Kindie-Chartin': Kids Place Live's Top Songs of 2011

Last year I reviewed the most popular songs of the year on Sirius-XM's Kids Place Live radio show. It was an imprecise attempt to gauge the popularity of artists and songs on a national level. Given that the show has nearly 17,000 fans on its Facebook page, its listenership is not small. Almost every weekend, the channel broadcasts its "13 Under 13" show, a Casey Kasem for the kiddos which counts down the week's top songs. As noted last year, the list is not totally objective -- there is a subjective nature to the list which takes into the station's directors' sense of buzz, for example, associated with each song. There's a practical limit to the number of times the station can play a song in a week without annoying its audience through oversaturation, a limit which may not totally reflect the demand for it via listener requests. Having said that, there does appear to be a rational relationship between the rankings and actual airplay. For example, the most recent "13 Under 13" had the Board of Education's "Why Is Dad So Mad?" at #1, Keller Williams' "Mama Tooted" at #7, and Caspar Babypants' "Sugar Ant" at #14. The total number of airplays (excluding double-counts) for the week that roughly corresponds to KPL's week, according to Dogstar Radio, was 25, 16, and 13, respectively.

"Felt Around the World" - "We Are the World" for a New Generation

Felt Around the World coverBig news in the kindie world today as more than a dozen kindie puppets officially released a new song, "Felt Around the World," designed to raise awareness of puppet rights.  Accompanied by a video and a brand new organization -- Hand Aid -- the song is designed to make listeners aware of the inherent dignity of sock-, felt-, and cotton-based puppets both inside and outside the kindie music world.

The song is the brainchild of puppet songwriter Marion Aeder, who's written for such puppet music luminaries as Kermit the Frog, the Von Trapp Family puppets, and the version of Punch and Judy currently being performed by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas.  "I was tired of seeing my puppet friends treated like mere toys," and wanted to give voice to the feelings all puppets have," says Aeder.

So he contacted his friend, the puppet impressario Mayor Monkey.  MayMo is best known, perhaps, as the excitable hand puppet band manager of Seattle kids music band Recess Monkey, but he also has served stints as a Public Interest Research Group organizer, and it turns out MayMo had been hearing many of the same concerns Aeder had.

West Ginger Liberty

The two puppets banded together -- Aeder providing the music and lyrics, and Mayor Monkey contacting his many compatriots in the kindie world.  For example, Socrates Monk, sock puppet manager of Australian-American kindie band The Mudcakes, was happy to join in.  Likewise, West Ginger Liberty, Princess Katie's right hand-er, puppet, also immediately said yes -- her performance on "Felt Around the World" is her first on-record singing performance.

Aeder and MayMo -- like Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, or Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones before them -- merged an anthemic song with a cast of stars.  Unlike "Do They Know It's Christmas?" or "We Are the World," however, they didn't need to all gather in one place.  Technological advances of the past 25 years meant that they could all record in the comfort of their own... homes, and send their work into Mayor Monkey, who by this time had also managed to corral (hound? badger?) Recess Monkey into playing backup and Jarrett J. Krosoczka into contributing album art.

Enthusiasm among the kindie puppets ran high for the project, with many new kindie puppets joining in, sometimes for very personal reasons.  "Felt" participants Macho Nacho and Mouth Trumpet from Musical Stew met after being placed in Time Out after a peaceful 2004 demonstration in Medford, Oregon as the "Puppet Movement" was gaining momentum. Others, like Yosi's super-exuberant Eugene (he of the instantly memorable adlibs during the song's bridge) or Todd McHatton's Marvy had no personal tie to the project, but found themselves instantly drawn in.  (Marvy is rumored to be working on a solo record, in fact.)  And clearly it gave some puppets like The Wolf, best known for his demolition business, an opportunity to share skills he's honing with Debbie and Friends.

Felt Around the World co-mastermind Mayor MonkeyWhile the primary purpose of Hand Aid and "Felt Around the World" is to raise awareness of puppet rights, it's also going to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.  (All net proceeds after mixing, mastering, and Mayor Monkey's new megaphone he bought to keep everyone in line will go to St. Jude's.)  Listeners got a sneak peak of the song yesterday at Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, Ages 3 and Up!, Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl, and Hilltown Families.  But you can purchase the song today at iTunes, Amazon (affiliate link), and CD Baby.

Or enjoy the video right here.  Remember, folks, puppets are people, too.  OK, they're puppets.  But they deserve our respect.

KidVid Tournament 2012: Todd McHatton vs. Princess Katie & Racer Steve

After a fun couple days of Elite Eight competitions for KidVid Tournament 2012, it's time for the Final Four.

The first Final Four matchup features a couple of Cinderella squads.  For at least half of the matchup, that's actually a decent description as it pits the Woody Guthrie Region winner, the #4 seed Princess Katie & Racer Steve's "Sand in My Sandwich" against the Ella Jenkins Region winner, the #6 seed Todd McHatton's "I Think I'm a Bunny."

So, watch both videos below -- even if (especially if) you came here intending to vote for a specific video.  One vote per family by 8:30 PM West Coast time tonight.  Play nice, y'all -- this isn't worth getting hot'n'bothered about.  Most importantly, have fun!

Princess Katie & Racer Steve - "Sand in My Sandwich" [YouTube]

Todd McHatton - "I Think I'm a Bunny" [YouTube]

KidVid Tournament 2012: Week 2 Summary

KidVid Tournament 2012It was an even more exciting second week of action in KidVid Tournament 2012, with brackets busted everywhere.  Week 3 promises more fun than you can shake a stick at, though why you'd shake a stick at fun is beyond me, because if I were fun I'd be scared of families shaking sticks at me.

Aaaanyway, Elite Eight matchups are as follows...

Woody Guthrie Region
#4 Princess Katie & Racer Steve - "Sand in My Sandwich" vs. #6 Imagination Movers - "Everybody Sing"

The winner of the Woody Guthrie Region meets the winner of the...

Ella Jenkins Region

#5 Gustafer Yellowgold "Pancake Smackdown" vs. #6 Todd McHatton - "I Think I'm a Bunny"

Leadbelly Region
#1 Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band - "Blue Bear" vs. #3 Rocknoceros - "Early Worm"

The winner of the Leadbelly Region will take on the winner of the...

Pete Seeger Region
#2 The Pop Ups - "Balloon" vs. #8 Suzi Shelton - "Tomboy in a Princess Dress"

As with last week's entries, this week's competition will place across teh Internets at many of these fine websites who can meet most if not all of your family's kids music needs.

KidVid Tournament 2012: Week 1 Summary

It was an exciting first week of action in KidVid Tournament 2012 and week 2 will be even more exciting.  (I hope.)  Without any further ado, the 2nd Round matchups are as follows...

Woody Guthrie Region
#1 Elizabeth Mitchell - "Ong Tal Sam" vs. #4 Princess Katie & Racer Steve - "Sand in My Sandwich"
#2 Dog on Fleas - "Do You Wanna Know My New Dance Step?" vs. #6 Imagination Movers - "Everybody Sing"

The winner of the Woody Guthrie Region meets the winner of the...

Ella Jenkins Region

#1 Caspar Babypants - "Mister Rabbit" vs. #5 Gustafer Yellowgold "Pancake Smackdown"
#2 Renee & Jeremy - "Share" vs. #6 Todd McHatton - "I Think I'm a Bunny"

Leadbelly Region
#1 Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band - "Blue Bear" vs. #5 Beethoven's Wig - "My Little Chicken"
#2 The Not-Its! - "First Kid in Outer Space" vs. #3 Rocknoceros - "Early Worm"

The winner of the Leadbelly Region will take on the winner of the...

Pete Seeger Region
#4 Brady Rymer - "Love Me For Who I Am" vs. #8 Suzi Shelton - "Tomboy in a Princess Dress"
#2 The Pop Ups - "Balloon" vs. #3 Rabbit! - "Magic"

As with last week's entries, this week's competition will place across teh Internets at these fine locales.  Really, you should familiarize yourself with each and every one of 'em!

Finally, I'd just like to say thanks to all of you for not entering the official tournament pool.  My faith in humanity -- for not entering a silly pool for a silly tournament -- is maintained.

Christmas Songs 2011, Part III

I think it's time to wrap up my Christmas/holiday song links for 2011 seeing as it's barely 48 hours until the celebrating starts. In case you missed any of it, here are links to: Christmas Songs 2011, Part 1 Christmas Songs 2011, Part 2 Christmas Albums 2011, Part 1 (Kids Music) Christmas Albums 2011, Part 2 (Non-Kids Music-Specific) Kris Kindie, the kids music Christmas benefit compilation Tips for caroling with kids And with that, let's get rolling. So, speaking of Kris Kindie, a couple of the tracks on the album are available elsewhere here on the Interwebs. HipwadersLive.jpgThe Hipwaders appeared on Northern California radio this morning, playing a couple tracks off their fun Kindie Christmas album. They played "Wake Up (It's a Christmas Surprise)" (yes, it's on Kris Kindie) live in-studio. Good to hear DJ back in the fold. (Listen to "Yes, It's Christmas" here.) Debbie and Friends also contributed a song to the compilation -- the new tune (and Spin Doctors-inspired) "Santa and Baby." No, she didn't create the video just for the compilation -- that would be a little much to ask for in just a week, but it's kinda cute anyway. Debbie and Friends - "Santa and Baby" [YouTube] Oh, you think we're done here?... we're busier than a shopping mall the last Saturday before Christmas.