It’s rare that my toddler will instantly take to music that she hasn’t already seen on TV, but that’s just what happened when I pressed play on A World of Happiness.
No Wheels on the Bus here, this is an album entirely filled with original messages of kindness, compassion and tolerance, all brought to life by an impressively diverse roster of celebs.
The opener, the anthemic, inspiring Lou Rawls-led title song set the bar high from the get-go, and yet the rest of the album did not disappoint. My faves included a lively reggae tune from Debbie Harry (my hero!) and Isaac Hayes’ bluesy The Grumps which is so evocative, it needs to be turned into a kid’s show, stat.
While your kids won’t know the celebs performing the various tracks, i couldn’t help but be impressed by artists as diverse as Lisa Loeb and Perry Farrell, and actors like Gary Oldman, Annette O’Toole and Samuel L Jackson. (Don’t worry, he keeps it clean.)
The entire album is just beautifully produced, in part by Tor Hyams, the mastermind (along with Farrell) behind the Kidzapalooza tour. Plus proceeds are donated to a huge range of kids-related charities. Download from iTunes or buy a hard copy from the Pokey Pup. Quick, before you have to sing one more verse of Wheels on the Bus. –Liz
Congrats to lucky winner Jenny H who won a CD signed by Gary Oldman
