If you’ve been a loyal reader of the Rockabye Baby blog, you know that if there are three things we love over here at lullaby world headquarters, it’s the king of rock ‘n’ roll, the Muppets, and historical puns. One classic Muppet Show skit mixed them all together and the result was kooky brilliance. So check it out: Great Moments in Elvis History! Here’s a highlight reel of some of the best “episodes.” Enjoy!
A drum roll please. For your viewing enjoyment, we now present to you Babies Who Look Like Elvis. (Really, do you need more introduction than that?):
Lisa Marie Presley and daughter Danielle
Can’t get enough baby Elvis? Listen to an exclusive full-length sneak peek of “Love Me Tender” (lullaby style) here. Learn more about Lullaby Renditions of Elvis Presley.
Oh, and by the way, we’re giving away five Lullaby Renditions of Black Sabbath CDs! Enter here!
Need a gift for a new baby that’s fit for a little king? This is officially the coolest baby shower gift we’ve ever seen: The American Eagle Jumpsuit Onesie from ShopElvis.com!
Has the time come to teach your children about the early years of rock? Elvis.com has an awesome section for kids, including a video tour of Graceland hosted by twelve-year-old boy named Curtis with highlights such as Lisa Marie’s favorite chair, Elvis’ preferred spot for watching Saturday morning cartoons, the Graceland stables, and the archives of personal items including boyhood photo-booth snapshots.
Don’t miss exploring the way-cool virtual tour of Elvis’ dressing room in 1969. Click on the guitar to hear it play, or on the scrapbook to see newspaper clippings from his legendary career. You can even rifle through his stage costumes.
Our favorite part is the free children’s activity book, with coloring pages, word puzzles, trivia and more! Download here.
In honor of Lullaby Renditions of Elvis Presley, out today, it’s Elvis week on the blog. Stop by each day for fun stuff including a free Rockabye Baby Elvis coloring page, and more!
Can’t get enough baby Elvis? Listen to an exclusive full-length sneak peek of “Love Me Tender” (lullaby style) here.
Oh, and by the way, we’re giving away five Lullaby Renditions of Black Sabbath CDs! Enter here!
The lists keep on coming. Screeching yells are such a fundamental part of classic rock music. They’re what differentiate the wannabes from the true performers, the guys who bare their souls on stage and have lived their lyrics. Rock music is as honest an art form as can be expressed, which is one reason why I’ve been playing it non-stop for my kids since they were born. In Part One of this series I described a “rock scream” game I play to help introduce them to the greats of rock. Be sure to catch Part Two as well. Here are three more lead singers who can scream with the best of them.
Dave Grohl – Foo Fighters
Although considered a part of the newer generation as opposed to classic rock, Grohl got his start hitting the drums for Nirvana before writing and releasing the self titled debut album in 1995. The best thing you can say about Grohl’s frontman status is that he’s a throwback and knows how to wail with the best of them. Check out the end of “Breakout,” the second track off of 1999’s There Is Nothing Left To Lose.
Brian Johnson – AC/DC
Johnson has a voice that sounds like at any second he will rupture a vocal chord, which translates into a perfect rock and roll voice. The amazing thing about Johnson is that he was a replacement for Bon Scott, the original singer of AC/DC. Check out the end of “Thunderstruck” around 4:30 to hear what I’m talking about. No other lead singer in rock sounds like him, though many have tried.
David Lee Roth – Van Halen
The guys in Van Halen just looked the part of Rock and Roll even before they plugged in or Diamond Dave opened his mouth. Of course once they did start to play their music was rock in its purest form with Dave leading the charge. His voice always seemed to sound like he was laying it all out there on the line for the sake of the music. Check out their Kinks cover of “You Really Got Me” to see what I mean.
Last time in Part One of this series when I listed the top rock screams that I play for my for kids, I stuck to the classics: The Beatles, Springsteen, and The Who. While Roger Daltrey’s yell on “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is and always will be the greatest vocal-shredding rock scream ever recorded in a studio, it’s time to take a look at some other top-notch screamers. Here are three more guys who can belt it out with the best of them.
Robert Plant – Led Zeppelin
Arguably the greatest rock and roll lead singer ever. While Daltrey might hold the honor for greatest single rock scream on an album, Plant is the guy who consistently delivered the shrieks over and over again. It’s like his voice was made for rock and roll. Check out Led Zeppelin’s debut album and you won’t be disappointed in Plant’s screams, which are so good they simply sound like he’s singing (see “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”). Try “Communication Breakdown” at the 1:55 mark into this clip. You should probably just sit your kids down and say “Listen up, this is rock and roll,” and then hit play.
Steven Tyler – Aerosmith
There’s been a lot said and written about Aerosmith lately. Some say the band is too old and should quit rockin’ and many have speculated on the relationships within the band. But when these guys from Boston get up to play their 1973 classic “Dream On,” you can expect Tyler’s wail to show up. He just gives it his all at the end of the song and you have to wonder how many times over the course of his career his doctor has told him he needs to stop doing that to his vocal chords.
Axl Rose – Guns N’ Roses
Yes, Guns N’ Roses is really just Axl Rose’s backing band by now, but check these guys out back in the nineties. They brought rock back to its glory days and they did it with a great band and front man whose voice sounded like he was a human chainsaw. Check out this Axl scream compilation (particularly his performance on “Live and Let Die”).
In 1975 Yoko Ono gave birth to Sean Lennon, whose father was one of the most creative musicians of our time. John took on the role of doting parent and would draw with and for his son. The collected works became Real Love: The Drawings for Sean, a 48-page collection of water-color drawings and simple, charming puns.
Drawing was a form of communication between father and son, which is true for anyone who ever sat down to color with their kids.While the book will definitely appeal to Beatles’ fans, it will no doubt appeal to the kids of those fans even more.
What is the purpose of the diaper? Is it to stop your baby from leaking or is it to create a fashion statement?
Huggies recently released the new Jean Diaper. They claim to have the same leakage protection, design and technology as Huggies Little Movers Diapers except now they look like your baby is wearing Daisy Dukes. They are available for a limited time and feature realistic looking images of pockets in the back and a fly in the front. Too bad they don’t say Jordache anywhere. (Did I just date myself?)
The diapers have created a bit of a buzz online, as most people use them for practical reasons only and rarely let their kids go out in public wearing nothing on the bottom but a diaper. Fans of the Jean Diaper say it’s a cute alternative to having to dress kids up, especially in the hot summer months. Hey, as long as the diapers keep in what they’re supposed to, then they’re doing their job. We think this baby to the left looks a bit like Bruce Springsteen on the cover of Born in the USA! What do you think?
What’s your definition of a superhero, or better yet, how does your kid define one? In the real world, you don’t necessarily need a cape and special powers to save the day or just to bring a smile to your child’s face. In honor of Dear Old Dad comes a book that celebrates fathers as the best heroes of all. The comic book-style graphics mesh well with the story of a young superhero himself who spends his days fighting bad guys and chasing away villains. But when he finally meets his match, the young boy realizes that even superheroes need help every now and then. It’s his dad who comes in to rescue his son from a nightmare and interestingly enough, he’s not wearing a cape or a mask. Out the window climb the villains, as father and son share a happy moment together. The last page of the book showcases the unbreakable bond between parent and child, one that will surely pull at your heartstrings.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a mushy person, this is one read whose message is simple and sweet: your kid thinks the world of you. Happy Father’s Day!
Have you ever heard the old expression that one good teacher can make a difference? In 2002 David Wish proved that right. He started Little Kids Rock after growing frustrated with the lack (due to budget cuts) of music education in public schools.
Little Kids Rock gives public school students free musical weekly music classes, hitting on musical styles they’re already listening to. Kids learn to make their own CDs and music videos. Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon and BB King are honorary board members and all the instruments are donated to schools free of cost. They’re up and running in 23 cities across the United States and the website even has some games for kids to play. If you’re interested in helping out or just want to know more, check out littlekidsrock.org.
