Sometimes it’s the way a song is sung, sometimes it’s the words, sometimes it’s the simplicity and beauty in the message. In this case, it is all three.
“You Are Loved” by Hullabaloo
Bonus: Get a FREE DOWNLOAD through the Bandcamp widget below.
Category Archives: Downloads
Tunes for Tots: give the gift of music!
Recently, Steve Denyes – of the band Hullabaloo – posted that for the months of November and December they will be donating one CD to Toys for Tots for every one that is sold. So far it has been a success with 327 CDs sold (as of 12/2/2014)! Amazing! This act of giving has inspired me to think more about how I can help bring joy to children and families in the same way while also supporting independent artists.
Music is such a valuable resource, capable of providing hope, support, relief, restoration, healing and love (the list could really go on!). Why not spread some of it around?
You can check out Hullabaloo’s FB page for updates as well as some of the other artists who have expressed interest such as Karen Rives Kalafatas of Karen K and the Jitterbugs, Jason Didner of Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam, Trevor of The Zing Zangs and GooberKids Radio, Peter Alsop and Sarah Gardner.
If you’d also like to make a musical donation, check out the Toys for Tots drop-off directory to find a local location. Consider including music from your favorite artist(s) in your donation(s) or you can purchase a CD from one of the aforementioned artists who will ship one on your behalf.
I will be posting a list of my 2014 music picks shortly which I hope will offer you even more ideas for holiday gift giving.
Free Download: “Slice of Pie” and “The Happy Vegan Thanksgiving Song” by Todd McHatton
Ready for some pie?! We’ll be baking and singing along today with Todd McHatton‘s “Slice of Pie” from his recent release Super Audio Sunshine.
“Loaded up with filling / Love we’re beholding / A slice of pie will bring you round / In a slice of pie some peace is found / A slice of pie can simply astound / You’re my slice of pie…”
Enjoy more of this song with a free download via the Bandcamp widget below:
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And, for the vegan/vegetarian in your life (even if that means you), McHatton is also offering a download of “The Happy Vegan Thanksgiving Song” via the Bandcamp widget below:
FREE MUSIC: Somethin’s cookin’! Thanksgiving Playlist before the feast!
Thanksgiving is the holiday before the holiday rush starts. It’s the pause, the calm before the holiday storm. Although, this year it felt like Christmas started the day after Halloween as Christmas villages, gold garland and colorful striped candy canes made a fresh appearance on fully stocked shelves.
As I was thinking more about today’s post, the general food theme, and the feast that comes along with the upcoming holiday, three words came to mind: comfort, memories and gratitude. Each of the following songs filled me with an unexpected eagerness for the holidays. Feelings of comfort flooded through my body as I thought about spending time with family I don’t get to see very often. Memories of being glued to the television, wide-eyed, watching big balloons float along in the parade filled me with joy. Gratitude for accomplishments, friends and the love that I am surrounded by every day swelled my heart. Sure, there’s a bit of wacky in there, too, but what would the holidays be without a bit of madness?!
It’s funny to think that songs, related to food, would bring forth these emotions, but that’s the power of music! And now I get to share them with you. As Cathy Fink says in her song below, “Bon Appétit!”
Spread the love by sharing these tracks with your family and friends. Download the Soundcloud playlist for FREE through Friday, November 20, 2014 . If you like what you hear (I promise you will!) consider supporting the artists by clicking on their corresponding links below.
Having trouble playing the Soundcloud songs? Follow this link.
Song List
1. Kira Willey music – “The Mixing Bowl”
2. LisaLoeb – “The Disappointing Pancake”
3. Heidi Swedeberg and the Sukey Jump Band – “My Cup Of Tea”
4. Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke – “Eggplant Man“
5. Brady Rymer – “Picky Eater“
6. Danny Weinkauf – “Whipped Cream”
7. Okee Dokee Brothers – “Big Rock Candy Mountain”
8. Cathy Fink – “Bon Appetit”
Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips – “Gratitude”
Naturally, Mista Cookie Jar, Miss Ava Flava and the rest of the Chocolate Chip crew bring heartfelt words with a big bang of soul. On the below track, MCJ gets brassy with the sax, adding some pizazz to the mix (this guy has endless talent!) while reminding us to “give thanks” by spreading our love everywhere because “Gratitude is contagious“! So true! Check out the rest of the song’s lyrics here.
Celebrate Sesame Street with The Hipwaders’ FREE DOWNLOAD
Today is a special day! 45 years ago the very first Sesame Street episode aired, launching a revolutionary change in educational television programming. Throughout the week I will bring you various treats in honor of this occasion starting with today’s FREE DOWNLOAD by The Hipwaders. Fans of the beloved show will absolutely enjoy singing along with one of the most well-known TV themes. Grab a copy of the “Sesame Street Theme” below.
Stream: “Getting the Job Done” – The Pop Ups
On August 19, 2014, The Pop Ups will officially release their 3rd album, Appetite for Construction. In honor of this exciting event, I am proud to kick off the “10 Songs in 10 days Celebration” (learn more at the end of this post) with a new single called “Getting the Job Done.” Set to funky electro-pop beats and multi-layered harmonies, the album’s leadoff track pays tribute to those who work to make our lives richer, i.e. teachers, doctors, farmers, bakers, while also encouraging us to find joy in our own work.
Jason Rabinowitz explains, “The inspiration for this song was that we were on tour w/ Yo Gabba Gabba Live, traveling from place to place making music, and we stopped and looked around and our minds were blown by the fact that this was OUR JOB! We were so inspired we wrote the song on the tour bus and sang it with the kids that were also working there. Work, play, have fun… That’s what it’s all about. An homage to all of the people that work so hard to make the world go around. It’s easy to forget simple things like bread, or your computer, have people behind them dreaming them up, creating them, and making them work. We’re all very important and all have work to do… Let’s have fun doing it.”
If all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, then someone needs to grab some dancing shoes and introduce Jack to The Pop Ups!
Ready to enter a world of fun? You can start streaming “Getting the Job Done” now!
To share this song on Facebook, Twitter or your blog, simply click on the image above and then click on the ‘share’ icon at the top right of the player!
The “10 Songs in 10 Days Celebration” will allow listeners to stream 1 song per day from various blogging sites. Learn more by visiting The Pop Ups’ Facebook page.
FREE DOWNLOAD: “Love Bug” – Raffi
Raffi is coming out with a new album on July 15, 2014. That’s huge! Especially since it’s his first new kids’ CD in 12 years.
The album is called Love Bug and you can download the title track as a gift in advance of the album’s release. I’m just gonna put this out there…I become a child again when I hear Raffi sing (read: I sing like a 5-year-old). Raffi is still a charmer and I can’t help but join in the chorus with the other kids featured in his songs. His soothing voice brings me back to my childhood, and brings back memories of when my daughter was an infant and Raffi’s music dominated every audio device we owned. And when no audio equipment was available, it was demanded that my voice carry his tunes. I was totally ok with that!
Raffi tells us that everybody’s got a “Love Bug” deep inside them, which is naturally where the hugs come from. Oh Raffi! 🙂
To get the free download of “Love Bug,” follow this link: http://www.childhonouring.org/lovebugnewcd.html.
Love Bug is now available for pre-order through Amazon and iTunes.
VIDEO PREMIERE: “Dynamite” – Alphabet Rockers + FREE DOWNLOAD
Alphabet Rockers‘ fans unite! Get ready to groove along with Kaitlin, Tommy and Stef in the video premiere for “Dynamite.” Based on the popular classic “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” “Dynamite” integrates positive messages aimed at invigorating kids’ minds with the notion that they have the power to be superstars. This live action video is filled with infectious energy directly capturing the spirit of the song, which was selected as a finalist in the 2014 John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
This is one of our favorite Alphabet Rockers’ songs and the ridiculous amount of fun you are about to see in this video is exactly like being at one of their concerts…kids (and grown-ups) just gettin’ down!
In her interview for the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, founder Kaitlin McGaw explains “…We incorporated cross-body movements in the pre-chorus because it is the movement itself which activates brain activity and primes children for a more focused learning experience. The main themes of self-esteem and celebrating how each of us is a “body rockin’ superstar” were organic creations from singing to the groove. It’s incredible to see the message come to life on children’s faces when we play or perform it for them.”
Read a behind the scenes account of the “Dynamite” video shoot here.
Bonus: The Alphabet Rockers are offering a FREE download of “Dynamite” which is available via the Bandcamp widget below.
“Dynamite” is from the Alphabet Rockers’ album, Go! which is available for download from iTunes. You can also find updates and connect with this awesome trio through their Facebook page.
Be a part of the Alphabet Rockers’ fan club through their official site and stay tuned for updates on their upcoming web series which will feature facts about healthy food, writing confidence, and bullying-prevention messages for kids ages 4-8.
Teaching Resources: The Alphabet Rockers believe in mixing educational messages with fun. They have a myriad of resources for teachers, one of which includes a nutritional food activity (based on their song “Food Calculator”). Download activity sheets and learn how to incorporate this into your classroom here.
Kindiecomm featured performers: Also making it’s premiere is Kindiecomm, a new family music conference for musicians and related industry folks, and the Alphabet Rockers were selected as featured performers for the Kindiecomm Industry Showcase! This is definitely something I’m looking forward to!
A Mother’s Day Playlist + Free Download (limited time)
Mother’s Day is a special day! It’s a celebration of time spent watching, playing and growing with your little ones. Maybe you are getting a special homemade card that says “I LUV U MOM” or a kiss and a super duper leg squeeze from a little person (or two) who is just about as tall as your knee. Whatever the case may be, mom’s rock!
Speaking of mom rockstars, Beth Benz-Clucas of Sugar Mountain PR put together an awesome playlist featuring some of serious kindie talent. The best part? Starting today you can DOWNLOAD THE SONGS FOR FREE. But hurry because they are only downloadable for about a week. Although, the playlist will be available to stream beyond then.
Music has been a major “bonding agent” for me and my daughter and to have a collection of great music to share with her is already making Mother’s Day that much sweeter!
Please note that, according to Soundcloud, the download function works only on computers and laptops. Mobile devices and tablets ONLY allow for streaming of all of the songs.To Download, go to soundcloud and highlight the track you’d like, then click the download icon to the right.
The artists that make this playlist rock are:
- “Motorcycle Mom” – The Not-Its! (from their upcoming album Raise Your Hand)
- “No Fairy Tale” – Lisa Loeb
- “Ice Cream Girl” – Brady Rymer
- “Our Love Fits” – Danny Weinkauf (feat. Laurie Berkner)
- “Red Piano Rag” – Brady Rymer
- “Black Bear Mama” – The Okee Dokee Brothers
- “Mockingbird” – Zee Avi
- “Mama’s House, Daddy’s House” – Suzi Shelton
- “Smile In My Heart” – Suzi Shelton
- “Tu Eres Amor” – Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
FREE DOWNLOAD: “Who Grew My Soup” – Story Laurie
Happy Earth Day!
To celebrate this holiday, Laurie McItntosh (aka Story Laurie) has a groovy tune available for free during the month of April.
“Who Grew My Soup?” is a happy reggae tune that Laurie wrote with elementary students during a Cultivating Connections songwriting workshop. The goal of this workshop is to cultivate student and community connections with the environment, healthy foods and nutrition, and farms.
The track was produced by Dean Jones and features vocal harmonies by Debbie Alan of Grenadilla and the elementary students with whom Laurie wrote the song.
In true Story Laurie fashion, “Who Grew My Soup?” Is playful while also delivering a wholesome message that is likely to prompt some great family discussion.
Grab your free download here: https://storylaurie.bandcamp.com/
Kids Can Groove 