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May 17, 2006
New Sheryl Paige CD to be Released on May 26th!
I was up until 3 AM last night mixing Sheryl’s new CD, “I Feel a Song Coming On.”
This album will have its premiere at Mamapalooza, where Sheryl will perform a couple of songs from it with her band, the “Spiny Normans.”
This CD falls under the category of “children’s music.” The songs however are not just little sing-along ditties.
Here’s the history behind these songs:
There are countless songs written for children to sing. “I Feel a Song Coming On” contains songs written specifically for parents to sing to their children.
As we raised our daughter Rose, she would often exhibit the behaviors and attitudes common to children who are in the maturing process.
Frequently a child will act self-centered, selfish, self-pitying, or just need to learn how to take care of his or her toys.
Sometimes children just do silly things because they haven’t yet learned the skill of thinking things through.
Being a professional songwriter, rather than constantly lecture my daughter on these matters, I started making up these little songs and singing them to her when the occasion warranted.
The first one I came up with was “Life is Tough When You’re a Kid,” which I used any time she started to complain about her lot in life.
Life is tough when you’re a kid
You get in trouble for what you did
Life is tough when you’re a kid
Life is hard when you are bad
And you’ve got a dad who’s mad
Life is tough when you’re a kid
We won’t let you watch the TV
Or play your video games
And when your friends come over
We call you silly names
Life it tough when you’re a kid
And you’re close to flipping your lid
Life is tough when you’re a kid
Life is tough when you’re a kid!
Life is tough when you are young
And you can’t have any fun
Life is tough when you are young
Life is rough when you’re a runt
And you can ‘t do what you want
Life is tough when you are young
We won’t let you live on junk food
Or stay up very late
You cannot do the things you love
But just the things you hate
Life is tough when you’re a kid
Yeah, it’s worse than being a squid
(We ran out of rhymes)
Life is tough when you’re a kid,
Life is tough when you’re a kid!
© 2006 Blue Allie Music
If she started to behave in a self-centered manner, I would chime in with “The World Revolves Around You.”
The world revolves around you
Everything that you say and do
Yes, indeed, we know it’s true
That the world revolves around you
You know we can’t make a move
Till we’re sure that you will approve
Yes, indeed, we know it’s true
That the world revolves around you
The planet awaits your pronouncements
On everything perfect or bad
Then when make your announcements
We take out a newspaper ad
‘Cause the world revolves around you
We will jump when you tell us to
Yes, we hope you don’t catch the flu
‘Cause the world revolves around you
Whether it’s wrongly or rightly
We couldn’t live without you
We’d miss you both daily and nightly
So maybe it really is true
The world revolves around you
Everything that you say and do
Yes, indeed, we know it’s true
That the world revolves around you
Sometimes…
Our world revolves around you
© 2006 Blue Allie Music
If she started to get too picky about food, clothes, or anything else, I would croon “Little Miss Persnickity.”
Being sung to made our daughter very much aware of what she was doing, and soon the unwanted behaviors and attitudes were occurring less often. If I saw an undesirable attitude begin to surface, I would simply say with a smile:
“I feel a song coming on!”
Rose would quickly declare, “Oh Dad!” and she knew what I was getting at.
My wife Sheryl, wise woman that she is (and also a songwriter!), began writing down these little songs, realizing that as Rose grew up, I would gradually stop singing them, and most certainly forget how they went!
Today Rose is grown up, and is allowing us to share these songs with others (something I would not do when she was little).
When you get your copy of this new CD, here is how to use these songs on your own kids:
Our sincere hope is that your child knows beyond a doubt that he or she is loved deeply and unconditionally. These songs will not work if your child is insecure!
These songs are meant to convey a gentle and loving spirit. A great deal of humor today is very caustic and mean-spirited. We have tried to avoid that type of humor in these songs.
Also, we would strongly suggest that you not use these songs on your child in front of their friends, or in public. You don’t want to unnecessarily embarrass your child.
Each one of these songs addresses a type of child behavior or attitude.
First of all, you have to learn the songs (But you don’t need to learn all the verses. I never got to sing any of these songs all the way through! Rose would always stop me after a few lines).
When your child begins to exhibit one of these less than desirable attitudes, sing the appropriate song to them. (Or, if you prefer not to sing, play them the CD).
Your child will get the message!
After a while, you may only have to say, “I feel a song coming on!”
The songs on the CD:
1. Life is Tough When You’re a Kid – A song for complainers.
2. The Big Elf – For kids who don’t pick up after themselves.
3. Ya Oughta Thank the Academy – For drama queens (and kings).
4. Don't Put Your Feet In My Face - For kids who are learning to control their bodies.
5. The World Revolves Around You – Self-explanatory!
6. The World Revolves Around You – (The “what where they thinking!?!” version)
7. I Predict You Will Live – For kids who whine about how hungry they are.
8. Poor Teddy – Learning to think things through, taking care of your things.
9. Little Miss Persnickity – For the picky kid, who’s still very sweet at heart.
So there you go: another great reason to come to Mamapalooza! A NEW CD from Sheryl Paige!
Tell all your friends, and let’s make this a huge event for the benefit of the artists and the non-profits.
Mamapalooza will be held on Friday evening, May 26th, 6PM at the Holiday Inn Resort in Cocoa Beach. Tickets are $15 ($50 for VIP’s)
Purchase tickets on line at http://www.mamapalozafl.com, call us or email us!
Contact us if you want to order an advance copy of “I Feel a Song Coming On.”
(Cover art by Rose Olguin)
Posted by leon at May 17, 2006 02:51 PM