While vinyl sales have certainly seen an uptick in recent years, for many kids today a record player is a foreign object from a different time.
Thirty years ago, my childhood benefited from numerous kid-friendly book & record sets from my favorite series and I could spin my own albums on either the family stereo or my personal Fisher Price model. It’s been refreshing to see new artists releasing on vinyl, but today’s records are mostly targeting adults which is why it is nice to see Vinyl Me, Please release an exclusive pressing that can make both kids and parents happy.
This Record Belongs To _____ is simultaneously nostalgic and timeless while being intriguingly new and refreshing. Most music compilations catering to kids tend to be either mind numbingly vapid and poppy or repetitively soul crushing. This Record Belongs To _____ takes older songs that cause your brain to dig far back into its recesses to retrieve memories you thought you’d forgotten and weaves them with completely foreign musical mysteries that keep you dreaming, no matter how old. From the inimitable Shel Silverstein kicking off the album with his soft spoken word Invitation to Kermit the Frog closing it out with the memorable Rainbow Connection, the album is packed with forgotten gems and new discoveries.
I’ll admit, while I certainly recognized the names of several artists like Carole King, Woody Guthrie, Nina Simone and others, many of the songs were unfamiliar to me. Some of the songs sounded their age and may prove difficult to endear themselves to new listeners (Pretty Trees Around The World), and as much as I enjoy Pinball Number Count, it loses some of its appeal without Sesame Street‘s visuals. Don’t worry, however, because they simply don’t make records like this anymore (until now), and you and/or your child will find yourself humming away long after you’ve listened.
This Record Belongs To _____ red swirl vinyl is limited to only 1,100 copies from Light in the Attic Records and Vinyl Me, Please for $27.00.
Complete Track Listing:
Invitation – Shel Silverstein
Occapella – Van Dyke Parks
One Was Johnny – Carole King
The Town (Narration) – Harry Nilsson
Pinball Number Count – The Pointer Sisters
Dance Around – Woody Guthrie
Jenny Jenkins – Jerry Garcia & David Grisman
Oo-De-Lally – Roger Miller
Daddy What If – Bobby Bare
Pretty Trees Around The World – Ella Jenkins
You Can Sing A Rainbow – Nina Simone
Diamond Day – Vashti Bunyan
The Mandolin Man And His Secret – Donovan
Running In The Green Grass – Miss Abrams & The Strawberry Point 4th Grade Class
Rainbow Connection – Kermit The Frog
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this record for review purposes. All opinions are my own
