MLK Day is usually really really cold and really really fun. My wife and kids are out of school and we get to hang out. And I get to sing all the Civil Rights, black history, and spiritual tunes that I love at my sing-a-longs. Usually I do about half Dees songs and half traditional kid tunes but around MLK's b-day I go all out with the stuff I really like. Here's some of the stuff I'm singing today, all weekend, Monday, and all next week. Happy birthday!
classics:
John Brown's Body
Lift Every Voice and Sing
We Shall Overcome
Down in the Valley (don't forget the "Birmingham jail" verse)
Follow the Drinking Gourd
The Welcome Table
Let Us Get Together (the Rev. Gary Davis tune)
This Little Light
Go Down, Moses
Wade in the Water
Redemption Song (yeah, that one. before you scoff, try playing it for an NYC crowd. EVERYONE will sing along, even most of the hipsters)
Down by the Riverside
I Sing Just to Know That I'm Alive (Trinidadian tune I learned from Nina Simone)
Dees tunes:
Tub-Tub-Ma-Ma-Ga-Ga
Ah Ahimsa
Sojourner Truth
Underground Railroad
Cool Papa Bell
Bring 'Em In (about Satchel Paige)
Got your own favorites? Please send: thedeedledeedledees AT yahoo DOT com
L
Friday, January 13, 2012
Monday, December 26, 2011
On Dec. 31st, there's no excuse...
For not joining me and the Deedle Deedle Dees on the radio or in person. Here's what's happening:
(all times Eastern)
At 9am, I'm the guest on The Kids are Alright, Amy Handler's splendid little program on AM1690 in Atlanta. Amy is devoting the whole show to our conversation, my in-studio performances, and tracks by the Deedle Deedle Dees. Stream it here: http://1690wmlb.com/the-kids-are-alright/ The show will repeat Sunday the 1st at noon.
At 11am, I'm hosting a New Year's Eve Family Sing-a-Long & Jam at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. Bring your voices and your instruments. I'll bring chord changes so parents and bigger kids can play along on their guitars, ukes, accordions, etc. And everyone is invited to sing along as we ring in the New Year a little early (we'll be counting down to noon). bk.knittingfactory.com
And the grand finale happens at 11pm:
The Deedle Deedle Dees are playing a complete concert on Sirius XM Kids Place Live. We're going to play a full concert then lead do the old 10-9-8 to midnight. The show will be re-broadcast a couple of times during the daytime hours (on Jan 1st and possibly other dates) for all those who can't stay up late. http://www.siriusxm.com/kidsplacelive
Hope you can join us!
Lloyd
(all times Eastern)
At 9am, I'm the guest on The Kids are Alright, Amy Handler's splendid little program on AM1690 in Atlanta. Amy is devoting the whole show to our conversation, my in-studio performances, and tracks by the Deedle Deedle Dees. Stream it here: http://1690wmlb.com/the-kids-are-alright/ The show will repeat Sunday the 1st at noon.
At 11am, I'm hosting a New Year's Eve Family Sing-a-Long & Jam at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. Bring your voices and your instruments. I'll bring chord changes so parents and bigger kids can play along on their guitars, ukes, accordions, etc. And everyone is invited to sing along as we ring in the New Year a little early (we'll be counting down to noon). bk.knittingfactory.com
And the grand finale happens at 11pm:
The Deedle Deedle Dees are playing a complete concert on Sirius XM Kids Place Live. We're going to play a full concert then lead do the old 10-9-8 to midnight. The show will be re-broadcast a couple of times during the daytime hours (on Jan 1st and possibly other dates) for all those who can't stay up late. http://www.siriusxm.com/kidsplacelive
Hope you can join us!
Lloyd
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Music you should try if you like Strange Dees, Indeed
The Deedle Deedle Dees listen to a lot of music and we're always excited to share new stuff we find. Our new record, Strange Dees, Indeed, in many ways represents our wide-ranging listening habits better than any of our previous work and we thought you might like to know where to go to hear more.
Organized by song, here's some music we think you should add to your family music library. As you start listening to this music you'll find that while some of it is a very direct influence on the music we make, much of it is simply part of our music landscape, the greenhouse, if you will, where the Deedle Deedle Dees music sprouts and grows.
1. Ah Ahimsa
This song is the most successful of some of my recent attempts to write a Bollywood song. Bollywood music is very diverse and reflects the era in which a particular movie was made but we tend to gravitate toward what I consider to be the classic era of the musical genre, the 1950s and 60s. Here are some absolute must-haves:
Doob Doob O'Rama: Filmsongs from Bollywood, Vol. 1
Every song a killer. Most famous song here is probably "Jan Pahechan Ho" (AKA "Jaan Pehechaan Ho") because a version of it was on the Ghost World soundtrack. Possibly the ultimate Bollywood compilation. Also check out Volume 2.
The Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Asha Bhosle
The most recorded woman of all time? At one time at least I think she held that title. In all those old Bollywood movies, she's almost always the voice of the woman. The Rough Guide compilations are top notch and this is probably my personal favorite. Includes the seminal "Ina Mina Dika."
The Rough Guide to Bollywood by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar & Kumar Sanu
The Rough Guide to Bollywood: Lata Mangeshkar
In her better known work (at least as much as I know) Lata does more traditional stuff like wedding and devotional songs while Asha tends toward pop and lively dance-ready numbers. But that's a great generalization. Ignore what I say -- just get all these albums.
And if you've never seen a Bollywood movie, watch this clip. It will change your life.
2. Cool Papa Bell
Some funky music that got our heads in the space that created this track:
The Meters
We have no illusions that our track sounds like a Meters track. But we did want to make a tune that makes people move the way their music does. Here are some good albums:
The Meters (debut)
Look-Ka Py Py
Good Old Funky Music
Gnarls Barkley
Yes, I'm sure you've heard these albums already. But they're great. Give 'em a re-listen next time you're in the car. I listened to The Odd Couple about seven hundred times while driving around LA one summer.
The Odd Couple
St. Elsewhere
3. a song for Abigail Adams
We weren't trying to sound like Wilco but a few people who have heard this track have asked whether we were. I do think we, like Tweedy & Co., were trying to figure out how to avoid the obvious choices that could be made with a simple ballad like this. At one point, in Dean Jones' living room, Ari and I were talking about how the mandolin part should sound. I expressed a strong desire that it not be "Taylor Swift mandolin," that pretty end-of-phrase arpeggio mando that's all over Nashville productions. Ari agreed but as he improvised it was Nashvillian parts that continued to lend themselves most obviously to the tune. So I said: Why don't we skip the mandolin all together and do something different?
Late that night, Dean helped us figure out what that different thing was. And as a happy accident, it did become a little bit Wilcovian. I don't listen to those guys much anymore, but if I did, I'd definitely spin Summerteeth. Much better than the much-heralded album that followed, I think.
Also try the solo work of Lee Renaldo and Thurston Moore. I invoked their names during the after-midnight explorations that became "a song for Abigail Adams" more than once.
4. The Golem
As you might have figured out by now, the Dees take the various genres that inspire them, try to imitate them, and, most of the time, end up failing horribly -- but making something that we still find kind of interesting. That's certainly the case with my "klezmer" stylings on "The Golem." But if you want the real thing...
Old Brooklyn - Andy Statman
Best album of 2011, one of the best albums I've heard in a very long time. It's blasting as I write this. I saw Andy play in the basement of the Charles Street Synagogue last night with my wife. John Goodman announces the album on track 1, Paul Shaffer (yes, the same) joins on keys for some tunes... Andy's buddy and regular stage guest star Ricky Skaggs shows up. Yes, that would be country idol and Christian Ricky Skaggs moaning like Ralph Stanley while Orthodox Jew Andy wails on the clarinet. Believe.
You can hear klezmer on this record but also bluegrass and a lot of stuff I'm at a loss to classify. I could write all day about it.
All the Best - Avraham Fried
Another Brooklyn guy, Avraham plays a very different kind of klezmer. Lots of ear-searing horns. One of the Dees once said his music would be a great soundtrack for a cop show. As not subtle as Andy is subtle, Avraham is the party music you should be playing. Seriously, dump the Lady Gaga and the Pitbull and the get with the Fried.
5. Marie Curie
Astor Piazzolla - The Soul of Tango, Greatest Hits
Something about the mood he creates made him come to mind. Famous for the brilliant "Libertango." I'm partial to "Resurreccion del Angel." Just buy the catalog.
Django Reinhardt - Quintette Du Hot Club De France
"The Third Man Theme" - There's the original played by Anton Karas on the zither. There's also The Band's version on Moonlight Matinee. For a while this song was hot amongst high school kids I was giving guitar and bass lessons.
Gypsy Rumble - The Stephane Wrembel Trio with David Grisman
Stephane is a guy you can see almost any night in the NYC area. He used to teach former (and always) Dee Anand Mukherjee gypsy guitar. The closest we have to a living Django.
6. Sojourner Truth
Why, yes, that is mastermind Dean Jones on the trombone. And, yes, you should get some of his records he makes for families. His group Dog on Fleas has this album Cranberry Sauce Flotilla that's kind of perfect for playing at any time of day. His solo + lots of guest stars disc Rock Paper Scissors is terrific. Get your credit card and head to www.dogonfleas.com and make your own choices.
7. River of Blood
If your kids like the sound of this tune -- and you don't have any Johnny Cash records in the house already -- quick get At Folsom Prison and one of the greatest hits compilations. I've never met a kid who didn't love the Man in Black.
Then, try The Lonesome Fugitive: The Merle Haggard Anthology (1963-1977). This is more for you, parents, but the kids will like some of the tunes. I instructed Dean and the Dees to sing like the female back-up singers on a Haggard track on "River of Blood." (they sound nothing like them, of course. and I like that)
Lastly, when was the last time you heard the Twin Peaks soundtrack? If there's ever a chord change or a passage of melody that hints at the theme that plays during the opening credits, all Dees immediately start playing it (listen for it if you're around for one of our sound checks). And in "River of Blood," you can hear Booker Dee just barely resisting the urge to go full on into the music of waterfalls and log mills and scary owls.
8. Penny Farthing
Like that crazy guy singing? So do we. That's Booker Dee AKA Chris Johnson. He plays banjo and piano with a New Orleans-style jazz group called the Red Hook Ramblers. Both their albums shake the walls of our house frequently. The self-titled first one features their versions of standards like "Bourbon Street Parade" and "Four or Five Times" while the recently-release Something More Sinister is all originals. I, like all good Americans, adore Chris' vocal on "That Extreme."
I hope Chris doesn't mind me saying this: I think Fats Waller had no small influence on his vocal style. No Fats in your house? Get the Complete Recorded Works, the Best of Fats Waller, everything he ever recorded is worth having. Warning: it will ruin all current music for you. But who needs it?
to be continued...
Organized by song, here's some music we think you should add to your family music library. As you start listening to this music you'll find that while some of it is a very direct influence on the music we make, much of it is simply part of our music landscape, the greenhouse, if you will, where the Deedle Deedle Dees music sprouts and grows.
1. Ah Ahimsa
This song is the most successful of some of my recent attempts to write a Bollywood song. Bollywood music is very diverse and reflects the era in which a particular movie was made but we tend to gravitate toward what I consider to be the classic era of the musical genre, the 1950s and 60s. Here are some absolute must-haves:
Doob Doob O'Rama: Filmsongs from Bollywood, Vol. 1
Every song a killer. Most famous song here is probably "Jan Pahechan Ho" (AKA "Jaan Pehechaan Ho") because a version of it was on the Ghost World soundtrack. Possibly the ultimate Bollywood compilation. Also check out Volume 2.
The Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Asha Bhosle
The most recorded woman of all time? At one time at least I think she held that title. In all those old Bollywood movies, she's almost always the voice of the woman. The Rough Guide compilations are top notch and this is probably my personal favorite. Includes the seminal "Ina Mina Dika."
The Rough Guide to Bollywood by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar & Kumar Sanu
The Rough Guide to Bollywood: Lata Mangeshkar
In her better known work (at least as much as I know) Lata does more traditional stuff like wedding and devotional songs while Asha tends toward pop and lively dance-ready numbers. But that's a great generalization. Ignore what I say -- just get all these albums.
And if you've never seen a Bollywood movie, watch this clip. It will change your life.
2. Cool Papa Bell
Some funky music that got our heads in the space that created this track:
The Meters
We have no illusions that our track sounds like a Meters track. But we did want to make a tune that makes people move the way their music does. Here are some good albums:
The Meters (debut)
Look-Ka Py Py
Good Old Funky Music
Gnarls Barkley
Yes, I'm sure you've heard these albums already. But they're great. Give 'em a re-listen next time you're in the car. I listened to The Odd Couple about seven hundred times while driving around LA one summer.
The Odd Couple
St. Elsewhere
3. a song for Abigail Adams
We weren't trying to sound like Wilco but a few people who have heard this track have asked whether we were. I do think we, like Tweedy & Co., were trying to figure out how to avoid the obvious choices that could be made with a simple ballad like this. At one point, in Dean Jones' living room, Ari and I were talking about how the mandolin part should sound. I expressed a strong desire that it not be "Taylor Swift mandolin," that pretty end-of-phrase arpeggio mando that's all over Nashville productions. Ari agreed but as he improvised it was Nashvillian parts that continued to lend themselves most obviously to the tune. So I said: Why don't we skip the mandolin all together and do something different?
Late that night, Dean helped us figure out what that different thing was. And as a happy accident, it did become a little bit Wilcovian. I don't listen to those guys much anymore, but if I did, I'd definitely spin Summerteeth. Much better than the much-heralded album that followed, I think.
Also try the solo work of Lee Renaldo and Thurston Moore. I invoked their names during the after-midnight explorations that became "a song for Abigail Adams" more than once.
4. The Golem
As you might have figured out by now, the Dees take the various genres that inspire them, try to imitate them, and, most of the time, end up failing horribly -- but making something that we still find kind of interesting. That's certainly the case with my "klezmer" stylings on "The Golem." But if you want the real thing...
Old Brooklyn - Andy Statman
Best album of 2011, one of the best albums I've heard in a very long time. It's blasting as I write this. I saw Andy play in the basement of the Charles Street Synagogue last night with my wife. John Goodman announces the album on track 1, Paul Shaffer (yes, the same) joins on keys for some tunes... Andy's buddy and regular stage guest star Ricky Skaggs shows up. Yes, that would be country idol and Christian Ricky Skaggs moaning like Ralph Stanley while Orthodox Jew Andy wails on the clarinet. Believe.
You can hear klezmer on this record but also bluegrass and a lot of stuff I'm at a loss to classify. I could write all day about it.
All the Best - Avraham Fried
Another Brooklyn guy, Avraham plays a very different kind of klezmer. Lots of ear-searing horns. One of the Dees once said his music would be a great soundtrack for a cop show. As not subtle as Andy is subtle, Avraham is the party music you should be playing. Seriously, dump the Lady Gaga and the Pitbull and the get with the Fried.
5. Marie Curie
Astor Piazzolla - The Soul of Tango, Greatest Hits
Something about the mood he creates made him come to mind. Famous for the brilliant "Libertango." I'm partial to "Resurreccion del Angel." Just buy the catalog.
Django Reinhardt - Quintette Du Hot Club De France
"The Third Man Theme" - There's the original played by Anton Karas on the zither. There's also The Band's version on Moonlight Matinee. For a while this song was hot amongst high school kids I was giving guitar and bass lessons.
Gypsy Rumble - The Stephane Wrembel Trio with David Grisman
Stephane is a guy you can see almost any night in the NYC area. He used to teach former (and always) Dee Anand Mukherjee gypsy guitar. The closest we have to a living Django.
6. Sojourner Truth
Why, yes, that is mastermind Dean Jones on the trombone. And, yes, you should get some of his records he makes for families. His group Dog on Fleas has this album Cranberry Sauce Flotilla that's kind of perfect for playing at any time of day. His solo + lots of guest stars disc Rock Paper Scissors is terrific. Get your credit card and head to www.dogonfleas.com and make your own choices.
7. River of Blood
If your kids like the sound of this tune -- and you don't have any Johnny Cash records in the house already -- quick get At Folsom Prison and one of the greatest hits compilations. I've never met a kid who didn't love the Man in Black.
Then, try The Lonesome Fugitive: The Merle Haggard Anthology (1963-1977). This is more for you, parents, but the kids will like some of the tunes. I instructed Dean and the Dees to sing like the female back-up singers on a Haggard track on "River of Blood." (they sound nothing like them, of course. and I like that)
Lastly, when was the last time you heard the Twin Peaks soundtrack? If there's ever a chord change or a passage of melody that hints at the theme that plays during the opening credits, all Dees immediately start playing it (listen for it if you're around for one of our sound checks). And in "River of Blood," you can hear Booker Dee just barely resisting the urge to go full on into the music of waterfalls and log mills and scary owls.
8. Penny Farthing
Like that crazy guy singing? So do we. That's Booker Dee AKA Chris Johnson. He plays banjo and piano with a New Orleans-style jazz group called the Red Hook Ramblers. Both their albums shake the walls of our house frequently. The self-titled first one features their versions of standards like "Bourbon Street Parade" and "Four or Five Times" while the recently-release Something More Sinister is all originals. I, like all good Americans, adore Chris' vocal on "That Extreme."
I hope Chris doesn't mind me saying this: I think Fats Waller had no small influence on his vocal style. No Fats in your house? Get the Complete Recorded Works, the Best of Fats Waller, everything he ever recorded is worth having. Warning: it will ruin all current music for you. But who needs it?
to be continued...
Friday, November 18, 2011
Strange Dees, Indeed: The Reading List
Here's a first draft of the official Strange Dees, Indeed reading list, a collection of books related to the songs on the album.
I'll continue to add to this. Get started on these books and by the time you finish them all I'll have added some more to the list.
Books are organized by song title. I've included books for kids and grown-ups.
Have books you like related to these topics? Please let me know. I'll add them.
1. Ah Ahimsa
FOR KIDS
Gandhi by Demi
a gorgeous picture book
FOR GROWN-UPS
Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi, translated by Mahadev H. Desai
2. Cool Papa Bell
FOR KIDS
We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
Kadir Nelson makes Negro League stars look like superheroes. This book rules.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Only the Ball Was White by Robert Peterson
I'm forever recommending this one. Peterson's book was the first major history of the Negro Leagues to fully utilize stats and historical research. Previous histories had relied primarily on anecdotes.
3. a song for Abigail Adams
FOR KIDS
Servant to Abigail Adams: The Early Colonial Adventures of Hannah Cooper by Kate Connell
Solid YA historical fiction about the life of a servant who followed the Adams family to the White House
A Picture Book of John and Abigail Adams by David Adler
Adler's books aren't exciting, but they are well done. Worth a read or two.
FOR GROWN-UPS
John Adams by David McCullough
It's hard to beat McCullough for highly-readable history books. He has a particular knack for even making everything cinematic -- even dry policy discussions.
My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams by Abigail Adams, John Adams, edited by Margaret A. Hogan and C. James Taylor
And if you'd like to read the real letters...
4. The Golem
FOR KIDS
5. Marie Curie
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss
A collage biography. Sort of a graphic novel but different. Totally unique. Must must read.
6. Sojourner Truth
FOR KIDS
Only Passing Through by Anne Rockwell and R. Gregory Gregory Christie
Lovely picture book. When I imagine Sojourner, I often see her the way she's drawn here.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Narrative of Sojourner Truth by Sojourner Truth and Nell Irvin Painter
Her story in her words. Yeah.
7. River of Blood
FOR KIDS
The Heart: Our Circulatory System by Seymour Simon
Simon has a whole series of books about the body with great pictures and explanations.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Overcoming Medical Phobias: How to Conquer Fear of Blood, Needles, Doctors, and Dentists by Martin Antony Ph.D. and Mark Watling MD
Whenever I intro this song at shows -- which requires me to say the word "blood" -- at least one grown-up looks queasy. I thought this book might help.
8. Penny Farthing
FOR KIDS
The Bicycle Man by Allen Say
Elegant picture book about Japan after WWII.
Out of print but available online various places. This dude went all over the place on a penny farthing in the 1880s.
Bicycle: The History by David V. Herlihy
Imagine if Mark Kurlansky wrote a book about bikes.
9. Mayor LaGuardia's Stomach
FOR KIDS
Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynn Sweat
Couldn't find a children's book on LaGuardia and I love Amelia Bedelia. This one is by Herman Parish, nephew of original author Peggy Parish. Peggy's books are pure genius and difficult to mimic, but Herman gets the basic idea. A little Amelia B. is better than none.
FOR GROWN-UPS
The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia by H. Paul Jeffers
10. Sacagawea
11. Sacagawea (Sock It To 'Em Disco Addendum)
FOR KIDS
A Picture Book of Sacagawea
by David A. Adler and Dan Brown
Yeah another Adler book. They're good for what they are.
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Sacagawea Speaks: Beyond the Shining Mountains with Lewis and Clark by Joyce Badgley Hunsaker
Sort of an encyclopedia of Sacagawea featuring artwork, photos, historical documents, all sorts of stuff. Get it from the library and keep it in your bathroom for a couple of weeks.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Great Plains by Ian Frazier
Got this after reading and loving Frazier's Travels in Siberia. A grand tour of the beautiful states in the middle of country that weaves Frazier's own travels with histories of many people who went before him: Crazy Horse, Billy the Kid, Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, and many others.
The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick
Not about Sacagawea. But this new examination of the Battle of Little Bighorn taught me a lot about Native American history I didn't know.
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
If you didn't read it in college, now's the time.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
He's gimmicky but he's really the only major author writing about Indians (he prefers "Indian" to "Native American") in this way. Funny, irreverent, good for reading on the plane.
12. Camperdown Elm
FOR KIDS
A Little Guide to Trees by Charlotte Voake, Kate Petty, Jo Elworthy
Adorable and info-packed at the same time.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Complete Poems by Marianne Moore
"The Camperdown Elm" is in here. So is a lot of other stuff. Difficult stuff. Worth your time, though.
13. Birds of America Don't Care-Oh
FOR KIDS
Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book by John James Audubon
You could also buy a first edition of Birds of America itself. But those pictures have already been colored in.
The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon
by Jacqueline Davies, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
FOR GROWN-UPS
John James Audubon: The Making of an American by Richard Rhodes
Recent bio. You can finish it in 7 or 8 subway rides.
14. Whaleship Essex
FOR KIDS
Revenge of the Whale by Nathaniel Philbrick
The YA version of one of my top 5 nonfiction books of all time:
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
If you haven't read this yet I don't know what to say. Please?
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Obviously.
If your kid isn't quite ready for the whole thing, get one of the many illustrated or other abridged versions.
15. Skating in Old Bryant Park
FOR KIDS
Top Cats: The Life and Times of the New York Public Library Lions by Susan G. Larkin
FOR GROWN-UPS
William Cullen Bryant: Author of America by Gilbert H. Muller
16. Phineas Gage Has Something to Tell These People
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
17. Dead Horse Bay
FOR KIDS
Kids Making a Difference for Animals by Sheryl L. Pipe
Some of the stuff that washes up on Dead Horse Bay in NYC is from a glue factory that used to be in the area. I thought a book about kids helping animals would be a good follow-up to any discussions you might have about what actually happened in a glue factory.
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis by Kevin Walsh
And if you like Dead Horse Bay and other little-know odd places in the city...
18. Henry (Hudson), How Ya Gonna Find a Way?
FOR KIDS
Beyond the Sea of Ice: The Voyages of Henry Hudson by Joan Elizabeth Goodman and Fernando Rangel
Hudson's adventures in exciting kid-ready form.
FOR GROWN-UPS AND POSSIBLY OLDER KIDS
River of Dreams: The Story of the Hudson River by Hudson Talbott
Hokey cover hides a thorough and fascinating book.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Half Moon: Henry Hudson and the Voyage That Redrew the Map of the New World by Douglas Hunter
19. Bluebird > Redbird, Redbird > Reef
FOR KIDS
Subway Story by Julia Sarcone-Roach
Thanks to our librarian friend Joanna Nigrelli for telling us about this one, a book that seems made to be read with our song.
FOR GROWN-UPS AND KIDS
The City Beneath Us: Building the New York Subway by the New York Transit Museum and Vivian Heller
Highly-detailed history that focuses on the materials and the machines.
The 1964 World's Fair: Creation and Legacy (Images of America) by Bill Cotter and Bill Young.
Yet another in that sepia-toned series they have everywhere. Although the image quality could be a little higher (do they print these books on the cheap?) these volumes do collect a lot of nice images.
I'll continue to add to this. Get started on these books and by the time you finish them all I'll have added some more to the list.
Books are organized by song title. I've included books for kids and grown-ups.
Have books you like related to these topics? Please let me know. I'll add them.
1. Ah Ahimsa
FOR KIDS
Gandhi by Demi
a gorgeous picture book
FOR GROWN-UPS
Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi, translated by Mahadev H. Desai
2. Cool Papa Bell
FOR KIDS
We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
Kadir Nelson makes Negro League stars look like superheroes. This book rules.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Only the Ball Was White by Robert Peterson
I'm forever recommending this one. Peterson's book was the first major history of the Negro Leagues to fully utilize stats and historical research. Previous histories had relied primarily on anecdotes.
3. a song for Abigail Adams
FOR KIDS
Servant to Abigail Adams: The Early Colonial Adventures of Hannah Cooper by Kate Connell
Solid YA historical fiction about the life of a servant who followed the Adams family to the White House
A Picture Book of John and Abigail Adams by David Adler
Adler's books aren't exciting, but they are well done. Worth a read or two.
FOR GROWN-UPS
John Adams by David McCullough
It's hard to beat McCullough for highly-readable history books. He has a particular knack for even making everything cinematic -- even dry policy discussions.
My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams by Abigail Adams, John Adams, edited by Margaret A. Hogan and C. James Taylor
And if you'd like to read the real letters...
4. The Golem
FOR KIDS
Golem by David Wisniewski
Cool, creepy picture book good for advanced kindergarteners or elementary-aged kids. For younger kids, try Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by John Ed. Mayer and Trina Schart
Hyman. It's not about the Golem but it's another eerie Jewish tale with
scary creatures. My son loved this book when he was two.
FOR GROWN-UPS AND POSSIBLY OLDER KIDS
The Golem and the Wondrous Deeds of the Maharal of Prague
The Golem and the Wondrous Deeds of the Maharal of Prague
by Yudi Rosenberg, translated by Curt Leviant
A book for grown-ups that tells a detailed version of the Golem of Prague
story and digs deep into the cultural and religious history of the
character
The Golem by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
out of print, but available online-- looks awesome
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
The best first 100 pages of a novel I've read in a while features an escape from Prague inside a Golem. Don't want to say anymore and ruin the fun.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
The best first 100 pages of a novel I've read in a while features an escape from Prague inside a Golem. Don't want to say anymore and ruin the fun.
5. Marie Curie
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss
A collage biography. Sort of a graphic novel but different. Totally unique. Must must read.
6. Sojourner Truth
FOR KIDS
Only Passing Through by Anne Rockwell and R. Gregory Gregory Christie
Lovely picture book. When I imagine Sojourner, I often see her the way she's drawn here.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Narrative of Sojourner Truth by Sojourner Truth and Nell Irvin Painter
Her story in her words. Yeah.
7. River of Blood
FOR KIDS
The Heart: Our Circulatory System by Seymour Simon
Simon has a whole series of books about the body with great pictures and explanations.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Overcoming Medical Phobias: How to Conquer Fear of Blood, Needles, Doctors, and Dentists by Martin Antony Ph.D. and Mark Watling MD
Whenever I intro this song at shows -- which requires me to say the word "blood" -- at least one grown-up looks queasy. I thought this book might help.
8. Penny Farthing
FOR KIDS
The Bicycle Man by Allen Say
Elegant picture book about Japan after WWII.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Around the World on a Penny Farthing: From San Francisco to Yokohama by Thomas StevensOut of print but available online various places. This dude went all over the place on a penny farthing in the 1880s.
Bicycle: The History by David V. Herlihy
Imagine if Mark Kurlansky wrote a book about bikes.
9. Mayor LaGuardia's Stomach
FOR KIDS
Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynn Sweat
Couldn't find a children's book on LaGuardia and I love Amelia Bedelia. This one is by Herman Parish, nephew of original author Peggy Parish. Peggy's books are pure genius and difficult to mimic, but Herman gets the basic idea. A little Amelia B. is better than none.
FOR GROWN-UPS
The Napoleon of New York: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia by H. Paul Jeffers
10. Sacagawea
11. Sacagawea (Sock It To 'Em Disco Addendum)
FOR KIDS
A Picture Book of Sacagawea
by David A. Adler and Dan Brown
Yeah another Adler book. They're good for what they are.
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Sacagawea Speaks: Beyond the Shining Mountains with Lewis and Clark by Joyce Badgley Hunsaker
Sort of an encyclopedia of Sacagawea featuring artwork, photos, historical documents, all sorts of stuff. Get it from the library and keep it in your bathroom for a couple of weeks.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Great Plains by Ian Frazier
Got this after reading and loving Frazier's Travels in Siberia. A grand tour of the beautiful states in the middle of country that weaves Frazier's own travels with histories of many people who went before him: Crazy Horse, Billy the Kid, Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, and many others.
The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick
Not about Sacagawea. But this new examination of the Battle of Little Bighorn taught me a lot about Native American history I didn't know.
Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
If you didn't read it in college, now's the time.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie
He's gimmicky but he's really the only major author writing about Indians (he prefers "Indian" to "Native American") in this way. Funny, irreverent, good for reading on the plane.
12. Camperdown Elm
FOR KIDS
A Little Guide to Trees by Charlotte Voake, Kate Petty, Jo Elworthy
Adorable and info-packed at the same time.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Complete Poems by Marianne Moore
"The Camperdown Elm" is in here. So is a lot of other stuff. Difficult stuff. Worth your time, though.
13. Birds of America Don't Care-Oh
FOR KIDS
Audubon's Birds of America Coloring Book by John James Audubon
You could also buy a first edition of Birds of America itself. But those pictures have already been colored in.
The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon
by Jacqueline Davies, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
FOR GROWN-UPS
John James Audubon: The Making of an American by Richard Rhodes
Recent bio. You can finish it in 7 or 8 subway rides.
14. Whaleship Essex
FOR KIDS
Revenge of the Whale by Nathaniel Philbrick
The YA version of one of my top 5 nonfiction books of all time:
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
If you haven't read this yet I don't know what to say. Please?
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Obviously.
If your kid isn't quite ready for the whole thing, get one of the many illustrated or other abridged versions.
15. Skating in Old Bryant Park
FOR KIDS
Top Cats: The Life and Times of the New York Public Library Lions by Susan G. Larkin
FOR GROWN-UPS
William Cullen Bryant: Author of America by Gilbert H. Muller
16. Phineas Gage Has Something to Tell These People
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
17. Dead Horse Bay
FOR KIDS
Kids Making a Difference for Animals by Sheryl L. Pipe
Some of the stuff that washes up on Dead Horse Bay in NYC is from a glue factory that used to be in the area. I thought a book about kids helping animals would be a good follow-up to any discussions you might have about what actually happened in a glue factory.
FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS
Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis by Kevin Walsh
And if you like Dead Horse Bay and other little-know odd places in the city...
18. Henry (Hudson), How Ya Gonna Find a Way?
FOR KIDS
Beyond the Sea of Ice: The Voyages of Henry Hudson by Joan Elizabeth Goodman and Fernando Rangel
Hudson's adventures in exciting kid-ready form.
FOR GROWN-UPS AND POSSIBLY OLDER KIDS
River of Dreams: The Story of the Hudson River by Hudson Talbott
Hokey cover hides a thorough and fascinating book.
FOR GROWN-UPS
Half Moon: Henry Hudson and the Voyage That Redrew the Map of the New World by Douglas Hunter
19. Bluebird > Redbird, Redbird > Reef
FOR KIDS
Subway Story by Julia Sarcone-Roach
Thanks to our librarian friend Joanna Nigrelli for telling us about this one, a book that seems made to be read with our song.
FOR GROWN-UPS AND KIDS
The City Beneath Us: Building the New York Subway by the New York Transit Museum and Vivian Heller
Highly-detailed history that focuses on the materials and the machines.
The 1964 World's Fair: Creation and Legacy (Images of America) by Bill Cotter and Bill Young.
Yet another in that sepia-toned series they have everywhere. Although the image quality could be a little higher (do they print these books on the cheap?) these volumes do collect a lot of nice images.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Join the Dees in the Rumpus Room
The Deedle Deedle Dees are playing the Sirius XM Kids Place Live Rumpus Room on December 12th. Want to come? It's free, but you have to RSVP. Details:
When: Monday, December 12, 2011, 4- 5 pm
Where:
Sirius/XM Radio
1500 Eckington Place NE
Washington, DC 20002
RSVP: mindy@siriusxm.com by December 6, 2011
Hope to see you there!
Lloyd (AKA Ulysses S. Dee)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Help us get the word out about Strange Dees, Indeed
Strange Dees, Indeed, is now available as a physical package and as a digital download at CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes, and many other outlets. We really need your help to get the word out. Here are two things you can do right now:
1. Send your family and friends to our website, www.thedeedledeedledees.com.
Tell them how much you like the album and how much they'll like it also.
2. Request us on Kids Place Live on Sirius XM. They just started playing us a couple of weeks ago and we'd really like them to keep playing us. Visit their blog or their Facebook page to request a tune. Right now they're playing "Ah Ahimsa," the opening track of Strange Dees, Indeed -- that's probably the best one to ask for.
And if you have friends in education or the media who you think should hear the album, let us know. We'll get them a free copy.
Strangely yours,
Lloyd (AKA Ulysses S. Dee)
1. Send your family and friends to our website, www.thedeedledeedledees.com.
Tell them how much you like the album and how much they'll like it also.
2. Request us on Kids Place Live on Sirius XM. They just started playing us a couple of weeks ago and we'd really like them to keep playing us. Visit their blog or their Facebook page to request a tune. Right now they're playing "Ah Ahimsa," the opening track of Strange Dees, Indeed -- that's probably the best one to ask for.
And if you have friends in education or the media who you think should hear the album, let us know. We'll get them a free copy.
Strangely yours,
Lloyd (AKA Ulysses S. Dee)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Costume ideas
Every weekday next week is part of
the Strange Dees, Indeed CD Release Pre-Party!!!
At all my sing-a-longs, any kid who comes dressed as someone or something from a Deedle Deedle Dees song will get a special prize. And if you come to our CD release concert at the Eric Carle (the CD release party itself) in a Dees-themed costume, you'll get a special special prize (seriously -- the Carle prize is a step up from the sing-a-long prize. it's worth trying for).
To help you earn your prize, we thought it would nice to give you some costume ideas. In the rare event that you haven't heard the Dees complete discography. Here are some people (+ one animal and one mythical superhero creature) of whom we've sung who would qualify you for an award should you choose to dress as one of them:
Harriet Tubman
Nellie Bly
Anne Bonney
Marie Curie
Satchel Paige
Cool Papa Bell
Mahatma Gandhi
Baldy
Aaron Burr
Abigail Adams
Babe Ruth
John Wilkes Booth
John Brown
John Henry
Henry "Box" Brown
The Golem
Amelia Earhart
Harriet Hanson Robinson
John James Audubon
Frederick Law Olmstead
Calvert Vaux
Sojourner Truth
George Washington
Sacagawea
Henry Hudson
Phineas Gage
Zora Neale Hurston
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Marianne Moore
Nathaniel Philbrick
Fannie Lou Hamer
Lucy Stone
Susan B. Anthony
Harriet Jacobs
Thomas Edison
Cornelia Hancock
Abraham Lincoln
Barack Obama
Most of these people are historical figures. A couple are characters from folklore (John Henry, The Golem).
If you see a name on that list above and would like to hear the song in which they appear but can't find it, please send me a note. I'll send you a link to the album if the song appears on one of ours. We have written and performed a bunch of tunes that have never shown up on any of our albums. If you want one of these tunes, I'll dig up a demo recording, video, or other version for you. If I've got nothing, I'll just make a YouTube video of me sitting in my kitchen singing the song.
The list above is not complete. It's just what I came up with off the top of my head.
Hope to see you -- in costume -- somewhere this week.
Lloyd
the Strange Dees, Indeed CD Release Pre-Party!!!
At all my sing-a-longs, any kid who comes dressed as someone or something from a Deedle Deedle Dees song will get a special prize. And if you come to our CD release concert at the Eric Carle (the CD release party itself) in a Dees-themed costume, you'll get a special special prize (seriously -- the Carle prize is a step up from the sing-a-long prize. it's worth trying for).
To help you earn your prize, we thought it would nice to give you some costume ideas. In the rare event that you haven't heard the Dees complete discography. Here are some people (+ one animal and one mythical superhero creature) of whom we've sung who would qualify you for an award should you choose to dress as one of them:
Harriet Tubman
Nellie Bly
Anne Bonney
Marie Curie
Satchel Paige
Cool Papa Bell
Mahatma Gandhi
Baldy
Aaron Burr
Abigail Adams
Babe Ruth
John Wilkes Booth
John Brown
John Henry
Henry "Box" Brown
The Golem
Amelia Earhart
Harriet Hanson Robinson
John James Audubon
Frederick Law Olmstead
Calvert Vaux
Sojourner Truth
George Washington
Sacagawea
Henry Hudson
Phineas Gage
Zora Neale Hurston
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Marianne Moore
Nathaniel Philbrick
Fannie Lou Hamer
Lucy Stone
Susan B. Anthony
Harriet Jacobs
Thomas Edison
Cornelia Hancock
Abraham Lincoln
Barack Obama
Most of these people are historical figures. A couple are characters from folklore (John Henry, The Golem).
If you see a name on that list above and would like to hear the song in which they appear but can't find it, please send me a note. I'll send you a link to the album if the song appears on one of ours. We have written and performed a bunch of tunes that have never shown up on any of our albums. If you want one of these tunes, I'll dig up a demo recording, video, or other version for you. If I've got nothing, I'll just make a YouTube video of me sitting in my kitchen singing the song.
The list above is not complete. It's just what I came up with off the top of my head.
Hope to see you -- in costume -- somewhere this week.
Lloyd
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