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”).
We hope you had a magnificent holiday season with of lots of family, food and plenty of long winter’s naps! We sure did. The time has come to think back on all the wonderful events of 2009.
You asked for more and we delivered. More Lullaby Renditions of the Beatles is a magical mystery tour deeper into the Beatles’ bottomless catalog of timeless songs.
The lullaby versions of Queen takes our series to a new level. No one thought we could turn the operatic anthems of rock’s most ambitious band into soothing sounds for baby. But the critics all agreed, we did it! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: we will rock you to sleep.
Aerosmith brought us an amazing honor: Steven Tyler–the demon of screamin’ himself–was so impressed with our lullaby versions of his band’s classic bluesy tunes, he wrote the liner notes for the album. We’re still beside ourselves over that one. It makes us sleepy just thinking about it!
Guns N’ Roses just came out last month and it’s already shaking things up (but most importantly, rocking the cradle). Welcome to the jungle, baby!
Lest we forget, 2009 also brought us the birth of our blog (thank you, thank you) and our digital download edition, which lets you give a beautifully packaged download card and lets the recipient choose their favorite digital album from the entire series. And last, but not least, we launched our very first line of onesies! Yes, we think we deserve another new year’s nap.
We can’t wait to see what 2010 will bring.
Thanks so much for being part of our family and for sharing your wonderful stories with us. We hope you have a sleep-filled new year! Dream on, and on, and on, and on…
Thanks to everyone who entered to win a copy of our newest release, Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith. There are plenty of reasons to love Aerosmith, but luckily we were able to narrow down the entries to ten winners:
Monique Martinez
Dale Peterson
Stephanie L
Drucifer
Heather
Kathleen
Heather J
Irene
Kelly Tirman
Jenn Krabi
Didn’t win a CD? Click here to buy a copy and preview song clips from the album!
Need a cool activity to keep the little ones occupied on a rainy day? Check out our new Rockabye Baby! Aerosmith coloring page!
Visit our Print & Play Activities page to download the all our Rockabye Baby! coloring pages, featuring artwork from Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles, Nirvana, Queen and more!
P.S. Ten lucky folks will win Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith featuring liner notes by Steven Tyler. There’s still time to enter, but act fast! Contest ends Friday at noon PST. Click here to enter!
Description:
When your angel is cryin,’ try these sweet and soothing renditions of the Bad Boys from Boston’s biggest hits. We’ve made the Toxic Twins suitable for tiny ears, so yours won’t be the last child sleeping. Mama (and Dada) can finally rest through the night thanks to the familiar melodies of their favorite songs. Dream on, and on and on and on.
Walk this way, folks. We’re so elated about our new arrival, Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith (featuring liner notes by Steven Tyler!), we’re giving away ten copies!
Here’s how to enter:
All you have to do to win your very own CD is leave a comment on this post telling us why you love Aerosmith in 100 words or less. Ten lucky winners will be chosen from all the entries. You can enter more than once, but you must give a different reason on each comment! You must enter your email when you leave a comment so we can contact you (don’t worry, it will be kept private).
Contest ends Friday, October 16, 2009 at 12:00 PM (PST).
Want to hear one of our amazing lullaby renditions? Listen to Dream On. Don’t want to miss a thing? Run to your nearest cool baby boutique or visit www.rockabyebabymusic.com to get your very own copy!
Aerosmith’s long roster of rabble-rousing hits have never been said to put anyone to sleep. Until now.
…There are 12 songs here, including “Mama Kin,” “Dream On,” “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Sweet Emotion” “Angel” and “Rag Doll.” Warm xylophones, plinky keyboards, happy bells, flighty flutes, wonky coconut-like claps, crickets and frogs dance through these instrumental-only arrangements, which are perfect for wake-up or bedtime.
The slowed pace and ticking-time effects and frog chirps on “Walk This Way” and “Cryin’” add a sneaky vibe to the classics. The songs aren’t dark or eerie as much as they are unusual and unconventionally sweet.
Because this is Aerosmith week on The Rockabye Baby Blog, we have to play you this awesome Steven Tyler rendition of a children’s music classic — I love Trash, the theme song of Oscar the Grouch! This recording is from Elmopalooza. Check it out!
And, just because we can never get enough Sesame Street, here’s a super early version, from when Oscar was orange!
Be sure to check out our new release, Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith, featuring liner notes by Steven Tyler! Dream on, and on and on…
In honor of our new arrival, Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith, which came out yesterday, we prepared a new Before They Were Rock Stars quiz for all you rock lullaby trivia masters. This one focuses on The Bad Boys from Boston, when they were literally boys. Leave your answers in the comments and next week we’ll let you know if you were right!
TRUE or FALSE? Leave your answers in the comments:
Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler was born Stephen Victor Tallarico in Boston, Mass.
He got his nickname “Demon Of Screamin’” because he cried so loud when he was a baby.
In his teens, Steven held a job in a bakery.
Guitarist Joe Perry and Steven Tyler met at an ice cream parlor where young Joe was working.
Before Aerosmith, Joe Perry was in a band with Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton called The Peanut Butter and Jam Band.
Drummer Joey Kramer joined Aerosmith while he was still a teenager.
Before he joined Aerosmith, guitarist Brad Whitford was in a band called Justin Thyme.
P.S. Listen to a sneak peek of our lullaby rendition of Dream Onhere. Did we mention that Steven Tyler wrote the liner notes for our album? Oh, maybe only a few million times? Sorry, but you’d be braggin’ too if the Demon of Screamin’ was singing your praises!
P.P.S. Try our Dream On Green Beans, a healthy baby food recipe created exclusively for Rockabye Baby! by excutive chef Jeff Parker.
It’s official, Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith lands today! You can now get your very own copy at your favorite cool baby boutique or at www.rockabyebabymusic.com. In case you’ve been sleeping under a rock and haven’t heard us yelling the news (and we wouldn’t blame you–we can fall asleep anywhere), this one is extra special because Steven Tyler wrote the liner notes!
He says:
“I have a grandson who I can’t wait to play these for. Our fans, who have been with us for years, are now parents and grandparents themselves. I know they’re going to love this album. ”
We say:
When your angel is cryin,’ try these sweet and soothing renditions of the Bad Boys from Boston’s biggest hits. We’ve made the Toxic Twins suitable for tiny ears, so yours won’t be the last child sleeping. Mama (and Dada) can finally rest through the night thanks to the familiar melodies of their favorite songs. Dream on, and on and on and on.
