Jump up, day is breakin’. Jump up, let’s get shakin’. I know you’re lyin’ down, but jump up and we’ll dance ’round.
So begins “Jump Up” by Dan Zanes, featured on the CD “Family Dance.” This CD is once again a great combination of children’s classic songs along with original compositions by Dan Zanes and Friends. This CD is even more fun for the entire family from Dan Zanes and Friends.
A cute rendition of “The Hokey Pokey” features Father Goose (A.K.A. Rankin’ Don) and the Dandelion Chorus accompanying Dan. This version is slow and jazzy with notable accordion playing. Dan and Father Goose even include putting your nose in and out. If you listen closely, you can hear Father Goose sneeze at the end of this line. Whenever my daughter hears this verse, she points to her nose and laughs. She hasn’t quite caught on to the point of the song yet. But that’s okay — she enjoys it just the same. And as Father Goose says, “There’s no hokey without pokey.”
“Wonder Wheel” is sung by Dan and the Rocket Ship Revue. He sings about going to the county fair and meeting a new friend. They ride the wonder wheel together as they laugh and cry, going up and down. This song will make you think back to any fair or amusement park where you rode the ferris wheel.
My favorite song on this CD is called “Malti.” This song is performed by Dan Zanes and Barbara Brousal and is sung completely in Spanish. I heard it for the first time on Playhouse Disney when the video for the song was played. I took the initiative to look up the lyrics on Dan’s website and found the English translation as well. “Malti” is actually a song about a beautiful summer day. Malti’s friend is trying to encourage her to play in the waves on the beach and go sailing. The catchy lyrics even inspired me to learn the Spanish lyrics so that I can sing it to my daughter. She immediately gets a smile on her face when the song starts.
When you decide to go out and get this CD, listen to it with the entire family. “Family Dance” is a great way to encourage a love and appreciation of music in your family.
For more information, please visit Festival Five Records.
“Family Dance” is available at CDBaby, Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.
“Family Dance” Track Listing
- Jump Up
- Rock Island Line (with the Rocket Ship Revue
- Malti (with Barbara Brousal)
- The Hokey Pokey (with Father Goose A.K.A. Rankin’ Don and the Dandelion Chorus
- Water for the Elephants (with Donald Saaf)
- Linstead Market (with the Sandy Girls)
- Fooba Wooba John (with Rosanne Cash)
- Wonder Wheel (with the Rocket Ship Revue)
- Yo-Yo Sweet Yo-Yo (The Rubi Theater Company)
- All Around the Kitchen (with Loudon Wainwright III)
- In the Evening (with the Rocket Ship Revue and the Dandelion Chorus)
- Flowers of Edinburgh
- Thrift Shop (with Sandra Bernhard)
- Skip to My Lou (with Father Goose A.K.A. Rankin’ Don)
- The Good Night Waltz (with Donald Saaf and Lyris Hung)