Even More Halloween Songs and Videos

Like all good (or is it bad) scary movies, my original Halloween music post for 2011 spawned not just one sequel, but has, with this post, become a full-on trilogy.

Chuck Cheesman has offered up his Halloween song "Halloween Freak Out!" from his latest album Dancing With No Shoes On as a free download for the next few days (and, really, who would want to listen to it on, say, Nov. 2nd?). Note: actual freaking out during the song is minimal. The download is available at the the top of this page.

Baze and His Silly Friends are offering up a free download of their 2009 song "Scare Me, Scare You."

Number of times "scary" is in the title = 2. Actual level of scariness = 0.1 (but that's OK!)

Download the track here or via the widget below.

DidiPop has a jazzy take on the season. Number of jazzy Halloween albums = 0? Number of jazzy Christmas albums = approaching infinity. And now, you can download the tune for free.

DidiPop - "Goblins" [YouTube]

Finally, Gooney Bird Kids and the Sounds Sweet Show both have big Halloween playlists/podcasts up. You can check out Gwyneth's 52-song stream here and David's podcast here.

The Ketchup Report, Vol. 10

The Ketchup Report hits double digits!

It's summer, time for festival season, and I think it's safe to say that until a kindie act rocks the Pitchfork Festival (and maybe even after then), DidiPop has the coolest festival gig, playing a set for families at the Wilco-curated Solid Sound Festival at the MASS MoCA museum (yes, I know that's redundant) this upcoming weekend.

Attention, good people of Chattanooga, Tennessee and environs, Dave Loftin and the Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl radio are sponsoring a show with Lunch Money on Sunday, July 10. I'm a fan of radio folks putting on concert series, so I hope this does well. Plus, the show will be ten tons of fun. More details here.

I know, I'm a big fan of Kindiefest, but the Children's Music Network has been around for a long time, and if you attended Kindiefest, you might also get quite a bit out of attending their annual conference, which is in Cape Cod this year from September 16 through 18. Barry Louis Polisar, who has a lot of opinions about the current state of the genre and isn't afraid to share them, delivers the keynote. More details here.
Finally, in the category of videos -- I always have at least one of these in each Ketchup Report, here's a new one from Jamie Broza. It's for "Turn That Phone Off" from his latest album I Want a Dog! and while its eventual popularity will probably come in some future public safety announcement about texting and driving, that was never the primary theme I heard when I first heard the song a while back -- I responded much more to the idea of stopping and paying attention.

Jamie Broza - "Turn That Phone Off" [YouTube]

Three Flag Day Videos

Today -- June 14 -- is Flag Day, a holiday which, though minor in the greeting card scheme of things, looms large in the imaginations of kids music artists. (Why doesn't Thanksgiving get the same respect?) Here are three Flag Day videos to get you in a patriotic summertime mood.

First up, it's Billy Kelly, with a new video for "That Old American Flag," off his most recent album The Family Garden. It's a straight-up, un-ironic tribute to the flag and his dad. Added bonus of the video -- revealing one of Billy's secret talents. It's, er, singular in nature (watch 'til the end).

Bill Kelly - "That Old American Flag" [YouTube]

Next up is DidiPop, with "Flag Day," with a historical look at the flag. (I really like the hand-drawn flag in the middle of video.)

DidiPop - "Flag Day" [YouTube]

Finally, an oldie (comparatively) but goodie from Yosi (or, rather, a couple of young girls singing his song)...

Yosi - "My Flag" [YouTube]

Songs for Valentine's Day 2011

'Round here, the civics geek inside of me would like to think that everybody celebrates February 14 as Arizona Statehood Day, but I know that it's primarily Valentine's Day just as it is in the rest of the country. Unlike the frenzy of winter holiday songs, however, the kids music community hasn't necessarily jumped in recorded a whole bunch of songs for Valentine's Day. But for those families and kids for whom that Transformers Valentine's Day tattoo just won't fit the bill, here are a few songs for you...

DidiPop might have been the first to offer up a new Valentine's Day song this year -- it's called "Happy Valentine's Day." (Note: Unlike Christmas songs, it would appear that "Valentine" is a required word in the title of Valentine's Day songs.)

DidiPop - "Happy Valentine's Day" YouTube]

The February installment of Jeremy Plays Guitar's monthly free song of the month series is, unsurprisingly, Valentine-themed. (It's even called "Valentines.") That means bows and arrows!

OK, not really. It's more about making Valentine's Day cards. Listen to or download the song here.

And, yes, there's more...
Suzi Shelton didn't have a new song for 2011, but here's a song and dance with Shelton's daughter Emma Rose...

Suzi Shelton - "Valentine Song" [YouTube]

And speaking of song and dance, as previously noted, Recess Monkey has offered a song off their forthcoming album as a teaser ('cuz, really, this wouldn't make nearly as much sense in June, right?)

Recess Monkey - "My Valentine" [YouTube]

Share: "DidiPop Goes To Hawaii - DidiPop

DidiPop has decided to give her music away (digitally, at least). That's right, the Los Angeles-based artist is now offering free streams and mp3s of her two full-lengths and other assorted tracks. DidiPop Goes To Hawaii may just be what you need if you've suffered from one too many East Coast snow storms...

A widget with every DidiPop song after the jump...