When I think about what great kid music we have access to, I realize how fortunate we are.  Not everyone has satellite radio and can get stations like

So what do you do when you don’t have satellite radio?

Many parents scramble for kid music that we can bring with us in the car and allow our ears to bleed by listening to countless hours of Barnie, Thomas the Train or Disney soundtracks on CD or gadgets.  Or maybe you just tune in to the radio.

Which isn’t necessarily bad except that sometimes the songs aren’t suitable for small ears.

Unfortunately, you sometimes don’t know if you’re listening to the squeaky clean version of a currently popular song until you’ve slammed right in to an obscenity.

Exhibit A: My daughter singing along to Will.I.Am and Britney Spears, and not missing a beat when she proclaims she’s “Britney, bitch”.

Oops, I did it again.  (See what I did there?)  I must have listened to wrong version of “Scream and Shout” one too many times, thinking she wouldn’t be able to distinguish the word well enough.  You never know how dirty a song is until you hear it from the innocent vocal chords of a 3 year old, sung with conviction.

So, I got to thinking.  What do I pile in to a playlist when I’m looking for music my kids can listen to, but is not inherently “Kid Music?”

I’m going to glaze over the oldie-but-goodie 80′s movie theme songs like “Ghostbusters” here.  Those are a given.  Ditto most Michael Jackson circa 1983-1987.

And, really, once your child gets past a certain age, the range of what makes suitable music for them opens up.  My 7 year old much rather prefers Macklemore to Imagination Movers.  But you also need to strike a balance between fun and age appropriate.

So I’ve compiled a list of songs that I legitimately love to listen to, but that my kids also enjoy.  You can find most of these on iTunes too, so next time you need a playlist, I’ve done most of the dirty work for you.

Cars by Gary Numan

If you have a three or four year-old boy, you’ve undoubtedly gone through the vehicular phase of preschoolhood.  This song pays homage to that obsession without caving in to the Lightning McQueen soundtrack.

Shiny Happy People by R.E.M.

Can you listen to this song without breaking in to a faint hint of the Charlie Brown dance?  I didn’t think so.

Here It Goes Again by OK Go

I mean, c’mon. Their video is the band . I absolutely adore every video they’ve ever produced and my kids think ? Pure genius. What’s not to love about these guys?

 

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips

Steeped in science fiction, this song about a feminine heroine who’s a black belt in karate, defending folks against evil robots is a song both my ninja-intrigued son and tough-as-nails daughter can enjoy.

Carry On by Fun.

Fun. is a band I have swallowed hook, link and sinker.  My kids have loved everything they’ve released to date, and this song not only provides some great melody and reasons to bellow along, but it has a great message.

Rock Lobster by The B52′s

Maybe it’s Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson’s high-pitched wails.  Or the unmistakable first few notes of the song.  But this song appeals to this 80′s-raised gal, and is just edgy enough to pique my kids’ interest.

Beautiful Day by U2

My husband is a huge U2 fan, so I can’t leave this legendary band off the list. My son is a pretty positive kid, and I think he views the world this way.  Every day is a beautiful day to him.

We Will Rock You by Queen

The quintessential pep rally song, am I right?  I remember banging my feet on the bleachers as a kid, and my children love to do the same at sporting events.  Plus, it’s the perfect song to practice your game face and sign of the horns to.

 

Life is Good by Los Lobos

An awesomely positive song by a fantastic bad, it’s a wonderful reminder that life, indeed, is pretty good, whether you’re 4 or 40.

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by the Police

I’m sure my little girl thinks this song was written just for her.  And what woman wouldn’t want Sting serenading her with these lyrics?  Plus, I can’t NOT wiggle around when this song comes on.  .

15 Step by Radiohead

I can’t include a list that I’D want to listen to as well without including a little something from the genius that is Radiohead.  My kids? They love the drums and the yell in the middle.  Me? I just love the whole package.

Dr. Worm by They Might Be Giants

There’s not a whole world of difference between what TMBG writes for adults and for kids, and that’s what makes them such brilliant musicians to listen to for all ages.  This song is just quirky enough to charm my kids’ imagination.  But also acts as a reminder of how much I’d like to learn to play the drums.

from on .

 

Superman by R.E.M.

I had a roommate in college that used to put this song on near the end of a party and run around the backyard with his Superman arms spread out before him in full flight.  My son does the same thing.  Must be the universal response to this song.

Circles by Soul Coughing

Kenny Curtis likes to play this one as Lorenzo Llama’s theme song on his Animal Farm morning show on , because the llama likes to walk around. In circles. It’s one of the things I love best about Kenny, he’s not afraid to play this stuff for kids.  And neither am I.

These are Days by 10,000 Maniacs

I put this in my husband’s 40th birthday “This Is Your Life” DVD, and it definitely achieved the desired “touching” effect I was going for.  But what my kids loved about the song was that, watching pictures of themselves from their birth to the present, they witnessed how much we’ve treasured every day with them.  That these times, as a family, are the days to remember.

Need more tunes?  Check out Part 2:  15 MORE Adult Songs That Make Great Kid Tunes