Soundtrack To Her Life

It’s not that I don’t like children’s songs and rhymes – I really do. I’m a preschool teacher and I see the attraction and recognise their value. They are sung with my class every day and I also sing them at home with my daughter. In fact, two of her favourite books are ones with classic nursery rhymes and children’s songs in them; “Sally Go Round the Stars” and “A Sailor Went to Sea” (both by O’Brien Press).

But, when we’re pottering around the house, going for a walk, or relaxing in the garden we love to have something playing the background. And that’s when I want real music, not nursery rhymes. However, I also want my daughter to enjoy what she’s being forced to listen to by her mammy. Songs that adults and children can enjoy; you know they type – they have a great beat or tune that adults can bop along to but also have something about them that mysteriously (or obviously) appeals to children. Examples would be “Yellow Submarine”, “Octopus’s Garden” and “I am the Walrus” by The Beatles or “I Want to Ride my Bicycle” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen.

So, I asked my followers on Facebook and Instagram to help me out with a playlist of songs that both adults and children will enjoy. And they came up with some real classics that I’ve put together on Spotify under the name: Rose’s Favourites. I’m going to list them all below but if you have any more songs you think would suit please comment below – I add new songs to the playlist every day and there can never be too many.

1. De Do Do Do De Da Da Da – The Police

2. Hey Jude – The Beatles

3. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen

4. Rosie – Don Partridge

5. Sunshine Superman – Donovan

6. Splish Splash – Bobby Darin

7. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles – Dean Martin

8. Band on the Run – Wings

9. Our House – Madness

10. Teddy Bear – Elvis

11. Tutti Frutti – Little Richard

12. Float on – Modest Mouse

13. Cool for Cats – Squeeze

14. Another Brick in the Wall – Pink Flloyd

15. Paper Planes – MIA

16. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles

17. Africa – Toto

18. Magic – Pilot

19. Mr Blue Sky – ELO

20. Brimful of Asha; Norman Cook Remix – Cornershop

21. Wake up Little Susie – Everley Brothers

22. Yakety Yak – The Coasters

23. Great Balls of Fire – Gerry Lee Lewis

24. The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens

25. Strawberry Fields Forever – The Beatles

26. Rocking All Over the World – Status Quo

27. Excerpt from a Teenage Opera – Keith West

28. Sherry – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

29. The Banana Boat Song – Harry Belafonte

30. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

31. Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann

32. My Girl – The Temptations

33. Happy Together – The Turtles

34. Twist & Shout – The Beatles

35. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

36. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads

37. Apeman – The Kinks

38. The Lovecats – The Cure

39. Sugar Sugar – The Archies

40. I’m a Believer- The Monkees

41. Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys

42. Birdhouse in Your Soul – They May Be Ginats

43. Rehab – Amy Winehouse

44. You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates

45. Wake me Up Before You Go Go – Wham!

46. Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep – Middle of the Road

47. I am the Walrus – The Beatles

48. Lollipop – The Chordettes

49. Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys

50. Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles

PS -Warning some of the lyrics to these songs may be deemed inappropriate by some; I figure young children don’t really get the references to adult themes and often miss the “bad” words so it doesn’t bother me. But if it bothers you just cut those songs out.