Photo by ktylerconk
As the cooling weather brings many of us indoors, it is a wonderful time to expand the family’s music library. Jennifer returns this monthly with her monthly “What We’re Listening To” feature to share some ideas on adding cultural diversity to your music collection:
This month we’re celebrating birthday number three in our home, and in celebration of that I wanted to share with you a very special collection of music that I put together two years ago for my son’s first birthday. Before I introduce the songs, I wanted to explain a little bit about how I came up with this idea and why.
As a way to get ourselves out of the house and do something fun that we both could enjoy, I began taking my son to a fabulous music class just a couple of months before his first birthday. We got to sing, dance and play instruments. It was an activity that we both really looked forward to and helped define our love of music as a family. It also became a bit of a “defining” activity for my son – meaning we found he really loved music and we wanted to encourage that.
Our family lived in Europe at the time we attended this music class, and the list of songs I have created below represents both our time living there as well as the other countries we have been fortunate enough to visit. Some of the songs representing the countries below are a loose interpretation of that country, but I thought it might be a good place to start. Though this is by no means a comprehensive list, it might be a great jumping off point for your own family’s explorations into world music:
- “Battu,” Angelique Kidjo – West Africa
- “Orea Pou Ine I Nifi Mas,” The Greek Wedding Band – Greece
- “Volare,” Gipsy Kings – Spain
- “Titanic Set,” Gaelic Storm – Ireland
- “Trekking,” David Hudson & Friends – Australia
- “Take Five,” Dave Brubeck – USA
- “Chaiyya Chaiyya,” Sukhwinder Singh & Sapna Awasthi – India
- “Jonnie Billy Goat,” Boozoo Chavis – USA (zydeco)
- “Kmen Lai Kwai,” Ensemble Mahori Khruang Sai Thai – Thailand
- “C’est si bon,” Eartha Kitt – France
- “Aki No Koto No Hq,” Satomi Saeki & Alcvin Takegawa Ramos – Japan
- “Raks Abdo,” George Abdo – Middle East
- “Jungle,” Jamaican Steel Band – Jamaica
- “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – USA (Hawaii)
Should you be interested in reading a little bit more about teaching your children about the world through multicultural music and the benefits of exposing your children to music in general, check out the following:
- The impact of musical activities on pre-school children
- Multicultural Music in Early Childhood
- Giving Your Child a Global View
Does your family enjoy world music? What songs and which artists would you add to this list?
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Thanks for all these suggestions! Just yesterday I was thinking that I needed to get some new music!
I know! I was so excited about Jennifer’s suggestions. I was familiar with a few of these, but most of them are new to me!
what a great list! I love it. We are big fans of Isreal.
AmberLee´s last blog ..7-WEEK CHECK IN
I’m looking forward to checking out more of his music.
We have a great CD called African Playground – many African tunes with fun beats!
Jamie
steadymom´s last blog ..How to Get Out of the House: Moms’ 30-Minute Blog Challenge
Cool! Sounds lively and invigorating (we need that right now!).
Megan´s last blog ..What We’re Listening To: World Music
This is excellent – I’m inspired to get my family listening to some world music. Could you do a classical list too, for music-impaired people like me who can’t mentally link music with name and artist?
I haven’t heard of your Australian song “Trekking” (or I may have once I listen too it, but the name doesn’t ring a bell), but I can’t leave without mentioning another great Aussie song for children – Home Among the Gum Trees. This is our family theme song – my husband learnt it from his mother as a child and when he wanted to sing to our children this was the only song he knew all the words to, and a tradition was born.
Catherine´s last blog ..in October
Great suggestion on the classical music, Catherine! I have to confess I would need some help in that area, too.
Thanks for suggesting “Home Among the Gum Trees.” What a beautiful tradition in your family.
Megan´s last blog ..What We’re Listening To: World Music
What a thorough list. I’m excited to sample some of these!
Stacie @ newmommyhelp.net´s last blog ..Mommy Envy