Comments on: As long as my baby likes Tom Waits, we’ll be cool.

By: MSG Quixo

MSG Quixo — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 05:06:33 +0000

As long as you’re on a Tom Waits theme, I used to sing Innocent When You Dream as a lullaby to my babies. I had to cut it out when they hit their fear of death phase, but the song isn’t much worse then rock a bye baby. Picture in a Frame also nice. And for some reason our twin month-old babies wouldn’t calm down unless we played “Crazy About My Baby” by Louis Armstrong. Not a mellow song, but it cured the fussiness. I suggest you try and find the Waits version of that too.

By: koew

koew — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:24:47 +0000

My kids – when I get them (later in life) – will absolutely be brought up with Tom Waits on the stereo. They’ll either become alpha-male Romeos or deep-thinking nighthawks at some diner.

On the subject, I’ll introduce them to Leonard Cohen as well.

By: ZoBabe

ZoBabe — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:25:51 +0000

“Summertime” from “Porgie and Bess,” and “St. James Infirmary,” by Cab Calloway.

By: ACG

ACG — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:28:35 +0000

Oh, and when I was volunteering with special-needs kids, one of them would cry when overstimulated, and the only things that would calm him down were “You Are My Sunshine” and “Mr. Golden Sun,” which I think is from Barney. For the entire hour. Made him happy, though.

By: ACG

ACG — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:24:49 +0000

My parents never really sang to me, but whenever any of my friends have a baby, they get a copy of a lullaby mix CD that has always gone over well. Otis Redding, “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay”; Elvis, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”; Jump, Little Children, “Cathedrals”; REM, “Nightswimming”; the Beatles, “Hey Jude”; and so on. I’ve got those and other similar ones on a playlist I play for my dog when he’s in his crate during the day; they keep him calm, and he seems to be developing an appreciation for Sarah Vaughan.

By: Laurie in Mpls.

Laurie in Mpls. — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:35:20 +0000

Hey, Rockit:
Greensleeves does in fact have lyrics. Not that I can remember them. *sigh* I believe the origin is English and it’s rather old, and I do believe the lyrics have been around for a long, long time, not added recently.

It’s one of my favorite carols, actually. Ooooh! I remember! The lyrical version is usually referred to as “What Child Is This?” Someone please, please correct me if I’m wrong in thinking that the lyrics are quite old.

By: Rockit

Rockit — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:48:10 +0000

Ha! My mum used to sing Greensleeves to me (yes, I know there are no lyrics – it was more of a ‘Da da da’ thing) when I was a lad. And like everyone else my age in the western world, the two albums on the stereo were Born In The USA and Brothers In Arms.

Ah, the mid-eighties.

By: Hannah marie

Hannah marie — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:57:16 +0000

My da used to sing “Carve that Possum” by Southern Culture on the Skids.

I think it partially explains why there are so many things wrong with me.

Otherwise, my ma used to sing a lot of musicals and Sinead o’Connor and Natalie Merchant and Tracy Chapman.

By: Laurie in Mpls.

Laurie in Mpls. — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:29:30 +0000

Book Girl!

OMG, someone else who knows that one!! Mostly people just look at me funny…. ;) And the fact that you are from NZ and know it — makes me wonder if my dad picked it up during WW2 when he was overseas, or what.

I’ve sung it through several times (much to the consternation of my cats! ;) and I’m pretty sure I have the “chorus” written down the way my dad used to sing it. Doesn’t mean there couldn’t be variations. :)

And my dad used to sing “Bushel and a Peck” to me, too. Never knew it was from “Guys and Dolls”, so it was a little strange the first time I saw that show. *grin* Then again, my ma and I used to clean the living room to “The Stripper”. :D

By: AJS

AJS — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:36:19 +0000

Our baby (7 months) loves Waits’ Chocolate Jesus.

We are going through a folky period with her. John Henry and Erie Canal from Bruce, Man of Constant Sorrow, but Beatles work well too. Esp Yellow Submarine.

Worst thing now for weeks I can not get the Addams Family theme out of my head. She was fascinated by snapping fingers so it was a natural. My wife who grew up in the Soviet Union and has no idea what the Addams Family is constantly hums it also.