Music for Baby.
One of my recent projects was setting up a playlist for the ipod in Anna's room. It's nice to have some music on when we're hanging out in there or when she is trying to get to sleep.
I wanted a good mix of music: some new, some old, some for babies, but mostly mellow stuff that I like. A few of my favorites in the mix include:
Blackbird by Sarah McLachlan Three Little Birds by Renee & Jeremy (special thanks to Deirdre - entire album is wonderful) You Are My Sunshine by Elizabeth Mitchell Imagine by Jack Johnson Girl From The North Country by Johnny Cash & Bob Dylan New Soul by Yael Naim
Here's a link to the full iMix: For Baby
Edited: here's the full list (you can find it on iTunes by searching the iMix section for "For Baby")
All My Days by Alexi Murdoch
Amazing Grace by Randy Travis
Angel from Montgomery by Bonnie Raitt
Blessed Be by Alison Krauss
Daughters by John Mayer Trio
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The Police
Everything'll Be Alright (Will's Lullaby) by Joshua Radin
Galileo by Indigo Girls
Gotta Have You by The Weepies
Have a Little Faith In Me by John Hiatt
The Heart of the Matter by India.Arie
I Hope by Dixie Chicks
I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan
Ice Cream (iTunes Originals Version) by Sarah McLachlan
Imagine by Jack Johnson
Just the Way You Are by Diana Krall
Let My Love Open the Door by Sondre Lerche
Little Room by Norah Jones
Lover Lay Down by Dave Matthews Band
Lullaby by Dixie Chicks
Lullaby by Jack Johnson & Matt Costa
New Soul by Yael Naïm
Night Mantra by Renee & Jeremy
Push by Sarah McLachlan
Redemption Song by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Satellite by Dave Matthews Band
Someone Like You by Van Morrison
Songbird by Eva Cassidy
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies
Three Little Birds by Elizabeth Mitchell
Three Little Birds by Renee & Jeremy
Time After Time by Eva Cassidy
Welcome to This World by Renee & Jeremy
When You Say Nothing at All (Live) by Alison Krauss & Union Station
Where Are You Going? (Live In Copenhagen) by Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
You Are My Sunshine (Pt. 1) by Elizabeth Mitchel
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As I was setting this up today I started thinking that documenting this would be a cool thing to do for Anna's baby album. I wondered if my Mom & Dad listened to music around the house when I was a baby and if they did, what were they into? I went to my Baby playlist on iTunes and hit print.
The cool thing I discovered is that in iTunes you can print out your playlist as a CD case and it can include some of the album cover images as well...perfect for then creating a page that showcases the songs on her babyhood. I printed the sheet you see above on photo paper and have it ready to add to a layout here on my workspace.
I would love to read your recommendations for good hang-out-with-a-baby music. Feel free to leave some of your favorites listed in the comments.
And the super cute felted bunny in the top photo? It is from a felted pattern called Wolly Bunnies designed by Marie
Mayhew available from The Yarnery. Seems like a perfect Easter or spring or new baby crafty project. I checked out their site and they also offer a full kit (vs. just the pattern) to felt two bunnies.
A warm welcome to my newest sponsors: Paper Relics and Scrapbook Circle. Look for giveaways from each of them later this month.
I really love the Celine Dion "Miracle" album -"My Precious One" is my all time favorite. I made a layout for both my boys with all the lullabies that I used to sing to them (hymns, Disney, folk songs, etc and included the CD on the layout and pictures of me rocking them. Enjoy this time - it is the absolute best!!!!
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Thank you for the playlist, Ali. The first grandbaby and I danced many many times to Diana Krall's "The Look of Love"...
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My kids loved Celine Dion - Miracle. That whole CD is the one she wrote for her darling baby. It is so soothing and relaxing.
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Two I love to play my daugher - she is almost six months old now:
Feels like home - Chantal Kreviazuk
Make you feel my Love - Adele
Both the words and the melody are beautiful
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what wonderful songs... i would only add " free falling" covered by John Mayer.... It is so soothing... :D
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At our house we love Kenny Loggins Return to Pooh Corner and More Songs from Pooh Corner.
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Thanks for the tip that John Mayer has a version of Free Fallin. Love that.
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Hi Ali, I worked in a music school for over 20 years before retiring and some projects/research there were done on music for babies. (They even developed a pacifier for preemies that would play music (lullabies) when the baby sucked. As you probably know, learning to suck is a developmental skill that many preemies have not yet developed.) Those experts believed that all music for babies (for sleep especially) should be instrumental, no vocals....that the vocals were not as relaxing and were too stimulating. I love the CD called Night Tracks which is a compliation of the slow movements of many classical compositions. Beautiful!
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Tracks-Erkki-Rautio/dp/B000000SAH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238448373&sr=1-1
Hope you're feeling well and stronger each day.
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Ali--I don't have an iPod but wish I did! Anyway, the CD that plays over and over for us in the car is Nicolette Larson's Sleep, Baby, Sleep. A friend introduced it to me after I had Baby #2. It is still a favorite of all my kids, and it is what calms Baby #5 without fail when he gets fussy in the car. Thanks for all of your song ideas.
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My Cherie Amour
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the most wonderful album of lullabyes is by The Innocence Mission, it's called "Now the Day is Over." I think you'd really love it. all of their music is great for kids, but this one is especially pleasant.
thanks for all the other recommendations, too! I have a ten week old and I've been doing the same thing--compiling a playlist for an ipod to keep in his room.
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I loved playing Kenny Loggins' Return to Pooh Corner for DS when he was little. He's a teenager now, and I still know all the lyrics to the title song!
Thanks for brining back such sweet memories.
Rinda
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Yay! So glad you liked R&J!
Also happy to see Elizabeth Mitchell's You are My Sunshine...I rarely buy actual cds anymore but had to have that one because I loved the cover art:-)
Our baby favorites:
Oooh Child by the Five Stairsteps
These are the Days by 10,000 Maniacs
Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlin
Water is Wide (Indigo Girl with SL)
When You Dream by Bare Naked Ladies (also love their "who needs sleep" for comic relief)
Come On Get Happy by the Patridge Family (my big boys love this too;-)
Tell Me Why (lots of version but I really like Pat Benatars from "For the Children" benefit cd)
I See the Moon --Greg Brown (actually song by his daughters)
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I have gifted Sara Grove's CD Station Wagon more times that I can count. Unfortunately it isn't available on iTunes, but she does have it available for sale on her Web site, which includes the lyrics and sound bites from each song.
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If you need new songs for a Simon playlist, here's a list of my seven year old's favorites:
http://inthecommonhours.typepad.com/in_the_common_hours/2008/09/playing-catch-up.html
I still love the Monkee's theme song;-)
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I love that you have Renee&Jeremy in there! Check out Frances England too...she makes me happy!
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How did you get the horizontal navigation at the top of your blog? I've been wondering how to do this in Typepad for a long time. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!!
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looking at your list, i bet you would love Ray LaMontagne. Lots of soft beautiful melodies - mostly love songs. We have three of his albums and my girls and I dance to it - even the really slow ones. Also, Glen Hansard and Marketa (i don't remember how to spell her last name) from the "Once" soundtrack is beautiful soothing music with piano and guitar. They also have an album called "swell season" that's incredible. enjoy that baby girl!!
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Thanks for sharing the music and the layout idea. You gotta love any collection that includes Dave Matthews =). And my husband loves Daughters by John Mayer. We have two little girls--I see a daddy-daughter wedding song in our way distant future (they are only 1 & 4). You might also enjoy Mockingbird with Carly Simon and James Taylor. Thanks again.
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I LOVE Eva Cassidy.She gave the world beautiful music. I am loving Adele's cd right now. And the Dana Owens album (Queen Latifah) is good smooth jazz.
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That is so sweet!
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Some of ours from our three girls playlists:
Blessed by Martina McBridge
I Cross My Heart by George Straight
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
Every Breath You Take by The Police
I Can Only Imagine by Merci Me
Tough Little Boys by Gary Allan (this is on there for my husband, make Chris listen to it - sure to choke you both up)
You're Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins
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Close To You... by the Carpenters. "On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true...so they sprinkled moondust in your hair..." I used to sing this to my daughter when she was a baby...she is now 17 and occasionally she still ask for me to sing it;)
My son I played a song (and ofcourse sang it too)...don't know the name of it but it went "Sweetie pie, sweetie guy. Little apple, apple of my eye..."
Dancingly, Denise
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4 on my list (that I see on others above!)
[1] Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
[2] Winnie the Pooh, Kenny Loggins
[3] Cinderella, Steven Curtis Chapman
[4] Butterfly Kisses, Bob Carlisle
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and in my goofiest of goofy posts to someone online, we would be great friends! lol lots of my favorite music in this list - i sing blackbird to my daughter all the time. love eva c and elizabeth mitchell and of course jack johnson...so many good ones in this list. music is so wonderful and both of my children love it...we're always singing. enjoy! :)
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