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Swing for Toddlers

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:36 am
by Ron
Here are the swing songs I put on a CD for my girlfriend's 2 1/2 year old. She can already identify Ella. I already knew she liked Oooh shoo-bee-doo-bee and Wade in the Water so I put those on. As I mentioned in another thread, she can sing a lot of the lyrics to Oooh-shoo-bee-doo-bee, and loves the part where Carroll says it in a high squeeky voice. It makes her giggle, and a toddler's giggle is magic.

I chose songs with words, phrases or themes she might understand, or with cutsy nonsense phrases. We'll see how successful it is! Anytime she wants to hear this CD will be OK by me, especially if it saves me from listening to something really cheesy instead, like Barney songs or something. Not to mention that it gets her listening to some good music.

Anyone else made a swing CD for toddlers or young kids?

1. A-You're Adorable - John Lithgow & Bill Elliott (128)
2. Oo-Shoo-Bee-Doo-Bee - Joe Carroll & Ray Bryant (140)
3. Wade in the Water - Eva Cassidy (114)
4. Hot Dog - Chris Powell & the Five Blue Flames (135)
5. Everybody Eats When They - Cab Calloway (150)
6. Rockin' Robin - Bobby Day (175)
7. Goody, Goody - Ella Fitzgerald (140)
8. Orange Colored Sky - Nat King Cole (130)
9. Buzz Buzz Buzz - Mighty Blue Kings (137)
10. Whadaya Want - Casey MacGill (154)
11. Caldonia - Louis Jordan (171)
12. Civilization (Bongo Bongo) - Andrews Sisters (155)
13. Flat Foot Floogie - Slim Gaillard (176)
14. You Gotta Have Skin - John Lithgow (129)
15. Mildred, Won't You Behave? - Bill Elliott (200)
16. It Don't Mean a Thing - Ella & Duke Ellington (280)
17. Youve Got a Friend in Me - Robert Goulet (133)
18. Hard Hearted Hannah- Ella (105)
19. The Jungle King - Cab Calloway (130)
20. Potatoe Chips - Slim Gaillard (140)
21. Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens - Louis Jordan (150)
22. Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats (135)
23. See You Later, Alligator - Bill Haley (155)

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:44 am
by mousethief
In another year, I'll nominate her to be the Official SwingDJs 4 Year Old and she can tell us what swings and what don't.

Good selection. If I was anywheres nears kids, I might look at some very similar stuff.

Thanks!

Kalman

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:41 pm
by julius
not to be mean or anything but it cracks me up that you list tempo for this compilation. is the kid gonna dance?

I'm surprised you don't list "Ain't Got a Home" with the incredibly high-pitched and low-pitched singing/croaking. Seems silly enough for kids!

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:42 pm
by mousethief
Baby Bumper Boogie - Spike Jones

Kalman

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:54 pm
by gatorgal
julius wrote:not to be mean or anything but it cracks me up that you list tempo for this compilation. is the kid gonna dance?
:lol: :lol: :lol:
julius wrote: I'm surprised you don't list "Ain't Got a Home" with the incredibly high-pitched and low-pitched singing/croaking. Seems silly enough for kids!
It's silly enough for us adults!

Great list Ron!

Tina 8)

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:26 pm
by Ron
She does dance! sorta. Mostly one of us holds her on our hip as we dance. Anyway, every swing song on my hard drive has the BPM, so it comes for free when I make a compilation.

"Ain't Got No Home" would have been a good one!

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:37 pm
by funkyfreak
Image

The Boilermakers put out a CD of hot jazz kids songs. "Rocket in My Pocket" is a definate favorite just for the title alone...

-FF

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 2:19 pm
by mousethief
What about Wynton's series for children? I seem to recall that Paul and Sharon used some of that material in their education classes.

Kalman

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 3:58 pm
by Matthew
That's an interesting idea. Here are some more I think a toddler (or an adult) might enjoy:

Benny Goodman
Bach Goes to Town
Hi Ya Sophia
Royal Garden Blues


Charlie Christian
AC-DC Current

Clifford Hayes
Blue Guitar Stomp

Basie
Jive at Five
Song of the Islands
Sweets


Django
Mystery Pacific
Swing '39
Swing '41


Duke
Daybreak Express
Take the "A" Train


Earl Hines
That's A-Plenty
Bubbling Over


Fats Waller
Honeysuckle Rose

Bix Beiderbecke
Riverboat Shuffle

Morris Lane
B. O. Plenty's Return

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 4:07 pm
by Mr Awesomer
"Cocaine Habit Blues"

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 4:10 pm
by mousethief
Marijauna Boogie

Kalman

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 5:01 pm
by Platypus
Fun idea! Fun selection!

We had a "kid theme" dance here a few years ago, so I collected a few CDs to play.....best part: we had an ice cream bar. Worst: the boys don't want there to be coloring books at a dance ever ever again. The girls refused to dance until they had finished their pictures.

Capitol has a record of jazz kids tunes. Scared me when I realized that the Hokey Pokey version was swing-dancable. But, there are quite a few decent tunes, including a swingin' "pop goes the weasel"

Tony Bennett's "Playground"

Louis Armstrong's Disney Album.

Dr. Demento's Mother Goose Album has a Basie version of "London Bridge is falling down."

And there is a Sesame Street Platinum album that has "Put Down the Duckie" and a "C is for Cookie" song that has become a warped favorite here in Houston after two local dancers dirty danced to it.

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:10 pm
by wheresmygravy
Not that it is the best music but there is a "Snoopy's Jazz". It's all played on childrens instruments. It used to be on EMusic...

Image

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:57 pm
by Nando
Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing - "London Bridge is Falling Down"

Bing Crosby's "Swingin on a Star"

Ray Anthony's "Hokey Pokey" and "Bunny Hop"

Leo Watson's "Tutti Frutti"

Kay Kyser's "Woody Woodpecker" (although there is one questionable line, but I'm sure a toddler won't pick up on it.)

Leo Watson - "Whistle While You Work" and "Tutti Frutti"

Lionel Hampton's - "Dough Ray Mi"

Lambert, Hendrick and Ross "New ABC" (I love this song, not completely swingable and the tempo changes too much to play at a venue though.)

Sinatra's "High Hopes" is always cute with the kids.

Tony Bennett's - My Playground has some cute songs. Two of them are duets with Kermit the Frog.

And I'm sure goofy lyrical Slim Gaillard songs would be great for kids.

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head from my collection. I'm sure there's more I'd put in.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2004 1:48 am
by Soma-Guy
My nieces go nutty over Slim and Slam. Over the holidays "Jump Session" and "Chicken Rhythm" were especially big hits with the kiddies. (Both are under 5 years old.)

On a non-swing related tangent try playing some They Might be Giants. They always go over big with the little ones.