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”).

Happy New Year, friends!

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.

Hard to believe but our little music-making elves created four new albums: More Lullaby Renditions of the Beatles, Lullaby Renditions of Queen, Lullaby Renditions of Aerosmith, and Lullaby Renditions of Guns N’ Roses. Whew! No wonder we needed to take so many naps!

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…

Sincerely,

Your friends at Rockabye Baby

The whole premise of Rockabye Baby! series is rather interesting to me. The idea of taking classic rock melodies and working them into mellow songs for youngsters really challenges some prevalent and somewhat outmoded ideas. I mean, just how important are the trappings of rock and roll anyhow? Of course the classic sex, drugs & rock and roll cliches still abound across the globe, but at this point in time it seems quaint to me that at one time bands like Led Zeppelin or the Beatles were considered amongst the greatest threats to western civilization. Yes, rock music subculture was one of many influences that shaped the latter part of the 20th century, but people of all age groups still purchase huge quantities of these records based on their musical content, not the aged propaganda that propelled these acts to their dizzying heights of fame. It’s obvious that people still cling to the rock mythos;  a recent post on a major gossip site regarding our new album Lullaby Renditions of Guns N’ Roses (out tomorrow!) is proof positive of people’s lack of lightheartedness when it comes to rock icons. Guess what? Rock stars grow, have kids, pet puppies and some even garden! That being said, I thought that I’d do a little research and see how many of the Gunners have gone on to that most un rock and roll job of jobs–parenting.

Finding info on the reclusive W. Axl Rose was a bit difficult. Although there’s no public mention of offspring, a few sources site a possible daughter. It seems that original founding member and 1st defector Izzy Stradlin, as well as original drummer and reality TV star Steven Adler have yet to procreate. However, Guitar legend Saul Hudson (Slash) seems to have taken to fatherhood quite well. Having married back in 2000, he and his wife Perla have 2 sons, London and Cash. Rounding out the original line-up, bassist and former Fartz member Duff McKagen was the first father of the group. His daughter Grace was born back in ‘97 and in 2000 he and wife Susan Holmes were blessed with a second daughter, Mae Marie. Izzy replacement Gilby Clarke is also a proud parent, in fact his wife Daniella named her popular line of Frankie B. jeans after their daughter Francesca. Adler replacement and former Y Kant Tori Read member Matt Sorum hasn’t any children, but his recent work for the Freedom Children organization, which works to gain assistance for children in war ravaged nations, well deserves mention.

Welcome to the jungle indeed…

P.S. Lullaby Renditions of Guns N’ Roses hits the streets 11/10! Listen to an exclusive sneak peek of our version of Sweet Child O’ Mine here.