Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Repertoire

Nora Bee at Whopping Cornbread tagged me for a "what songs do you sing to your kids" meme. I have to say that I don't sing to them very often these days. We sing together a lot -- they are cultivating quite the taste for 80's music. One particular favorite is that Journey chestnut, "Don't Stop, Believe It". (Don't try telling Allie that the title is actually "Don't Stop Believin'".)

However, I still get all misty when I think about the songs that I sang to the kids when they were babies. In fact, I wrote a post about it a few years ago, back when the only people reading my blog were Jeff and my mom. If you'll forgive the recycling, here it is:

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Jeff has requested that I record, for posterity and as a handy reference guide, the list of songs that I sang to Sean every night for his first 18 months and still sometimes resort to singing on particularly restless nights. I don't sing as much to Allie because she tends to be engaged by rather than soothed by singing.


Do Re Mi (from The Sound of Music) (no link because you've got this one down pat!)*
Rainbow Connection (from the Muppet Movie)
I Will (The Beatles)
Somewhere over the Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz, like you didn't know)
My Favorite Things (from The Sound of Music)
In My Life (The Beatles)**
Our House (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young)
Tom's Diner (Suzanne Vega)
Somebody (Depeche Mode)***

I chose these songs on the basis of a few criteria: 1) they are relatively easy to sing (no really high or low notes for my sadly limited vocal range to stretch toward); 2) I know all the words; 3) the tempo is relatively slow; and 4) the lyrics are at least somewhat child-friendly.

* A relatively new addition to the list. Often, this is the only song we sing. Sean knows all the words, or at least a facsimile thereof. He calls the song "Do Mi Mi".
** Position number 6 was originally occupied by "Eleanor Rigby." I excised this one when Sean became older because the lyrics are so grim. No need to encourage melancholy in a 2-year-old.
***This is an optional song, reserved for the almost-asleep state. The lyrics, although pretty darn positive for Depeche Mode, are still a little too adult for full consciousness.

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Thanks, Nora. That was fun! I'll leave the tag open to anyone who wants it.