Punk rock / indie tunes about babies?

December 14, 2008 9:12 AM

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?

posted by psmealey to Media & Arts (43 answers total)

"Beat on the Brat," obviously, but they'd have to be very good friends.
posted by escabeche at 9:25 AM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

If they have a sense of black humor:

Dead Kennedys - I Kill Children
Dead Kennedys - Funland at the Beach
posted by ignignokt at 9:25 AM on December 14, 2008

Best answer: 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.
posted by jessamyn at 9:31 AM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: 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.
posted by psmealey at 9:36 AM on December 14, 2008

"Margaret" by the Silos is a cool song.
posted by shakobe at 9:43 AM on December 14, 2008

Rainin' Babies by the Flaming Lips
posted by Andy Harwood at 9:45 AM on December 14, 2008

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes did a pretty good cover of "Isn't she Lovely."
posted by Tomorrowful at 9:50 AM on December 14, 2008

Low - In Metal
posted by bunnytricks at 9:54 AM on December 14, 2008

"I'm Living With the Three-Foot Antichrist," by Mojo Nixon.
posted by jeffmshaw at 10:05 AM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

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.
posted by neustile at 10:08 AM on December 14, 2008 [2 favorites]

Jonathan Coulton's "Stroller Town" and "You Ruined Everything" (a very sweet song, actually).
posted by Evangeline at 10:09 AM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Spoilt Victorian Child - The Fall
Kidz Are So Small - Deerhoof
posted by mandal at 10:14 AM on December 14, 2008

Colin Meloy of The Decemberists fame recently penned a lovely song when his daughter was born (I believe it was a girl) called "Wonder."
posted by fantine at 10:16 AM on December 14, 2008

"His Majesty the Baby" by Momus
posted by carrienation at 10:19 AM on December 14, 2008

2nding Bowie's Kooks.
posted by stungeye at 10:27 AM on December 14, 2008

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
posted by Lemurrhea at 10:38 AM on December 14, 2008

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtEUCR0dZgM
posted by Joe Beese at 10:44 AM on December 14, 2008

Uh... never mind.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:45 AM on December 14, 2008

Best answer: If Bowie's cool, I'd go with his song When I'm Five.
posted by piratebowling at 10:45 AM on December 14, 2008

Best answer: XTC - Making plans for Nigel
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:46 AM on December 14, 2008

Also, for more of the indie end of the spectrum, MeFi's chococat hs a great earworm 5.
posted by piratebowling at 10:47 AM on December 14, 2008

I can't believe no one has mentioned I Hate Children by the Adolescents.
posted by cazoo at 10:57 AM on December 14, 2008

"Rocket Fuel" by MU330 (ska/skank, but whatever)
posted by Large Marge at 12:12 PM on December 14, 2008

Atom & His Package - Connor, Welcome.
posted by Seamus at 12:14 PM on December 14, 2008

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.
posted by mikeand1 at 12:55 PM on December 14, 2008

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".
posted by rebel_rebel at 12:55 PM on December 14, 2008

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.
posted by Sailormom at 12:58 PM on December 14, 2008

"Caress" by Drive Like Jehu.
posted by saladin at 1:45 PM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Pulp - Babies
posted by merocet at 2:19 PM on December 14, 2008

Oh and for kids St Etienne - Lets build a zoo
posted by merocet at 2:29 PM on December 14, 2008

Devendra Banhart - Chinese Children
The White Stripes - Baby Brother
posted by runningwithscissors at 2:56 PM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Not exactly punk, but a great and subtle quirky little number about babies and the reproductive urge: Inside Joke by Little Thom (imeem / CDBaby)
posted by andraste at 3:32 PM on December 14, 2008

The Mountain Goats - Pink and Blue
posted by silentbicycle at 3:33 PM on December 14, 2008

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.
posted by wherever, whatever at 4:23 PM on December 14, 2008

Guttermouth - My Neighbor's Baby
Tenacious D - Baby
Belle & Sebastian - You're Just A Baby
posted by namewithoutwords at 4:37 PM on December 14, 2008

"Oh Daddy" - Adrian Belew
posted by SisterHavana at 6:57 PM on December 14, 2008

"Connor, Welcome" by Atom & His Package.
posted by Casuistry at 8:10 PM on December 14, 2008

"The Insect God" - The Monks of Doom (Camper Van Beethoven spin-off)
posted by elendil71 at 8:52 PM on December 14, 2008

Liz Phair Whip-Smart
posted by citron at 10:55 PM on December 14, 2008

Lou Reed: Beginning of a Great Adventure
posted by coevals at 6:52 AM on December 15, 2008

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)
posted by owtytrof at 7:52 AM on December 15, 2008

ana lucia by sloan
posted by sardonicsmile at 4:28 PM on December 15, 2008

Response by poster: 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
posted by psmealey at 9:50 AM on January 18, 2009