The holidays are upon us, and so is the annual onslaught of performers eager to generate “timeless, perennial content” for generations of listeners. Children’s music icon Raffi has teamed with protogé Lindsay Munroe on a duet of the classic tune, “Silver Bells.” Originally performed solo on Raffi’s Christmas album, Munroe was eager to add her vocals on a new recording with her mentor.
The duo met backstage at a Raffi concert in Boston, where Munroe explained how—as a mother to three children with autism—she used music as a tool to teach and connect with her kids. Munroe also performs at libraries and pre-schools and runs “Sing-Along with Lindsay” on YouTube. That conversation led to Raffi producing her first CD as well as a follow-up earlier this year.
Find the song on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon. You can hear “Silver Bells” in this video below.
Speaking of iconic children’s music performers, Laurie Berkner segued from Halloween directly into Hanukkah season. There’s a bit of “hurry-up” this year, as the Jewish holiday starts on the Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend (fun for my younger son, whose birthday falls on November 24).
The Laurie Berkner Band (Susie Lampert, Brady Rymer, and Bobby Golden) have recorded a new, high-energy version of the chestnut “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.” For many of us, this would fall under the “equal time” doctrine, as Berkner recorded a whole Christmas holiday album a few years ago.
Let’s not cast aspersions at this festive holiday of lights and celebrate a fast-moving rendition of the popular kids’ favorite. Honestly, there are fewer well-known Hanukkah tunes, and anytime a popular performer steps into the studio, it’s a welcome addition to any playlist. Your kids can also look forward to another set of Laurie Berkner live-streamed holiday concerts on Saturday, December 18 at noon and 5 PM ET. Click here for concert info.
You can grab “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel” from Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music.
