Feel What U Feel by Lisa Loeb
In the past few weeks, there has been much written about how to talk about tolerance, kindness, and acceptance with children. Most of what has been written has focused on using books to address these topics. I’d like to offer up the importance of using music as well.
Looking back through the children’s albums that have been released this year, one of the welcome trends is the increased emphasis on not only accepting one another for each other’s differences but also being proud and confident in ourselves and those qualities that make each of us unique. The songs have ranged from silly to serious but all speak to children in a way that they can embrace and understand.
One of the most recent albums that focuses on kindness and acceptance is the newest release from Lisa Loeb, Feel What U Feel. Chock full of beautiful messages that are wrapped in gentle hugs or disguised in upbeat melodies and lyrics, this album is fantastic from beginning to end. The opening song, “Moon Star Pie (It’s Gonna Be All Right,” sets the tone and leads into “Say Hello” a lovely song about how the simple act of being brave and saying hello, or goodbye, or excuse me can be a great show of kindness. From there listeners fall into the groovin’ title track, “Feel What U Feel,” a duet between Loeb and Craig Robinson (from The Office) that lets children know that all those emotions inside them, both good and not so good, are ok. The catchy chorus, “Guess what? It’s okay!/go on and feel what u feel today/Feel what u feel/what u feel what u feel/what u feel what u feel,” will keep the message fresh in listeners minds. Robinson returns with another positive message regarding emotions on the classic tune, “It’s All Right to Cry,” which first appeared on Free to Be You and Me (1972). There are many other great songs on this album, all of which can be shared in a storytime, classroom, or family setting.
With so much music to choose from, I’d love to hear from you. What are some of your favorite songs about kindness, acceptance, emotions, etc. to share with children?
Last week we had the great privilege of hosting Wendy & DB at our library. Back in August I reviewed their album It’s a Doo Da Day for School Library Journal. The album had great empowering messages about being yourself and owning your feelings while at the same time being a lot of fun. At the time, I thought it would be a perfect album for family or classroom listening but didn’t clearly see how to use it in storytime. Then, I saw Wendy & DB perform.
Along with a band of merry music makers, they created their first album, Post Folk Absurdist. This album is filled with fun, wacky, weird songs that will tickle careful listeners. The genres of music switch back and forth and blend throughout the songs, preventing the overall sound from being defined. At first listen, the songs may feel disconnected because of the lack of melodic cohesiveness, but it is in the lyrics where the glue of the album becomes evident. It’s in those words that children will learn that it’s ok if you’re a little weird or different, and who cares what others think. The song titles alone, like “The Platypus and Steve Buscemi,” “Chicken Flap Fly” and “Nightmare on the Kids Menu” will draw children and adults in to find out, “what’s that all about?”
Boston based Vanessa Trien and her band the Jumping Monkeys return with an album that will delight and engage young listeners. Known for an acoustic folk-pop style all her own, Trien crafts songs that tell stories backed by melodies that cross many genres. Beginning with the jazzy title song, “Wonderful You” and continuing on through “All Together Now,” and “Circle of Friends,” this collection of tunes celebrates friends, family and YOU, the listener. Many of the songs, like “Fireworks,” have choruses that are so irresistible, you can’t help but sing along with them. After one stanza, I bet you can’t stop yourself from joining in on Pow pow sizzle sizzle pow pow zoom/Pow pow sizzle sizzle bim bam boom.
Justin Roberts’s 13th album for families was released today and it’s another great one. The twelve all new, acoustic songs cover such familiar topics to children as waiting and waiting to be the right height to ride all the rides at the amusement park, being willing to do anything to get out of playing dodgeball, and the simple joy of taking time out from the day to roll down a hill. The title song “Lemonade” as well as “Me and My Kangaroo” and “This is How We Bring in the Sun” invite listeners to sing along with catchy choruses and delightful melodies. Students will love “Valentine (I don’t wanna be yours)” a tale of kids being made to go through the ritual of handing out valentines even though I don’t wanna be yours/And you don’t wanna be mine. The song “Eight-Legged Octopus” about an octopus who is kept as a pet, but is ultimately returned to the deep blue sea will draw children in and have them counting along with the chorus. This song could easily be adapted into a flannel board to use during storytime. Roberts’s view of the world through a child’s eyes combines with a creative mix of instruments from cardboard boxes and paint cans to cello and ukulele in order to create a collection of songs that children will instantly identify with. Several of the songs could be used in programs where participants are dancing or using musical instruments. The subject matter and top-notch musicianship will make this an album that children AND parents won’t mind listening to again and again.