Ben's Playlist - Thursday, April 1, 2010

White Light - Wilco
Where Does The Sun Go At Night? - Dorothy Collins
Heart of the Country - Wings
We Are Going To Be Friends - The White Stripes
Green Teeth - The Zucchini Brothers
The Air That I Breathe - The Hollies
She Just Doesn't Get It - Yosi & the Superdads
Heart Songs - Weezer
Periodically Double Or Triple - Yo La Tengo
The Addams Family theme

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I Don't Need Anything But You - Dan Zanes & Friends
There Is No Away - Uncle Rock
All My Colors - Ralph's World
Everyone Loves to Dance - Aaron Nigel Smith
I Can't Wait for Summer - Eric Herman & the Invisible Band
You Are My Sunshine - Elizabeth Mitchell
Shake! - Flannery Brothers
The Channukah Medley - Gwendolyn and the Goodtime Gang
Picnic - Fresh Young Fellows
Mr. Sandman - Glenn Miller & the Andrews Sisters

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Trees - Dog on Fleas
Ride of the Valkyries - Richard Wagner
Back Off Boogaloo - Ringo Starr
Antmusic - Adam & the Ants
Rattle My Bones - The Suburbs
(I've Got a) Pet Dinosaur - Einstein's Monkey
Sara Bellum - Roger Day
Gimme Gimme Gimme - ABBA
Gravity - Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine
What Do You Like More? - Robin Vaughn

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 29, 2010

Wonder of Birds - Innocence Mission
Sleep Through The Static - Jack Johnson
Bein' a Kid - The Zucchini Brothers
I Feel Like Going Home - Yo La Tengo
Speed of Love - The Hipwaders
Look Through Any Window - The Hollies
Funky Monkey - Yosi & the Superdads
My Doorbell - The White Stripes
In The Mall - Weezer
That Thing You Do! - The Wonders

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 26, 2010

Not Too Late - Norah Jones
Shuffle Off To Buffalo - The New Broadway Cast Recording
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
Your Blue Door - The Honeydogs
Dance This Mess Around - The B-52s
I Can't Let Go - The Hollies
Stand Up to the Bully - The Hipwaders
Photograph - Nickelback
The Numbers Song - Mr. Ray
The Bird That You Can't See - Apples in Stereo

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 25, 2010

Cricket Little Cricket - Steve Weeks
Savoy Truffle - They Might Be Giants
Superman Theme - John Williams
How Do I Live Without You - Lee Ann Rimes
If It's True - Yo La Tengo
I'll Stand By You - Pretenders
Man On The Moon - R.E.M.
On A Carousel - The Hollies
One Step Beyond - Madness
Picnic - Fresh Young Fellows

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Lovely, Love My Family - The Roots
Why - Ah-Choo
Busy Bees - Recess Monkey
Clack-ity Clack - Rebecca Frezza & Big Truck
One Wasn't Enough - Flannery Brothers
The Green Grass Grows All Around - Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem
Mr. Tambourine Man - The Hollies
Bang A Drum - Earthworm Ensemble
Baby U - Dog On Fleasc
The Rainbow - Apples in Stereo
Banana Seat Bike - Ralph's World
Chicken Lips and Lizard Hips - Bruce Springsteen

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Cousin Molly Is Prepared to Rock - Spare the Rock
Bonobo Joe & the Voodoo Queen - The Hipwaders
Vienna - Billy Joel
One Day Soon - The Sippy Cups
History Never Repeats - Split Enz
Where It's At - Beck
Grace's Bell - Ben Rudnick
Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing
Luck - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
You Don't Know Me - Ben Folds Presents: The University Of Georgia's With Someone Else's Money

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 22, 2010

I Like Fruit - Egg
My Darling Clementine - The Submarines
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
One Two Three Four - Feist
(There's a) Party In The Playroom - Einstein's Monkey
Where's the Music - Medeski Martin & Wood
Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand
Cathy's Clown - The Everly Brothers
Morning Person - Shrek Soundtrack
Shock the Monkey - Peter Gabriel

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 19, 2010

All Your Secrets - Yo La Tengo
Everyone Loves to Dance - Aaron Nigel Smith
My Doorbell - The White Stripes
Stronger Than Me - Amy Winehouse
Stand and Deliver - Adam & the Ants
One Day Soon - The Sippy Cups
That Thing You Do! - The Wonders
Chicken Noodle Soup - Yosi
In The Mall - Weezer
Every Day's a Holiday With You - The Jimmies

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 18, 2010

Wings of An Eagle - Ziggy Marley
White Light - Wilco
Bein' a Kid - The Zucchini Brothers
Speed of Love - The Hipwaders
Have Fun - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Say It Ain't So - Weezer
The Summer - Yo La Tengo
Seven is the New Fourteen - Sippy Cups
Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes
I Didn't Know - Chris Hamilton
Eight Chanukah Nights - Charlie Jaffe

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Stop At a Mom n'n Pop - Uncle Rock
You Can't Always Get What You Want - Randy Kaplan
Spider-Man - Chris McKhool
Be Careful What You Say - LISA
(I'm Gonna) Party Like a Rockstar [Radio Edit] - JTX
The Rhyming Circus - Ralph's World
Dixie Flier - Randy Newman
Oh My My - Ringo Starr
Bad - Michael Jackson

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, March 16, 2010

If Mama Had Four Hands - Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family
Everyone Asked About You - Bob McGrath
The Race Is On Again - Yo La Tengo
5 O'Clock World - Dave Clark Five
Tie A Yellow Ribbon - Tony Orlando & Dawn
No No No Cha Cha Cha - Brave Combo
You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile - Dan Zanes & Friends
The Uncomfortable Truth - Nneka
I'll Come Running - Brian Eno
What Are You Like - Indigo Girls
Fun, Fun, Fun - Beach Boys

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 15, 2010

It Makes You Feel Good - Renee & Jeremy
There Is No Away - Uncle Rock
Silly Bob - La-La-Lisa
Eep Oop Ork - The Jetsons
Frenzy - Dean Jones
I-C-E C-R-E-A-M - Telephone Company
The Climb - Miley Cyrus
My Brother The Ape - They Might Be Giants
Let It All Hang Out - Weezer
My Doorbell - The White Stripes
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - Puppini Sisters
Nicky Nicky Knock - Dream Jam Band

Big Green Alligator, Big Messages

Messages in Spirituality Through Allegories

The music of Lisa Weyerhauser's Big Green Alligator conveys a number of larger issues – spirituality, dark emotions, even death. Since these are uncomfortable topics for many parents, I'll put an advisory right at the top. Clicking through to the host Web site might immediately polarize visitors, with a quotation from the Psalms. But that's expected, coming from a Pastor's wife. Lisa wears many hats as a worship leader, licensed counselor, and a professor of adolescent psychology with master's degrees in both religion and counseling psychology.

"I put a lot of questions into the lyrics of Big Green Alligator – 'Where did we come from, Where are we going, and How did you find your way to me?' – because I wanted kids to feel like they could ask this character anything," Lisa said. "I believe it is essential for kids to learn to express their feelings at early ages. I want them to know that if they are shy, it's OK. If they feel sad about something, it's OK. There is a freedom in learning to correctly express emotions. If kids can learn how to do that when they are young, it will be more natural for them to do as they get older."

Putting aside religious connotations, the 18 songs on the disc cover the standard little kids topics – relationships with your parents, friends, and family, learning, coping with the world around you. But Lisa (a.k.a La-La-Lisa) provides a framework that is clear and continual:

Oh there are some days

that you could just cry

Or at least wish that you could die

But on those days remember that

God He still loves you

And that's a fact

– That's A Fact

Generally electric/acoustic, Lisa sticks with mostly country arrangements, but sticks a little auto-tune into "The Countdown Song." And a sweet "Goodnight" song that wraps up the CD.

Big Green Alligator is Lisa's first foray into kid's music, but her nickname (La-La-Lisa) was earned a long time ago. "I started singing at youth camps when I was 16," she said. "And to this day, I have 30-somethings come up to me in the grocery store and ask, 'Aren't you La-La Lisa?' That name has stuck even after all these years." Lisa wrote and performed all 18 songs on the project, and has dedicated a portion of the proceeds of the sales of the CD to Teen Mother Choices International. One of the goals of TMCint is to keep all the girls off of welfare and to date, 100 percent of the girls who have participated in the program have graduated from school and found jobs to support themselves.

If you don't mind some mild proselytizing, Big Green Alligator delivers a combination of common sense lessons along with an introduction to an awakening in one's sense of religious principles. Keep that in mind if you don't have problems separating music from its (intended or unstated) message.

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 12, 2010

Smile - Ky-Mani Marley
All About Bob - Ralph's World
She's Like a Rainbow - Rolling Stones
Bouncing Off the Walls - Mr. Leebot
Tripping Down the Freeway - Weezer
Roam - The B-52s
Sara Bellum - Roger Day
Meet Me Halfway - The Black Eyed Peas
Everyone Everywhere - Baze And His Silly Friends

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 11, 2010

Brush Brush Brush - Of Montreal
Three Little Birds - Renee & Jeremy
Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Kiss Me On the Bus - The Replacements
The Mighty Worm - Ralph's World
No Nothing - Randy Kaplan
Oh My My - Ringo Starr
SOS (Rescue Me) - Rihanna
Roy G. Biv - They Might Be Giants
Fort - Recess Monkey
They All Asked For You - Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Dear God - Sarah MacLachlan
Summer Today - Egg
Raise the Brain - Miz B
Bonobo Joe & the Voodoo Queen - The Hipwaders
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
Everyone Loves to Dance - Aaron Nigel Smith
Weight Of The World - Ringo Starr
Come Play! - Eric Herman & the Invisible Band
See and Be Scene - The Hard Lessons
(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To - Weezer
My Imagination - Baze And His Silly Friends

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Home - David Tobocman
Don't Dream It's Over - Sixpence None the Richer
I Don't Need Anything But You - Dan Zanes & Friends
Hey Soul Sister - Train
(There's a) Party In The Playroom - Einstein's Monkey
Collide - Howie Day
Can't Stop Partying - Weezer
If Not For You - George Harrison
Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello
Wait Your Turn - Mr. Ray

My 2010 Post-Oscar Critique

Having slept on it, some Oscar thoughts:

1. Host must be Billy Crystal (who gets it).
1a. If Billy says no, go to someone with guts. Ben Stiller or Sasha Baron Cohen. Even Jack Black.

2. When Sean Penn says he is not an Academy member – and he’s a two-time winner and considered “young Hollywood,” you know the membership needs to be opened up. No, don’t send an application to Miley Cyrus. But how about Kristin Stewart and Zac Efron? They’ve at least worked with people like Jodie Foster, Richard Linklater and Greg Motolla.

3. Give up the orchestra. I know “it’s Hollywood’s big night,” but all of that stuff appeals to an ever-decreasing, aging demographic. Tweens are not going to stay tuned after Miley and Lautner give out ONE award. But if you have Fall Out Boy or Good Charlotte as the house band, playing famous movie themes, at least it would pique their curiosity.

4. No presenters over the age of 50. Wouldn’t that be something? And there will be enough winners in that age range.

5. Dress casual neat. Designers, other homosexuals, and E! Television will have a stroke, but nothing turns off younger audiences like a room full of old dudes and dames in formal wear. And seeing teen idols trying to “act old” only creeps them out.

6. Give the producers a “hard out.” You never hear about the Tony Awards running into overtime. If they had to make the judgment call and cut the five-minute dance number OR lose Best Picture being announced live (and not on the Internet post-show), what do you think they would choose?

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 8, 2010

All My Toys Are Broken - AudraRox
Bein' a Kid - The Zucchini Brothers
Starman - Killian Mansfield
Dance This Mess Around - The B-52s
Happy, Happy Birthday - Baze And His Silly Friends
Kugel - The LeeVees
The Rainbow - Apples in Stereo
Spork - Keith Munslow
July Flame - Laura Veirs
Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
Butter - Bunny Clogs

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 5, 2010

How Clouds Are Formed - Tom Glazer
Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon
Autumn Sweater - Yo La Tengo
(I've Got a) Pet Dinosaur - Einstein's Monkey
This Is Your Body - Baze And His Silly Friends
Coconut Woman - Karl Zero & THE Wailers
Back Off Boogaloo - Ringo Starr
The Way I Walk - Robert Gordon
Six Months in a Leaky Boat - Split Enz
Si Se Puede - Deedle Deedle Dees

Getting Silly and Making Friends

Baze & His Silly Friends Tickle Kids (In the Right Way)

Everyone has silly friends. But most of them don't perform children's music. In 2007, New Jersey's Marc Bazerman gathered a group of like-minded adults and began playing and recording songs for kids and their families. "Baze and His Silly Friends" released their album, "Toddlerville" to much acclaim last fall. It received the 2009 Toy Man® Seal Of Approval Recognition Award and the 2009 eChoice? Award.



The 14 songs on the CD, as with many childrens recordings, run through a variety of musical stylings. The country twang of "Water Comes Out Your Nose" mingles with the psychedelic waa-waa of "Scare Me, Scare You!" and reggae of "Gettin' Good." For pure good-time music, the album kicks off with "Everyone Everywhere." I would be remiss if I didn't mention the track, "This Is Your Body," which received airplay on HBO Family.

Since our "primary" child has turned nine, he's a little recalcitrant to admit listening to a CD entitled, "Toddlerville," which means we might need to give him more reason to select it for airplay in the rotation in the car (where we keep six CDs at any given time). But we'll definitely keep mentioning Baze & Company.

You can become one of Baze's silly friends by joining them at Myspace.

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, March 4, 2010

I Won't Grow Up - Dan Zanes & Friends
Working On A Dream - Bruce Springsteen
Black Slacks - Robert Gordon
Planet Claire - The B-52s
Kansas City Octopus - Clementown
Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand
How Do You Spell Chunnukkahh? - The LeeVees
You Make Me Feel Good - Q Brothers
Only in Dreams - Weezer
Hail Hail the Gang's All Here - Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Moonrock Mambo - Yo La Tengo
Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles
Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas
Honey Honey - Feist
I Always Sit When I Eat - Moey's Music Party
Humpty Dumpty - Linus
Dixie Flier - Randy Newman
They All Asked For You - Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem
Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr
The Addams Family theme

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Wings of An Eagle - Ziggy Marley
Wishing Well - Renee & Jeremy
Hologram World - Tiny Masters of Today
I'll Be Loving You Honey - Mel Glazer
Tarzan's Nuts - Madness
Sunday Morning - GMG Jam
Lima Bean - Dog on Fleas
Muppets/Mahna Mahna - Primate Fiasco
Periodically Double Or Triple - Yo La Tengo
That Thing You Do! - The Wonders