Monday, December 1, 2008

Nursery rhyme SOS!

We've discovered in recent days that Richie is a huge nursery rhyme fan. After weeks of playing our own favorite music for him, we've discovered that he loves silly songs that mom and dad look like complete idiots singing. Case in point. Old MacDonald had a Farm. Never fails to get a giggle.

Now, soon after we realized he's such a fan, we realize we know frightfully few nursery rhymes and/or lullabies. Until now we've just been singing our favorite songs since he didn't really understand. But now he's starting to catch on that Daddy's singing Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

I went to our local library to get some kid-friendly tunes, but their collection is dominated by UK style ones like "Polly put the kettle on." We need more good old American standards to keep him entertained. Anyone care to share their favorites?

By the way, I just learned that I totally had the words wrong for the one lullabye that I've been using almost every night with Richie. In my mind this is how it goes:

Hush little baby, don't say a word
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird
If that mocking bird don't sing
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring don't shine
Mama's gonna (ok and here I know I'm ad libbing) bake you an apple pie
If that apple pie gets burnt
Mama's gonna go and live in a yurt (you try rhyming burnt!)
If that yurt is too far away
Mama's gonna come back and stay. (and here I riff even more depending on how tired Richie is. But you get the general idea.)

The official words are:
Hush little baby, don't say a word
Papa's going to buy you a mockingbird
If that mocking bird don't sing
Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring
If that diamond ring turns brass
Papa's going to buy you a looking glass
If that looking glass gets broke
Papa's going to buy you a billy goat
If that billy goat don't pull,
Papa's going to buy you a cart and bull
If that cart and bull falls down
You're still the sweetest baby in town.

Ok, now the last line is nice but what baby needs a cart and bull??? Who came up with these?

1 comment:

Melissa said...

I'm often freaked out by how non-baby-friendly most nursery rhymes really are! Like you, I wonder about babies needing carts and bulls. Or a goat. And, exactly WHY do we roll out the cake after we've patted it down? And wouldn't the peas porridge have gotten pretty rotten after being in the pot for 9 days? What are we teaching our children!?!
:o)
I/we listen to kids music on satellite radio and I've found some much better alternatives. :o)