Comments on: Punk rock / indie tunes about babies?

Question: Punk rock / indie tunes about babies?

psmealey — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:12:47 -0800

Any good indie or punk rock songs about babies, young children as tributes or goofs?

I was looking to put a mixed CD together as a gift for some friends with young children, and the theme was alt-ish/indie/punk songs about kids... either as genuine tributes, or quirky throw-aways. I thought this would be relatively easy, but all I'm coming up with is Sleater-Kinney's "Little Babies", The Presidents' "Drool on You", Talking Heads' "Stay up Late", and that's about it. Any suggestions or resources?

By: escabeche

escabeche — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:25:16 -0800

"Beat on the Brat," obviously, but they'd have to be very good friends.

By: ignignokt

ignignokt — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:25:50 -0800

If they have a sense of black humor:

Dead Kennedys - I Kill Children
Dead Kennedys - Funland at the Beach

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:31:09 -0800

Sliver by Nirvana is told first person by a child. A few more suggestions here, the Flaming Lips one I can recommend though it's not really about babies.

By: psmealey

psmealey — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:36:36 -0800

Some of these folks we are close enough to put the Sex Pistols' "Bodies" on it, others might possibly be offended by that particular selection.

By: shakobe

shakobe — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:43:24 -0800

"Margaret" by the Silos is a cool song.

By: Andy Harwood

Andy Harwood — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:45:21 -0800

Rainin' Babies by the Flaming Lips

By: Tomorrowful

Tomorrowful — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:50:33 -0800

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes did a pretty good cover of "Isn't she Lovely."

By: bunnytricks

bunnytricks — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 09:54:16 -0800

Low - In Metal

By: jeffmshaw

jeffmshaw — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:05:49 -0800

"I'm Living With the Three-Foot Antichrist," by Mojo Nixon.

By: neustile

neustile — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:08:34 -0800

Not so much punk rock/indie/altish but I've always had a soft spot for David Bowie's "Kooks", written for his newborn son.

By: Evangeline

Evangeline — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:09:13 -0800

Jonathan Coulton's "Stroller Town" and "You Ruined Everything" (a very sweet song, actually).

By: mandal

mandal — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:14:42 -0800

Spoilt Victorian Child - The Fall
Kidz Are So Small - Deerhoof

By: fantine

fantine — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:16:52 -0800

Colin Meloy of The Decemberists fame recently penned a lovely song when his daughter was born (I believe it was a girl) called "Wonder."

By: carrienation

carrienation — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:19:53 -0800

"His Majesty the Baby" by Momus

By: stungeye

stungeye — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:27:45 -0800

2nding Bowie's Kooks.

By: Lemurrhea

Lemurrhea — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:38:44 -0800

Cloud Cult has many songs about children. Who Killed Puck has multiple songs referencing to children, and their intermediate works were written after the death of his 2-year old son, which may or may not be appropriate, but they are very pretty songs.

They Might be Giants - Rabid Child
Dead Kennedys - I Kill Children & A Child and his Lawnmower

By: Joe Beese

Joe Beese — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:44:27 -0800

Talking Heads were vaguely "punk" once. So: "Stay Up Late".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtEUCR0dZgM

By: Joe Beese

Joe Beese — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:45:10 -0800

Uh... never mind.

By: piratebowling

piratebowling — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:45:22 -0800

If Bowie's cool, I'd go with his song When I'm Five.

By: The Light Fantastic

The Light Fantastic — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:46:08 -0800

XTC - Making plans for Nigel

By: piratebowling

piratebowling — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:47:39 -0800

Also, for more of the indie end of the spectrum, MeFi's chococat hs a great earworm 5.

By: cazoo

cazoo — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:57:53 -0800

I can't believe no one has mentioned I Hate Children by the Adolescents.

By: Large Marge

Large Marge — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:12:04 -0800

"Rocket Fuel" by MU330 (ska/skank, but whatever)

By: Seamus

Seamus — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:14:19 -0800

Atom & His Package - Connor, Welcome.

By: mikeand1

mikeand1 — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:55:01 -0800

There used to be a really cool band in No. Va. called "9353" that had a number of quirky songs about babies and children. (The band's name supposedly came from a number stamped on a jar of formaldehyde with a fetus floating in it.)

Track 3 on "Overdoses at your mother's house" was called "Babies". The lyrics are pure gold; I tried googling for them but failed.

Another great track on the same album is "10 Witches". Again, killer lyrics about childhood gone wrong.

Lots of other cool songs about corrupted youths/teens/kids/etc.

By: rebel_rebel

rebel_rebel — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:55:18 -0800

Of Montreal has a song called "So Begins Our Alabee", written for Kevin Barnes' daughter Alabee.

Not sure if Ben Folds is indie enough, but he has a song about his daughter called "Gracie".

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:58:39 -0800

I Don't Want To Grow Up by Tom Waits.
Just about anything off of Daddy-O Daddy! Rare Family Songs of Woody Guthrie. People like Billy Bragg and Syd Straw among others reinterpret the songs.

By: saladin

saladin — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:45:50 -0800

"Caress" by Drive Like Jehu.

By: merocet

merocet — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:19:37 -0800

Pulp - Babies

By: merocet

merocet — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:29:50 -0800

Oh and for kids St Etienne - Lets build a zoo

By: runningwithscissors

runningwithscissors — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:56:45 -0800

Devendra Banhart - Chinese Children
The White Stripes - Baby Brother

By: andraste

andraste — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:32:12 -0800

Not exactly punk, but a great and subtle quirky little number about babies and the reproductive urge: Inside Joke by Little Thom (imeem / CDBaby)

By: silentbicycle

silentbicycle — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:33:00 -0800

The Mountain Goats - Pink and Blue

By: wherever, whatever

wherever, whatever — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:23:27 -0800

Nirvana's cover of "Son Of A Gun" by the Vaselines. And for when the kids make them wanna tear their hair out "Tourette's" also by Nirvana. Just try and sit still.

By: namewithoutwords

namewithoutwords — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:37:58 -0800

Guttermouth - My Neighbor's Baby
Tenacious D - Baby
Belle & Sebastian - You're Just A Baby

By: SisterHavana

SisterHavana — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:57:11 -0800

"Oh Daddy" - Adrian Belew

By: Casuistry

Casuistry — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:10:02 -0800

"Connor, Welcome" by Atom & His Package.

By: elendil71

elendil71 — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:52:26 -0800

"The Insect God" - The Monks of Doom (Camper Van Beethoven spin-off)

By: citron

citron — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:55:49 -0800

Liz Phair Whip-Smart

By: coevals

coevals — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:52:52 -0800

Lou Reed: Beginning of a Great Adventure

By: owtytrof

owtytrof — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:52:31 -0800

I don't know if these are too mainstream:

When You Dream by Barenaked Ladies
Annabella's Song by Everclear(this one comes in two flavors: a slow, kind of orchestral version on Songs From an American Movie vol 1: Learning How to Smile, and a more rocking version that I'm not sure where to find)

By: sardonicsmile

sardonicsmile — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:28:25 -0800

ana lucia by sloan

By: psmealey

psmealey — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:50:05 -0800

Thanks so much you guys. Since the genre seemed a bit slim, and was having to go with more obscure stuff than I liked, I loosened the criteria to include songs about babies, for babies or songs with the word "baby" featured prominently in the title and the lyrics (Huge cop out). In case you're interested, here's what I went with:

The Baby Song - Hüsker Dü
Problem Child - ACDC
Little Babies - Sleater Kinney
Don't Worry Baby - the Beach Boys
Super Baby - Matthew Sweet
And the Cradle Will Rock - Van Halen
No. 13 Baby - The Pixies
Real Child of Hell - X
Vietnamese Baby - The New York Dolls
The KKK Took my Baby Away - The Ramones
Baby be Good - the Smithereens
Beautiful Boy - John Lennon
Blue Moon Baby - The Cramps
My Beautiful Son - Hole
Baby Talk - Johnny Thunders
Sweet Child O' Mine - Sheryl Crow's acoustic cover
Drool on You - Presidents of the United States of America
Stealing Babies - Our Lady Peace
Sliver - Nirvana (thanks, Jess)
Up All Night - Talking Heads