Should I be ashamed to admit that I like kids’ music?

I’m 41 years old and I don’t have kids or even any nieces or nephews who are young enough to enjoy children’s author Sandra Boynton’s latest book, Frog Trouble. And yet, yesterday morning I bought the album that accompanies her book. Why? Because Alison Krauss sings a song on it and I noticed I liked a lot of the other artists on the book’s soundtrack.

Alison Krauss – “End of a Summer Storm” from Sandra Boynton’s “Frog Trouble” [Official Music Video] from Crazy Lake Pictures on Vimeo.

This video was posted on my Facebook feed yesterday. I listened to the song and loved it and went directly to Amazon.com, where I immediately downloaded a copy of the album. This is not the first time I’ve done this. Several years ago, Alison Krauss contributed a beautiful song called “Evermore” to Boynton’s book, Dog Trail. I downloaded that, too.

This video is not based on the book, but someone on YouTube made a video for “Evermore”.

I discovered “Evermore” in 2007, when my husband was deployed to Iraq and the song brought me consolation as I worried about his safety every day. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to kids’ music. It tends to be wholesome and comforting. It often touches the heart or is silly enough to provoke laughter. It lets an adult listener travel back to a time when maybe things weren’t so stressful or scary.

While Bill was deployed, I also discovered a couple of songs by Raffi that were covered by favorite artists. One song was “Bananaphone”, which Rhonda Vincent and the Rage turned into a fun bluegrass jam.

This song comes from the Country Goes Raffi album. I’ll admit I am a bit old for it, but it’s a cute song nonetheless.

Alison Krauss also contributed to that particular compilation with her rendition of “Blessed Be”. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a video for that song, but it brought me a lot of comfort when Bill was away.

When I suffered from clinical depression in the late 90s, I found myself purchasing a Sesame Street album. I used to listen to it all the time. I’d put it on the CD player as I drove to work each day. My job at that time was very stressful; I worked at a fine restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia, where I was regularly berated by co-workers and customers alike. The 45 minute commute to and from work was a good opportunity for me to wind down with something silly. So I’d listen to songs like “Put Down the Duckie” to put myself in a lighthearted mood.

I can’t tell you how many crappy shifts this song got me through.

James Taylor’s “Jelly Man Kelly” is a favorite…

Man, those kids have some lungs!

And so is his brother Livingston’s song, “Pajamas”…

This version of “Pajamas” is from In Harmony, which Liv did with his brother, James, Carly and Lucy Simon, Bette Midler, George Benson, Ernie and Cookie Monster, Dr. John, Linda Ronstadt, and Wendy Waldman, among others.

Another favorite CD during that time was Kenny Loggins’ Return to Pooh Corner. I used to listen to that album all the time in an attempt to chill out and revert to a simpler time.

I know a lot of people like the title track on that disc, but my favorite song was his rendition of “All The Pretty Little Ponies”. I love how he arranged it.

Last month, I even bought the soundtrack for The Muppet Movie, a film that debuted when I was seven years old. I remember seeing it in the movie theatre and loving it, but I only just now came into possession of the soundtrack.

This song always gives me a lump in my throat, even when it’s done by other artists besides Kermit the Frog.

Even Karen Carpenter sang it!

And now I think I better quit with the nostalgic kids’ music because I’m starting to get very verklempt.