Notes about notes

As a music-lover that knows just enough to have strong opinions, but not enough to blog about them (wink) with a toddler who seems to have super-good hearing and a love for music (and lots of opinions), I am jotting this post. It's one of those that's more for me -- to capture a few things that made my heart happy today.

Rocking out to Pandora

At morning snack, he pointed to my shirt and said, "Beatles!" I said, "Yeah! We know some Beatles songs like 'Here Comes the Sun.'" He said, "Here Comes the Sun, Daddy!" Josh said, "You like that song, buddy?" And Gavin said, "Yeah!" (I didn't mention "Twist and Shout" because when he hears it, he says, "Beatles yelling." He's not a fan of yelling in real life or in music...unless he's doing it.)

From "Do-Re-Mi" (Sound of Music), he has memorized the sound of the interval Sol-Do, which occurs prominently at the end of the song. The song came on Pandora in the car, and he said, "At the end, they're gonna say 'Sol Do!'"

They were playing Latin music at the restaurant at dinner. He was dancing pretty hard in his little seat. Then he said, "At the end, they're gonna say 'Sol Do!'" Then he smiled. Such a joker.

Then while we were eating and talking and listening, he said, "They're playing drums." I affirmed him, and thought about saying, "And guitar," just to help him continue to develop his ear, but then I told myself to just take a breath -- he's two. Then, I kid you not, two songs later he said, "They're playing drums...and guitar!"

See, I told you it was for me. But if you enjoyed sharing it with me, well that's cool, too.

Gavin's Playlist

My sweetie loves him some music. He listens intently, and he always has. I can remember as early as four months watching him in the "music trance" as we still call it (at 21 months). For Gavin, music can be a source of comfort, calm, fun, silliness and motivation.

For a long time, we subsisted on Toddler Pandora (with the exception of the Beatles Lullaby CD that he falls asleep to), but let's face it. Pandora can be glitchy or slow and requires wi-fi, which means in the middle of nowhere, in a basement or on a plane, you are out of luck. As much as I love free, I finally purchased some of our favorite songs and want to share Gavin's very own playlist with you, along with--in true blogger fashion--my opinions about why it's fabulous.

In no particular order...Gavin's Playlist

Johnny Bregar's entire Stomp Yer Feet! album which includes great blues-y versions of "If You're Happy...", "Bingo", "Alphabet Song", and lots more.

Elizabeth Mitchell's versions of "Freight Train", "Little Bird, Little Bird", "Peace Like a River", "Shoo-Fly", "This Little Light of Mine", "You Are My Sunshine", and Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds." I especially love "Little Sack of Sugar" and "One Day, Two Days..." because the lyrics remind me of an enamored, sleep-deprived parent just overflowing with cuddles and smiles due to pure baby cuteness -- kind of like how the love tags started with Gavin (see blog intro). Her voice is pure but not too sweet. Plus, she often has cute babies singing or talking in the background which Gavin loves. "Car, Car" will be my next download from her.

Sandra McCracken (wife of Derek Webb [now solo artist formerly of Caedmon's Call] and folk rock singer in her own right) put together the Rain for Roots project with several of her friends and released Big Stories for Little Ones. Spiritually-meaningful lyrics put to real music. I sometimes listen to it when Gavin's not around--especially track 2.

"Down By the Bay" from the Campfire Sing-Along album by Orange Sherbet and Hot Buttered Rum. A children's song with scat singing. Worth it.

Someone named Ukulele Jim does my very favorite version of "The Wheels on the Bus" (the things I have opinions about now as a mom are kind of ridiculous and rather exhausting, and yet...) It's another one with cute kids singing along, so it's one of Gavin's favorites.

Bob Marley's "One Love/People Get Ready"

The Beatles' "Love Me Do" and "Hello, Goodbye"

Switchfoot's "More Than Fine" -- I just had to. (Love them)

Caedmon's Call's "The Only One" (People get smarter when they listen to Caedmon's Call)

Raffi's "Down on Grandpa's Farm" (Gavin's current favorite), "Bananaphone" (pure silliness), "He's Got the Whole World", "Octopus's Garden", and "This Little Light of Mine."

"You've Got a Friend in Me" by Randy Newman (from Toy Story). Though I love Disney songs, Gavin is not quite into the drama and orchaestral fullness of them. However, he does love this one.

"All I Want Is You" by Barry Louis Polisar (from the Juno soundtrack) -- I may never have picked it if not for Toddler Pandora, but it became a favorite of Gavin's, and we like dancing to it.

If I decide to spend more money, I'll definitely be adding a Jack Johnson and a Frances England or two. 

Now it's your turn. What song(s) would you add? What's your child's current favorite?