).

So, enjoy, put the music really loud, make your kids dance and always remember “this is not really bossa nova“.

Marilyn Monroe – My heart belongs to Daddy

This song is perfect if you are a dad who loves your daughter (and vice versa) and who doesn’t want little boys to play with her ;o) My Heart Belongs to Daddy is a song written by Cole Porter, for the 1938 musical Leave It to Me . It was fantastically sang by Marilyn Monroe in the movie Let’s Make Love in 1960 (starring Yves Montand).

So, why will your daughter love this song ? Because the lyrics are so cute ! You can hear “Mon coeur est a papa“, “my heart belongs to daddy” or “my heart belongs to daddy, so I simply couldn’t be bad“. Isn’t that cute ? And once again, that’s a great introduction to jazz (you can tell your daughter “you see, that’s jazz, isn’t that cool ?”, let’s be a bit positive with jazz, it deserves it).

Lyrics

My name is Lolita and I’m not supposed to play..with boys! What? Mon coeur est a papa. You know, le proprietaire. No!

While tearing off a game of golf,
I may make a play for the caddy,
But when I do, I don’t follow through
‘Cause my heart belongs to daddy.
If I invite a boy some night to dine on my fine finnan haddie,
I just adore his asking for more, but,
My heart belongs to daddy.

Yes, my heart belongs to daddy, so I simply couldn’t be bad.
Yes my heart belongs to daddy.
So I want to warn you laddie,
Though I know that you’re perfectly swell,
That my heart belongs to daddy cause my daddy he treats it so..

While tearing off a game of golf,
I may make a play for the caddy,
But when I do, I don’t follow through,ooh, daddy.
If I invite a boy some night to cook up a fine enchilada,
Though spanish rice is all very nice..

My heart belongs to my daddy so I simply couldn’t be bad.
So, I want to warn you laddie,
though I know that you’re perfectly swell,
that my heart belongs to my daddy
‘Cause my daddy he treats it..so..
That little old man he just treats it so good!

Roger Glover – Love is all

There are several ways to attract your kids to music : melody, lyrics, structure, instruments, rhythm… and the video. Kids love images, movies, cartoons… so when you can combine a nice/funny video with good music, you have won.

Love is all is a perfect match : the video is really funny, the music is rich (with violins and so on) and the lyrics are optimistic and full of love (what else will your kid ask for ?). And that’s because the song comes from the The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast album based on the children’s book of the same title (so the album was made for kids basically). Roger Glover has written the album, yes, the same Roger Glover that played bass within Deep Purple (Love is all is actually the closest my daughter could get to Hard Rock since I still haven’t found a Deep Purple song that she would appreciate).

So, enjoy the video, sing along, and remember to ask your kid to sing Love is all (and that’s so true).

Lyrics

Everybody’s got to live together
All the people got to understand
So, love your neighbour
Like you love your brother
Come on and join the band

Well, all you need is love and understanding
Ring the bell and let the people know
We’re so happy and we’re celebratin’
Come on and let your feelings show

Love is all, well love is all,
Love is all, can’t you hear the call
Oh, love is all you need
Love is all you need at the Butterfly Ball

Ain’t you happy that we’re all together
At the ball in nature’s countryside
And although we’re wearing different faces
Nobody wants to hide

Love is all and all is love and
It’s easy, yes it’s so easy
At the Butterfly Ball where love is all
And it’s so easy

All you need is love and understanding
Hey, ring the bell and let the people know
We’re so happy and we’re celebratin’
Let your feelings show

Love is all, yes love is all at the Butterfly Ball
Love is big, love is small
Love is free, love is all
At the Butterfly Ball

When you back’s to the wall
When you’re starting to fall
You got something to lean on
Love is everything
It can make you sing at the Butterfly Ball
Love is all, I say love is all, yes love is all
At the Butterfly Ball

Ennio Morricone – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Here is another great music that your kid will love. And you know why ? Because kids love to fight (even my 5 years old daughter). Well, if you haven’t seen the movie, it is about cowboys, good ones, bad ones, guns and fights. So, just put the music one, stand up, look at your kid with a strange look (like if you want to defeat him/her)… and start fighting. If your kid really gets into it, turn the music up, and up and up… it will look like a real fight. It’s always good fun.

After the fight, you might want to relax a bit, try this one (my daughter is fascinated by the singer)

And for the pedagogical side of it, make sure to watch the video with your kid and point out that this is “classical” music (show him/her all the instruments). And no, classical music is not always boring (well, I think it’s important to stress that out, then when your kid is older, he/she will remember that not all classical is boring).

Oscar Brown JR – But I Was Cool

This track is great to introduce jazz to your kids. Oscar Brown JR (1926-2005) sung lots of soul, funk and jazz. Because of these influences, this track is really accessible for your kid… and it’s funny too. Listen to it and you will understand why your kid will love it : there is a man crying…. but he is cool. It’s not very often that someone cries in a song, kids are not use to it, so it makes it unusual and fun. The fact that the music stops after the tears and Oscar Brown says in a happy voice but I was cool, makes my daughter laugh.

Your kid doesn’t have to understand the lyrics, but if he/she does of if you want to explain it to him/her, here they are :

Lyrics

I always live by the, golden rule
Whatever happens, ha, don’t blow your cool!
You gotta have nerves of steel
And never show folks how you, honestly feel
I lived all my life this way, ha
For example, take yesterday:

I breeze home happy bringin’ her my pay
Her note read …so long savvy, I haven’t gone away!
An’ I threw myself down across our empty bed
An’ this is what I said:

Ooo shhhhiiiii ooow ooow ooow
What? Oh what are you gonna do with me?
Ooo wow uh
But I was cool!

So I “one for the roaded” at a all night bar
I wound up so loaded, I tore up my car
The judge threw the book at me,
An’ when I read, the sentence there, I said:

“Oow! Please oooow ooow, please I got to know, I got to know
What? what went wrong?
I don’t underst… I oh a,
But I was cool!

So I said she’s the only one, that I have to pay
And I found her an’ pulled my gun, an’ fired point blank
The shot whistled right past that woman’s head
An’ I killed my hound dog, dead!

Oooooow, ruff ruff, rrr, rrr, rrr, rur, rur, rur
As they carried me away
I was overheard to say,
“Be cool, be cool, stay cool, be cool!”

Kids don’t have to listen to crappy music

This is the first entry of a very new blog called Kids don’t have to listen to crappy music. Like every new blog, this one needs some explanation about why I felt the need to create it.

I have many passions. The biggest one being my daughter (5 years old as I write this 1st post) followed by music (I am a big Jazz fan but I don’t deny my pop/rock heritage). For the last five years I had family and friends offering my daughter “kids music” (a.k.a crappy music). I never really understood why kids had to listen to poor structured and repetitive music. And parents also have to put up with that (I couldn’t stand listening to Mary has a little lamb, except the Stevie Ray Vaughan version). Music is an art, like painting. Who said kids couldn’t go to a museum and look at a Jackson Pollock ? Who said kids couldn’t listen to Miles Davis ? They could feel happy, sad, danse or don’t bother at all, but there is no physiological barrier that impedes them to listen to “good” music.

I’ve created this blog to share with you what music my daughter listens to and likes. As this is completely a personal taste, don’t think you will find here psychological explanations about why minor blues makes my daughter sad or why the Beatles cheer her up. No, I’ll post music that appeals to me and to her. I’ll explain you why, but that’s it. Feel free to not like it, feel free to find this blog useless. I’m doing that because it allows me to remember all the tracks she likes and play them back.

Oh, and BTW, my daughter speaks English, French and Portuguese, so you will find a bit of a mixture here.

Enjoy