I spied Twin Cities musician and today’s guest blogger Dan Israel when he played a morning gig at the Minneapolis Institute of Art a few weeks ago. I was chasing my one-year-old around the museum cafe. He was waving to his 18-month-old in the audience. “It’s Daddy!” he said in a mock whisper. “Is that weird?!”

Dan calls his introduction to parenthood a “trial by fire.” He juggles a full-time job at the Minnesota Legislature with his career as a singer-songwriter with his band, Dan Israel and the Cultivators. Luckily, he says, his wife lets him sleep on those mornings when he gets in at 3am after a gig.

Dan wrote this song for his son Isaac. Click here to listen.

Never Go Away

It’s OK, don’t you cry, I’ll lift you up, kiss your tears goodbye, my flesh, my blood, my reason to be, I hurt with you, ‘cause you’re a part of me

It’s OK, my dear sweet boy, until you, I never knew such joy, a billion miles beyond sympathy, all I want, is you to be happy

I hold you in my arms, feel you in my soul
Protect you from all harm, warm you when you’re cold
I miss you when I’m gone, I worry when I stay,
My love for you will never go away

It’s OK, your daddy’s here, the clouds are gone, and the sky is clear,
One smile from you, is all that I need,
To push away, this world of pain and greed

I hold you in my arms, feel you in my soul
Protect you from all harm, warm you when you’re cold
I miss you when I’m gone, I worry when I stay,
My love for you will never go away

It’s OK, it’s alright, it’s been a long day, so I’ll kiss you goodnight,
Hearing you laugh, watching you play, there are no words for what I’m trying to say

I hold you in my arms, feel you in my soul
Protect you from all harm, warm you when you’re cold
I miss you when I’m gone, I worry when I stay,
My love for you will never go away

When my little brother was nine or so, he took up knitting. He knitted everywhere, in the car, at the dinner table, and quite likely, at school too. My parents and I hovered anxiously, pleased and proud at his creativity yet knowing it was only a matter of time…..Sure enough, at a big family reunion, an aunt proclaimed: “Knitting is for girls!” and the entire table laughed. I remember hotly defending him, though I forget what I said. But the damage was done. That was the beginning of the end of his yen for knitting and purling… 

This past Christmas, my sister-in-law Jennifer gave Zoe a CD of ”Free to Be…You and Me” by Marlo Thomas and Friends. I’d never heard it (having grown up across the world), but when I heard Marlo (with Alan Alda) sing of her friend William who wanted a doll, I thought of my brother. He’s now 29, quite the man-about-town, and apparently undamaged by his bout with knitting or with the various other activites I, his older sister, inflicted on him (guinea pig for make-up, dress-up, etc.)

There are other gems on the CD - Marlo with Harry Belafonte, reminding us that “parents are people, people with children;” Carol Channing telling us in a conspiratorial whisper that the woman scrubbing away in television ads is smiling because “she’s an actress!”

Since ”Free to Be” was released in 1972, so much has changed. And so much hasn’t. Witness princess mania. So if you haven’t already, get the CD for your daughters. Better still, get it for your sons.

Anybody have memories of growing up with Marlo to share? And who is the Marlo of today? (Kay suggested it may be Laurie Berkner on Noggin)

Note: What does Marlo herself think of this state of affairs, 35 years after “Free to be”? Well, as it happens, she’s coming to town May 8 as part of the Star Tribune’s Women’s lecture series and Kay has scored us both tickets. Watch this space.

Circa 1984 I had the ubiquitous 80’s do. You know the one - asymmetrical, shaved close on one side and crunchy Sun-In streaked perm on the other. Great look. I also wore a lot of black and listened to the Cure - whoops, still do. Well I have good news for all of you former mopeyblackcladshoegazingdancers who are now aginghipsterparents out there. Lullaby versions of the Cure songs are now available on CD.

When I first heard of this a few months ago, I thought it sounded like a novel shower gift for my favorite Gothy parents-to-be. Then I listened to the samples on the web site. The songs are performed on glockenspiel and harpsichord. To me, the songs sound more like creepy ice cream truck music than soothing lullabies.

But if your baby is feeling low and sitting in the crib contemplating his/her navel, this may be the perfect background music. BTW Baby Rock Records also feature artists other than the Cure. Radiohead, Nirvana, Tool, the Eagles and Coldplay (but aren’t their songs already lullabye-y?)

And Baby Rock Records are also featured in this NYT article on aginghipsterparents and their kids.

Our prenatal class teacher gave us a homework assignment. Make a mix CD for your birthing room to create the relaxing atmosphere that you want. And for the labor nurses sake, please no Enya! No problem there. The thought of this almost made me dilate 2 cm. I immediately went home and started perusing my iTunes library to create my  playlist. I created a mix of songs that brought me back to calm happy moments with a dabble of lullabies to keep me focused on my ultimate goal, our baby boy.

Here’s my playlist:

1) Wild Horses - Rolling Stones (acoustic from Stripped)
2) Private Universe - Crowded House (dreamy version from Afterglow)
3) Brahms Lullaby - Lori Line
4) I Will - the Beatles
5) Godspeed(Sweet Dreams)-Dixie Chicks
6) Apron Strings - Everything But the Girl
7) The Luckiest - Ben Folds The Ghost in You -Psychedelic Furs
9) Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
10) Which Will - Nick Drake
11) Rainbow Connection - Kermit (had to skip over this one during labor, made me too sad that Jim Henson was dead)
12) I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon - Sean Colvin
13) Beautiful Boy - John Lennon

It was by far the best thing I packed in my hospital bag. It worked wonders as a contraction distraction. I’d concentrate on the lyrics, my husband and I would talk to the nurse about who the artist was, or why that song was special. Now we always have that CD to listen to and remember the day our son was born. It also has worked like a charm to play while I rock him to sleep.

In retrospect, I do regret not having some upbeat workout music. After 36 hours labor 4 of them pushing - I was beyond exhausted. I really could’ve used a motivational lift. I truly believe that if I had a copy of Salt & Pepa’s “Push It” in the background ooh baby baby would have popped right out.

Anyone else have a labor mix to share? Or what songs from your music library do you listen to that can also double as a lullaby for all to enjoy?