Sing, sing a song...

Sing out loud!

Sing out strong!

Sing of good things, not bad.

Sing of happy, not sad...

Does anyone know who originally sang that tune? If you're like me you're thinking, "Well duh, it's that iconic bro/sis singing duo of the 70s - The Carpenters, of course!" WRONG.

Put this one in the category of new and interesting factoids you learn from raising a kid. Because apparently, it was Big Bird. As in, the dorky but oh-so-loveable big yellow guy from Sesame Street. I know. Now you are saying, "Whhhhhat???? Say it isn't so!" Well, I'm saying it's so. "Sing" was originally created for Sesame Street in...well, I'm not sure exactly what year but it must have been a while ago because hasn't that show been on for like 80 years? And funny how Bert and Ernie never seem to age. Hmmmm.

Anyway, moving along. You might be wondering why I'm talking about this song. It's because out of the blue Ian started singing (and I use that term loosely) it the other day. And I was thinking, "Wow, impressive. He's really picked up on those Carpenters tunes." After all, he had been first exposed to them at a very young age. You see, as soon as Ian was born, one of the first things I quickly learned about myself as a new parent was that I have some serious deficiencies in the lullaby area. However, I did know "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" so I sang that to him like 50 times per day. And that one really worked because I have to say that's one of his favorite songs now. All I have to do is start singing "Twinkle" and he pretty much stops in his tracks, mesmerized by the soothing sound of my voice (which is understandable). It's even worked to calm him down on a plane before - for approximately one second. But the other song I sang here and there was "Close to You". (In fact, I believe that Jeanette also sang this song to Jeff when he was a baby. Maybe she also doesn't know many lullabies?)

But alas, no - his new love for "Sing" in fact did not come from our repeated efforts to attempt to instill in him a love for 70's music at an early age. Rather, it came from watching Sesame Street. I should have known. By way of digression here - for those who know that Ian has never really been much into TV (except sports) - I can report that he is now officially into Sesame Street. Or, as he first started calling it - the Street. As in, "Mommy, I need to watch the Street!" Which just made me laugh when he'd say it because it sounded like it was some gangster show he was addicted to versus children's educational television. I think we have that corrected now, though.

So, to wrap this all back up in a bow - suffice it to say that we spend a fair amount of time singing "Sing" around here these days. He really likes it. And it's pretty funny to hear because he can't quite get the words right except, of course, "Sing a Song", which he repeats over and over again. So often I'll sing it and he'll try and follow along with me. (Really, here's where I need to get the video function of this blog up and running in order to get the full effect of what I'm describing.)

It's also noteworthy that Ian really likes singing in general. I mean, the kid is constantly singing. Even when he's by himself playing with his toys, he'll often be singing something. Besides "Sing" and "Twinkle", other favorites are "Wheels on the Bus" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". Oh, and of course the "Itsy Bitsy Spider." I'm still trying to expand his repertoire, though. For instance, the other day I put on Donna Summer's MacArthur Park and we were doing some interpretive dance and he really seemed to like that song. But then again, who doesn't?

I keep meaning to do some quick research to see if this whole singing thing is normal for kids his age or if we need to move to NYC and enroll him in Juilliard. I don't know. Maybe I'll report back when I find out.

Until I write again.