A Child's Celebration of Rock 'n' Roll

From toddlers to teens, most kids will want to jump up and dance to these classics.

Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Children's Music Label: Music for Little People Parental Advisory: No Edited Version Available: No Release Date: 01/30/1996

Common Sense Note

Parents can point out the historic value of bringing together popular music from the 1950s and 1960s. Encourage kids to describe the feelings these tunes evoke. Also, ask them how these songs sound similar to and different from current music.

Don't forget that the point of this music is to get you up and dancing--and for the most part, the tunes persuade us to do just that.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Cynthea Riesenberg

If you asked the man on the street to pick a dozen favorite rock-and-roll hits, chances are most of them would be found on this album. From "Rock Around the Clock" to "Yakety Yak" to "Sea Cruise," the songs on this spirited entry in the Child's Celebration of Song series have near-universal appeal. Each tune gets listeners grooving, or at least tapping their feet and singing along.

Much of the album's success lies in its presentation of the original hits performed by the original artists, including Bill Haley & the Comets, Bobby Darin, and Ritchie Valens. While adults who remember when these songs first came out are a natural audience, teens like this music, too. One fourteen-year-old listener couldn't get enough of the album, and enjoyed comparing the original "Lollipop," by the Chordettes, with Stormy Weather's slower version on their album Doo-Wops & Loollipops. (Despite Stormy Weather's considerable talent, it wasn't a close contest: The Chordettes won.)

Younger children will also like these lively tunes, making the album a perfect choice for a family music night.

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