Kids love listening to the Beatles, whether it’s the simple catchy beat of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” or the trippy, psychedelic lyrics of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” My son loves the fact that there is a whole song about an octopus! The Beatles were arguably the greatest rock band ever so we thought it would be fun to take a look at the band’s own kids. Could the success of the Fab Four ever continue on with their kids? Do talented parents crank out talented offspring?

Paul has four kids with his late wife Linda. His son James (named after his father James Paul McCartney) is trying his hand at music but aside from popping up on dad’s albums he hasn’t set the charts on fire. The real success in the McCartney children is daughter Stella who is a world-famous fashion designer and has a joint venture with Gucci. While it might not be music, you know growing up in a house with Paul and Linda would lead you into some sort of artistic endeavor.

George and his second wife Olivia begat Dhani, who also followed in his father’s footsteps.  He ended up finishing his father’s album Brainwashed (imagine subbing for a Beatle, even if it is your father) after George passed and formed a band called thenewno2. Check out Dhani playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at George’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

John and his first wife Cynthia had a son Julian, who was a popular musician in the eighties with hits like “Too Late for Goodbyes” and has put out 5 albums. John’s other son, Sean, who he had with Yoko Ono, became a noted indie rocker who has several solo albums, co-wrote a Lenny Kravitz hit and plays with Cibo Matto and The Plastic Ono Band. Two boys, both following in their late father’s footsteps.

Perhaps one of the most successful musicians of all the Beatles’ children was Ringo’s son, Zak Starkey who became what else? A drummer like his dad. Zak has been known to back The Who and you probably saw him perform at this year’s Superbowl halftime show.

It’s never easy to have a famous rocker as a father, especially when that dad was in a band like the Beatles. But it seems that music has flowed from fathers to sons in their case with most of them becoming quite successful at it.

Recommended Listening:

• Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles
• Rockabye Baby! More Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles

Parents love watching their kids play dress up, and the only thing they love more than that is actually dressing the kids themselves. Sometimes it’s a cute outfit to show the grandparents, sometimes it’s a big fluffy fleece onesie, but the ultimate is to dress your kid like a rocker.

That said, I offer you the top three most challenging musicians to play dress up with your little tykes.

3) Lady Gaga

Her album The Fame was released in 2008 but it was 2009 that was truly Gaga’s year. Her music had a new pop sound but Gaga was more than music. Her art is the visual mixed with the aural and her fashion has included everything from dressing in plastic bubbles to being drenched in blood at the 2009 Video Music Awards.  Bonus points if you can dress your kid in her pointy silver Grammy 2010 outfit.

2) KISS

This one is a no brainer and there are already plenty of parents who worship KISS and dress their kids up in the make-up for Halloween. To be authentic, you can’t phone it in and must cover your kid’s full face in make-up. Even better if you have four kids and dress each one as a member of KISS: The Demon, Starchild, Spaceman and Catman.

1) Freddie Mercury

There are very few performers who could match Freddie’s stage presence. This choice might not be as obvious as KISS, but it is much easier to pull off than covering your squirming kid’s face with elaborate stage make-up. Though it may be easier to dress as Freddie, it’s also more courageous. Placing a child in tight rocker pants, or a Pierrot unitard screams 80s rock.