A Lovely Voice

We all say things we will never do as parents, before we actually become parents.  Only to realize later how incredibly naive we were.  There's a funny post about it by Amy at "Rants from Mommyland", voicing her top 10 "Oh, now I get it" moments.  Sean and I used to say we wouldn't be doing the whole "children's music" thing.  We love music, and singing, and felt kids could enjoy adult music just as well.  We couldn't see spending hours listening to endless renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Hokey Pokey" and "Baby Beluga".  And the myriad other songs that I now know every word to and usually am singing to myself as I'm going about my day. 

There's no escaping it, kids like kids music.  And parents like seeing their children smile, sing, and catch on to music.  And it's just much easier for them to catch on with Twinkle Twinkle.  So, we quickly and quietly surrendered to children's music, just like we surrendered to a house littered with toys and toast with no crusts and the use of our bodies as jungle gyms.  It's not that bad, really.  Singing is singing, it still lifts the spirit.  And my sleep deprived brain can't remember lots of complex lyrics anymore, anyway.

Still, I want to share one of my happiest finds in children's music that adults can enjoy just as much.  Elizabeth Mitchell.  My friend gave me two of her CD's, "Catch the Moon" (with Lisa Loeb) and "You Are My Sunshine", when Boodge was a baby.   Mitchell has a beautiful, smooth voice and a low-key delivery that makes all the children's songs she sings sound sophisticated and fun at the same time.   She sings old standards like "Twinkle Twinkle" as well as more hip covers like "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley--one of my favorite comfort songs.  You can one of her versions here, though it is a bit different on the CD, titled "You Are My Little Bird".  It's her daughter and husband singing with her.  Beautiful.

We lost Catch the Moon in the move somehow, and just got reacquainted with it when Peanut was born.  It has become the soundtrack to this time in my life, as Boodge likes to put it on at least once a day, and usually first thing.   Two songs in particular have become a bit of a morning meditation for me, setting me right for the day.  One is "So Glad I'm Here", which you can listen to on her site (there is a generous selection of music there to listen to, so stay a while).  It is sort of gospelly and repeats the lines, "So glad I'm here, everyday" and "Love brought me here, everyday" with a nice clap-able rythm.  Just what I need when I am grumpy from an early wake-up.  Right--love. That's why the hell I'm up at 6am after a crappy night. And I'm glad to be a mum, truly.  I just forgot for a minute.  By the end of the song, I usually remember.

Another one that I love is a Dylan cover called "New Morning".  I'm sure Dylan didn't write it for his kids (maybe?) but it perfectly expresses how I feel sometimes when I am able to just stop and enjoy the miracle of my children and the simple good fortune of each day I have with them, as they show me the world anew.  "So happy just to see you smile, underneath the sky of blue."

I couldn't find an audio version, so here are all the lyrics.  I recommend you get your hands on Michell's version, on Catch the Moon.  And if you're looking for some music that you and your children can really enjoy together then don't be afraid to pick up a few of her CD's.   She truly is a lovely voice.  

New Morning

Can’t you hear that rooster crowin’?
Rabbit runnin’ down across the road
Underneath the bridge where the water flowed through
So happy just to see you smile
Underneath the sky of blue
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you

Can’t you hear that motor turnin’?
Automobile comin’ into style
Comin’ down the road for a country mile or two
So happy just to see you smile
Underneath the sky of blue
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you

The night passed away so quickly
It always does when you’re with me
Can’t you feel that sun a-shinin’?
Groundhog runnin’ by the country stream
This must be the day that all of my dreams come true
So happy just to be alive
Underneath the sky of blue
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you
So happy just to be alive
Underneath the sky of blue
On this new morning, new morning
On this new morning with you
New morning . . .