Blues songs for kids?

Subject: Blues songs for kids?
From: SmokinBill
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 02:00 AM

Can anyone suggest some good blues songs that would be suitable for performing for children? I have a day care gig coming up, and I'd like to do some blues in addition to the usual kiddy stuff. I can't think of any blues that don't mention booze, sex or violence ....

Bill

Smokin' Bill's Digital Depot

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:12 AM

Um, no. But I usually re-write a few verses, and try to translate grown-up stuff into something parallel or similar for a kid point of view.
It has violence, but kids usually respond to Staggolee. He was a BAAAAD man. They like that.

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: black walnut
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:51 AM

You MUST check out Jimmy Bowskill, the 13 year old blues guy who just won himself a Canadian Indie Award. I've heard him sing and play....to tell you the truth I expected simplicity and copy-cat musicianship, but what I heard was real talent and knowledge of the syle. He chums with the likes of Rick Fines and Colin Linden. Jimmy is quite amazing and has written some songs that you would find quite appropriate for a young blues audience (and grownups, too). His CD is called "Old Soul".

Jimmy Bowskill: http://www.jimmybowskill.com.

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 11:33 AM

There was a past thread on this, can't recall the title....

~S~

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 12:06 PM

How about the Big Rock Candy Mountain (hobo tune) with a few bluesy chords added?

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 06:55 PM

Fred, I like the idea of turning Staggolee into a kids' tune. It would need some serious revision, though. I'd rather not sing the verses about him hanging on the scaffold, etc., to a bunch of 4 year olds...

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: AnneMC
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 05:20 AM

There is a great 1950s blues song written by New Zealander
Johnny Cooper called "Lonely Blues". I have taught it to my class
of 7-8 year olds and they loved it, and it can be sung as a round.
I could find the chords if anyone was interested.

        LONELY BLUES
                 by Johnny Cooper

Look what you've done, what you've done, my baby
Look what you've done, what you've done, my baby
Look what you've done to my heart.


We made a date and you said maybe
Then you ran away with another baby
Look what you've done to my heart


I've got those lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely blues
Lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely blues
I've got those lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely blues
Those lonely lonely blues

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 09:45 AM

Also see:

OK, Which Blues Songs for Children?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: GUEST,Anne Marie, your accordion-playing pardner
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 03:56 PM

Hi Bill!

I enjoy "The Toe-Tappin', Foot-Stompin', Egg-Shakin' Blues" by Susan James. It's a good one to get the tykes involved...

You can improvise some lyrics like the following:

I've got the hair-brushin'blues....
I've got the tooth-brushin' blues...
I've got the [snow] shovelin' blues...

on and on....

AM

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: Tweed
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:08 PM

Go and see Taj. He's got a load of great kid's songs on his site and there are soundclips to listen at.

Children's Songs ala Taj Mahal

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: Tweed
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:17 PM

Funky Bluesy ABC's

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:31 PM

You can sing almost anything as blues - most nursery rhymes, for example, or advertising jingles.

Or there's all Leadbelly's childrens songs - maybe they aren't technically blues a lot of the time, but close enough.

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: GUEST,Anne Marie
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:39 PM

Bill,

Ernie and Hoots, the owl (Sesame Street) sing "Put Down the Ducky"


If you have any squeekin' tub ducks, they'd make great accompanying instruments.

Anne Marie (Mitch's idea)

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: Tweed
Date: 25 Apr 04 - 04:57 PM

Here's a badly recorded one that ain't exactly blues but is a little funked up. Used to be every kid knew the words to it, but not so sure anymore.
O Susannah

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: GUEST,shadowbox1111
Date: 26 May 10 - 09:14 AM

I have a recording from a kid's CD called Nothin Blues. I no longer have the CD and cannot fing the lyrics anywhere.

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: Bettynh
Date: 26 May 10 - 11:48 AM

red riding hood

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 26 May 10 - 01:36 PM

Mississippi John Hurt's "(That's the way you spell) CHICKEN."

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: Bettynh
Date: 26 May 10 - 01:42 PM

Shadow, was it Talking Nothin Blues?

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: iancarterb
Date: 26 May 10 - 11:59 PM

Sandra Boynton (Hippos Go Berserk et al) has a wonderful kids book with a BB King CD called One Shoe Blues. Definitely qualifies.

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 27 May 10 - 02:36 PM

My pal Spencer Bohren has created a great "edutainment" introduction to the blues, playing and singing multiple versions of a single song, "Down the Dirt Road Blues," each one an example of a different period of musical history. (He plays a variety of different guitars and at least one banjo, too.) There's an element of scholarly lecture in his presentation, along with the actual musical performance.

It's not explicitly for kids ~ adults can certainly appreciate it just as fully ~ but it is entirely accessible to youngsters, and Spencer has often performed it for young audiences at schools, etc.

Here's a link to Spencer's website, describing the CD version of this piece:

http://www.spencerbohren.com/discography/album-info.php?cdid=39

Subject: RE: Blues songs for kids?
From: Bobert
Date: 27 May 10 - 09:04 PM

Actually there are plenty of blues songs for kids... The problem, however, is that adults hear something very different...

I mean, take Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster"... Hey, it can be a kid's song that is fun or it can be taken as a naughty little adult's song... Same with R.L. Burnside's "Miss Maybelle" ("let me be your hoppin' frog")...

B~