Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that there's nothing objectionable on this CD.
Families can talk about the songs' wholesome messages about important issues like sharing and recycling. They could also ask older kids what this CD has to do with the Curious George movie. Does listening to the CD make them want to see the movie?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
No false advertising here -- Jack Johnson's well-intentioned kids' songs are DEFINITELY lullabies, to the point that our reviewer nearly fell asleep while listening to them. Performed at a consistently loping, medium-tempo pace, the songs do the putting-you-to-sleep job really well, but not before hitting you over the head with sincere messages about IMPORTANT STUFF.
Now, IMPORTANT STUFF is good. Heaven knows we need more sharing in this world ("The Sharing Song"), for example, and less garbage ("The 3 R's" -- for reduce, reuse, and recycle). But most of the kids we know respond to catchy tunes, clever lyrics, and a sense of absurdity far more than to dirge-like ballads about IMPORTANT STUFF.
There's a tedious sameness to the instrumental arrangements and vocal delivery on song after song, and that doesn't help matters. Neither, really, do the heavy-hitter cameo appearances by Jack's friends, Ben Harper, G. Love, and Matt Costa, though they provide what little energy there is.
But there's no fault to be found with Jack Johnson's intentions, expressed with lyrics like "I can change the world with my own two hands/Make it a better place with my own two hands/Make it a kinder place with my own two hands/With my own, with my own two hands," or "It's always more fun to share with everyone/It's always more fun to share with everyone."
Those listeners who can stay awake will be left with the impression that Jack Johnson is a nice, sincere guy who takes himself pretty darn seriously, but -- as any parent will tell you -- most kids can see through that kind of stuff in a heartbeat.
Rate It!
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ViolenceAnti-violence message, if anything. |
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LanguageSqueaky-clean. |
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Social BehaviorGood messages about sharing and recycling. |
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CommercialismMovie tie-in. |
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