VH1 Classic for Babies
July 27, 2014 12:34 PM Subscribe
I'd like to put together a playlist of great live musical performances on Youtube to play for my baby. What are your favorites?
I'm looking for your favorite live music performance that is on Youtube that I can save to a playlist and then play through my Wii on my TV to entertain my baby sometimes in direct opposition to stuff like the Wiggles. Or just have on in the background while I do my parenting stuff.
I am mostly NOT looking for "Children's Music." No puppets, animations or other kid's music stuff.
I will take a great performance of a song children love performed live and really well. In fact that would be lovely! (For instance this performance of rock island line by Pete Seeger is perfect, as is all live Pete Seeger really).
Here's more fussy criteria:
- Good musical quality! No tape hiss from a 3rd hand dub of an old TV show, iphone video recordings, or distracting applause breaks
- No harsh, raucous, or inappropriate elements (Not that it's horribly scarring to see David Bowie's trouser-outline or hear 4 minutes of Fu Manchu feedback but my wife would definitely not appreciate it)
- ANY genre or time period as long as it is tuneful and fun (or quiet and sleepy). But the less busy the better. I love the Boss but a full band version of Born To Run is definitely too much for a tiny one.
- Under 10 minutes in length and without long interview intro or outro.
- Live performance means live singing shown happening live, no lip-syncing, live instrumentation appreciated too as to be educational about how music is made. Music with lyrics preferred over instrumentals, but not a hard and fast criteria.
Pieces of a classic classic rock concert? Awesome!
Well preserved film of a Jazz quintet doing a standard? Nice!
Indie rock couch session? Cool!
Something I haven't even considered? Sweet!
I'll post the playlist when I'm done and thanks ever so much in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm looking for your favorite live music performance that is on Youtube that I can save to a playlist and then play through my Wii on my TV to entertain my baby sometimes in direct opposition to stuff like the Wiggles. Or just have on in the background while I do my parenting stuff.
I am mostly NOT looking for "Children's Music." No puppets, animations or other kid's music stuff.
I will take a great performance of a song children love performed live and really well. In fact that would be lovely! (For instance this performance of rock island line by Pete Seeger is perfect, as is all live Pete Seeger really).
Here's more fussy criteria:
- Good musical quality! No tape hiss from a 3rd hand dub of an old TV show, iphone video recordings, or distracting applause breaks
- No harsh, raucous, or inappropriate elements (Not that it's horribly scarring to see David Bowie's trouser-outline or hear 4 minutes of Fu Manchu feedback but my wife would definitely not appreciate it)
- ANY genre or time period as long as it is tuneful and fun (or quiet and sleepy). But the less busy the better. I love the Boss but a full band version of Born To Run is definitely too much for a tiny one.
- Under 10 minutes in length and without long interview intro or outro.
- Live performance means live singing shown happening live, no lip-syncing, live instrumentation appreciated too as to be educational about how music is made. Music with lyrics preferred over instrumentals, but not a hard and fast criteria.
Pieces of a classic classic rock concert? Awesome!
Well preserved film of a Jazz quintet doing a standard? Nice!
Indie rock couch session? Cool!
Something I haven't even considered? Sweet!
I'll post the playlist when I'm done and thanks ever so much in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!
Response by poster: Which ones do you like though? A lot to pick through there and most of them I find sort of rote.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:10 PM on July 27, 2014
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:10 PM on July 27, 2014
Best answer: I really enjoyed this Christine Salem one. And also this Buddy Miller/Jim Lauderdale one. Also Joan Soriano.
posted by pipeski at 1:19 PM on July 27, 2014
posted by pipeski at 1:19 PM on July 27, 2014
Best answer: I'm a big fan of this version of Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill.
posted by sacrifix at 1:27 PM on July 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by sacrifix at 1:27 PM on July 27, 2014 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: I'm a big fan of this version of Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill yt .
At first I was like "ehhh recent recording of an old song" and then I was "HOLY SHIT BICYCLE". That is precisely perfect.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:55 PM on July 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
At first I was like "ehhh recent recording of an old song" and then I was "HOLY SHIT BICYCLE". That is precisely perfect.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:55 PM on July 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
I also vote for the Buddy Miller tiny desk concert, because that means you get to watch my uncle, Fats Kaplin, play the fiddle.
He happens to be the kind of person that mesmerizes tiny humans, so that could be a plus.
posted by ocherdraco at 2:49 PM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
He happens to be the kind of person that mesmerizes tiny humans, so that could be a plus.
posted by ocherdraco at 2:49 PM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Anything from Queen's set at Live Aid should do, but I'm partial to Radio Ga Ga
posted by anotheraccount at 5:16 PM on July 27, 2014
posted by anotheraccount at 5:16 PM on July 27, 2014
Best answer: Dietrich Strause playing Unsinkable on a rooftop.
posted by SobaFett at 5:56 PM on July 27, 2014
posted by SobaFett at 5:56 PM on July 27, 2014
Best answer: Baby chemgrrl loved close up faces and close harmony, in case you can't figure out how the heck these fit together. Here are ones from my bookmarks, all of which can lead down useful rabbit holes.
You Belong To Me
Lennon Sisters
Live aid mentioned upthread
four hands one guitar
silly song on ukelele, includes outtakes
We'd wander around AV club undercover pretty regularly too though I can't remember any specific well loved ones.
Ok Go's gimmick is pretty great for kids though it's lip synced. My kid's favorite involved dogs.
And I feel the need to mention it though it's not what you asked for: breakdancing children, always a winner.
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:09 PM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
You Belong To Me
Lennon Sisters
Live aid mentioned upthread
four hands one guitar
silly song on ukelele, includes outtakes
We'd wander around AV club undercover pretty regularly too though I can't remember any specific well loved ones.
Ok Go's gimmick is pretty great for kids though it's lip synced. My kid's favorite involved dogs.
And I feel the need to mention it though it's not what you asked for: breakdancing children, always a winner.
posted by tchemgrrl at 7:09 PM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
I know you said no kids stuff but ...
Tilly and the Wall doing ABCs on Sesame Street is fun.
posted by yarly at 8:22 PM on July 27, 2014
Tilly and the Wall doing ABCs on Sesame Street is fun.
posted by yarly at 8:22 PM on July 27, 2014
Best answer: You can't go wrong with Ella Jenkins.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:03 PM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by SisterHavana at 9:03 PM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
You should check out Rockabye Baby for quiet-time stuff. Virtually every notable rock band in history -- The Beatles, Smashing Pumpkins, AC/DC, Radiohead -- transmuted into soothing lullaby tones. Plus, it would be pretty cool for the kid to rediscover their favorite childhood lullabies as classic rock songs.
posted by Rhaomi at 10:29 PM on July 27, 2014
posted by Rhaomi at 10:29 PM on July 27, 2014
Here's Feist singing '1234' on Sesame Street.
posted by persona au gratin at 1:31 AM on July 28, 2014
posted by persona au gratin at 1:31 AM on July 28, 2014
Best answer: When I was a little kid, I loved 5th Dimension, Silly Love Songs, and 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.
posted by persona au gratin at 1:35 AM on July 28, 2014
posted by persona au gratin at 1:35 AM on July 28, 2014
Response by poster: Pretty disappointed I didn't get 8 million suggestions here, guess the question was too broad? Thanks for the good stuff I did get y'all! Those and many others of my whimsical choice have been added to this playlist hereso. She's liked it so far!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:57 AM on July 30, 2014
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:57 AM on July 30, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pipeski at 1:07 PM on July 27, 2014