music to make you happy

I love music and I love all kinds of it.  I believe that my taste in music is super awesome and therefore it’s really important to me to pass on my excellent taste to my children.  Heaven forbid they are overly influenced by their dad who likes classic rock and techno.*

For the most part I try to keep “kiddie music” far away because I selfishly don’t want to listen to it in the car.  The one and only exception is Yo Gabba Gabba; some of the music is a little annoying but about half is fairly catchy and performed by artists I like.  And knowledge of the annoying ones comes in mighty handy at meal time.  For example:

“Hey Lydia, you need to eat your veggies.  They want to go to the party in your tummy.”

“They do?  Okay!” replies my sweet three-year-old as she chomps them down.

So what do we listen to in the minivan?  I frequently make mix cd’s of family friendly music.  And by family friendly I mean songs I like that are not sexually suggestive and have had any foul language edited out.  Mommyhood ain’t about to cramp my style.

So for fun I thought I’d share some of our favorite songs with you and see if you had any suggestions to leave in the combox.  I’m always on the look out for a new-to-me song so share the love!  But I’ll go first.  Here’s Lydia and my Top Ten favorite songs:

JJ Heller’s MagnificatThis song got me through the NICU and so we listen to it a lot.  Lydia likes to listen to the “song about when Mary got pregnant with Jesus” which makes me quite happy.

Harry Belafonte’s Jump In the LineDon’t think about Beetlejuice, just think about how fun this song is.  You can dance around the living room to this one, something my toddlers love to do.  It also makes for great music in the car and kitchen.

Paul McCartney’s Dance TonightWe love this song because it’s happy, simple, and has a strong beat, something very helpful to my little girl who is still learning rhythm.  Sir Paul makes it wonderfully easy to bop around.

Matt Costa’s Mr. PitifulI’m pretty sure the kids love this music video a little more than the song but it’s another one that makes dancing easy.  Are you seeing a theme?

Sara Groves’ Setting Up the PinsWe love this song!  Lydia is able to sing along and she likes the connection the song makes to her life:  “We say a prayer and then say good night, too, Mommy!”  For anyone in the throes of doing the same thing over and over and over again this is a song you will appreciate!

Shakira’s Waka WakaWe did not watch the World Cup but we did download this song.  Lydia and I are equally good at copying the dance moves in this song, which is to say we’re not good at all,  but it’s fun to try – just like it’s fun to sing along.

Kyle Andrews’ You Always Make Me SmileWhat kid (or adult) wouldn’t like a silly excuse to call out, “Oh wait!”?

Justin Bieber’s BabyLet the eye rolling begin (or continue) but you should hear just how cute it is when Lydia says, “When I was 13 I had my first love.”  It’s so adorable it moves on to awesome.

The Beatles’ Ob-La-Di Ob-La-DaOkay I did not link to the Beatles here but only because this cover version is a blast.  If you watch nothing else – click on this link!  This song has to be a standard, right?  To me it just screams “Good Times!”

Grace Potter’s Something That I Want from the Tangled soundtrack.   I don’t care what you think of me – this song is fun!  Fun!

So there ya go – songs that are fun, happy, easy to dance to, and fun to sing along with.  Songs that make both my toddlers and me happy.  Songs that bring peace and fun to our car.  Maybe some of them will do the same for you.  Now please share one of your songs!

*I call it “heck-no.”

Bonnie Engstrom

Bonnie Engstrom

Bonnie Engstrom is a cradle Catholic and stay-at-home mom. She married her dashing husband in 2006 and they now have five children: one in Heaven and four more wandering around their house, probably eating pretzels found under the couch. Bonnie lives in central Illinois and gets excited about baking, music, film adaptations of Jane Austen books, and the Chicago Bears. She was a cofounder of The Behold Conference and she blogs at A Knotted Life.

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11 thoughts on “music to make you happy”

  1. Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” The minute Curt starts singing it Charlotte is mesmerized. Doesn’t matter how upset she is, and it’s been like that since day 1 – so cute! 🙂

  2. Jack Johnson’s “Curious George” soundtrack. All of the songs are pretty danceable and catchy too. We’ve been listening to these songs since my twins were tiny! Also Natalie Merchant’s “Leave Your Sleep.” This is the best family friendly CD I have heard in a looong time and a favorite around. When my kids are in the cranky zone right before dinner, we put it on and I am able to get dinner on the table 🙂

    I will definitely have to check out the songs you listed although I am not a Beatles fan.

  3. Music is powerful. Most of us tend to like the kind of music we liked when we were 20. I like 50s oldies, but I program Christian Hard Rock and Holy Hip Hop – not for me but for the next generation heading for age 20.

    Christian Hard rock has been around for over 25 years, and some of it is very, very good.

  4. “Jammin,” by Bob Marley–apparently I would sing it in a near-perfect Jamaican accent at age 3. Also “Message in a Bottle” by The Police, “Englishman in New York” by Sting, “Red Rain” by Peter Gabriel… anything by Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, or Louis Armstrong. Squirrel Nut Zippers are also good. They Might Be Giants has a few good kids’ albums, along with Flood (old-ish but wonderful and fun to sing–my family and I still break out into renditions of “Birdhouse In Your Soul” or “Istanbul, Not Constantinople”). Some Barenaked Ladies albums are good too (like Stunt). Also Talking Heads, U2, Muse…

    …my family’s taste in music is rather erratic.

  5. I was just saying that to the children’s librarian at story time this week– we don’t listen to much kid’s music either. Jump in the Line and Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da are on our kid’s listen list as well. (They love the Cover Tune Grab Bag video too.)

    My list looks a lot like Ink’s: Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Etta James, Benny Goodman, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers. Definitely They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies.

    Also lots of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Louis Prima (stuff my husband remembers his dad listening to when he was a kid.) Smashmouth has some fun tunes. Jimmy Buffet, Paul Simon.

    I bring some Celtic and Cajun stuff to the mix for some fun get you moving dance music they can’t be beat. Great Big Sea is a fun Celtic group out of Newfoundland. L’Angelus is a great kid-friendly Cajun group.

    “Come on Eileen” “Tubthumping” “Funky Town” My oldest daughter used to pack her bags and tell us she was going to Funky Town. I think she thought it was a real place.

  6. I almost forgot! Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and there is a good CD by a fun ska band. The CD is called Keep it Going and the band is called The Mad Caddies.

    Yes, definitely Tubthumping! That entire Chumbawumba album was a staple in our house when I was little.

    Flogging Molly is good for when they get a little older.

  7. No classical music? As in, none of the greatest music written in history? It’s not all dead white guys, you know – there are plenty of amazing modern composers. With music by Arvo Part, Henryk Gorecki, and James Macmillan, I have not had to waste time with pop music for many years now. Do your kids a favor and expose them to the best! 🙂

  8. Pingback: music to make you smile : IgnitumToday

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