I realize this may date me, but I think all parents need to know about Really Rosie, as it has to be one of the greatest children's albums of all time.
You will learn throughout my posts that I am a fairly serious musical person, and it's highly uncommon for me to not have a tune playing in my head. I’ve played the violin since I was 4.5 and have been singing forever, too.
When I was about 10 years old, my aunt in New Mexico sent me a cassette tape (yes, a TAPE) with Really Rosie on Side A and Free to be You and Me on Side B. I’m sure the millennial generation reading this will be puzzled by this concept. It’s okay, I forgive you.
After Gaga & Cooper's Shallow made its way into my hippocampus (after hearing it in my brain for a week straight), for some reason, the words of "Alligators All Around" graced my mind. Alligators? Allow me to explain.
Many of you know Maurice Sendak for his epic, dream-adventure book starring Max and those fabulous beasts in Where the Wild Things Are. However, you might not be familiar with his shorter tales: Chicken Soup with Rice, Pierre, One was Johnny, Alligators All Around, and The Sign on Rosie's Door.
Sendak creatively merged these witty books and, with the help of the iconic Carole King, created a adorable, short musical featuring Rosie and The Nutshell Kids. Here is how the original album played:
Side 1 "Really Rosie" – 1:51
"One Was Johnny" – 2:08
"Alligators All Around" – 1:54
"Pierre" – 5:38
"Screaming and Yelling" – 1:16
"The Ballad of Chicken Soup" – 2:15
"Chicken Soup with Rice" – 4:20
Side 2 "Avenue P" – 3:03" My Simple Humble Neighborhood" – 3:07" The Awful Truth" – 3:11" Such Sufferin'" – 2:55" Really Rosie" (Reprise) – 1:40
I’m not quite sure when my aunt sent me that tape years ago, but I do know that I may have been about Chloe’s age or a little older. With that in mind, I happily started singing Aligators All Around to my 7 year old girl and upon hearing it, she was instantly enamored. She and I proceeded to have a lengthy conversation about the cute set of songs. I even told her about the lost cassette tape about which she was rather confused.
What’s a casette tape, mommy?
I had a hunch that some slick person popped the songs on YouTube, so we checked it out and found not just the album, but the cartoon movie that was featured on television many years ago.
Here is the the link for your viewing pleasure:
https://youtu.be/dMbrQ5wNDPo
I would love to know what songs or movies you listened to or watched as a kid that you feel comfortable enough to share with your children. Feel free to comment below !!!