Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: abominable detour 3

Stan Freberg has a classic comedy bit about interviewing the Abominable Snowman back in the ’50s when comic interviews were all the rage. Thus did our subject become a butt of jokes. We are looking for novelty songs, however, so let’s move on….

Talking Mountain’s “The Abominable Abdominal Snowman” is about that magical creature that came to life and–wouldn’t play with the other kids. He only wanted to work out. Fun electronic pop.

More ice rink electronic fun from Matt Farley riffing as The Paranormal Song Warrior through his album Believe: Exciting Songs about Shockingly Mysterious Stuff. “Oh My Goodness, It’s the Yeti, the Abominable Snowman! Wow!” speaks for itself. Or, it takes less time to read this than to listen to the improvised scat.

A star-crossed story from Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers: “Snowman in My Heart” fears the abominable one, while experimenting with too many instruments mashed together.

Old-time Dr. Demento hit “Abominable Snowman in the Market” marks Jonathan Richman as a folky storyteller of comic proportions.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: abominable detour 2

Some classic rock n roll pays tribute to the Abominable Snowman.

The Copycats cash in on the monster rock trend with 1960’s “The Abominable Snowman.” Nice salsa beat with talking and screaming.

Nostalgic for the ragtime ’60s rock fusion, Family Animals make a party out of “The Abominable Snowman.” Sounds like a Scooby Doo chase scene that can’t stop dancing.

More gogo music from the Supermarionation British TV show The Thunderbirds. Their “The Abominable Snowman” is music hall jiggery pokery fun warning of what their adventures may come across. Brrr.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: abominable detour 1

Scary monsters may not come up much round Xmas time, but since Rankin & Bass’s 1964 TV special, we have a place for the Abominable Snowman in our holidays. I gotta be upfront and admit most Abominable Snowman songs don’t mention Christmas, but then ‘Frosty’ the song doesn’t either. And some of these are pretty good.

So let’s get the kid-friendly one out of the way. Krazy Kuzins hip hop their way through “The Abominable Snowman” which alludes to the aforementioned cartoon. Kids get to holler.

South Oxfordhsire Youth Music Group chorale up the myths with “Himalayan Abominable.” Jazz jumpin’ school assembly fun.

Big Block Sing Song has a samba hip hop “Abominable Snowman” song that simply rocks. Dance if you like.

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Let’s finish up the ankle biting song tributes to putting down that video game and getting exercise in the frosty cold.

Sheila Magaret Ward has an introductory “Who Is He? (The Snowman)” that hits lofty marks (and notes) for the existential and definitive case for that thing. Folk pop.

Less sensible, is the ‘tribute’ to other songs with “Goodbye, Snowman” from Super Simple Songs. Children’s showtune.

Mr. Mike continues the familiarity with “Where, Oh Where Has My Snowman Gone?” By the numbers, now.

Petula Clark in full kid shouting mode gives us “Where Did the Snowman Go?” 1952adelia. (Spike Jones did it with Linda Strangis in 1953.) (And Patti Page.) (Gene Autry too.)

Picking up the beat, Rockin’ Rhythms rolls along with “Bye Bye Snowman” in a haunting melody of despair for children.

Ken Galipeau brings up the heat with Michael O’Grady, the snowman who keeps flowing with “The Snowman’s Song.” All good things must end, but not usually this fun.

More fun is the electronic folk of Rudolph and the Snowman” by A.J. Jenkins. Polite, philosophical, and a little kicky.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: kids 6

Dance Time!

We’ve previously been entertained by the Crew Cuts’ “Dance Mr. Snowman Dance.” And “Do the Snowman” by The Holleytones. They bear redux.

Let’s also admit to Randy Sauer’s valiant effort “Snowman Dance.” Electronic almost music.

Definitely let’s include Mahri Sherlock’s barnburner “Mr. Snowman Dance.” Fun for kids and other square dancers.

“Snowman Jump” is a regrettable standard for the toddlers. I like the ’70s near-disco edition here.

Teresa Jennings keeps it kiddie with her Plank Road Publishing’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Snowman.” Good for intermediate school assemblies afraid of saying Merry Christmas everywhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lHH2PiKExY

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Reworking tykes’ classics with snowmen in the lyrics is a shortcut to getting kids to singalong, like with superhero movies that just change the colors of the costumes.

“5 Little Snowmen” reworks ‘5 Little Monkeys’ jumping on the bed. Oh My Genius makes this lively with a touch of bluegrass and bopping sfx. Hee hee.

Kiboomers’s “5 Little Snowmen” is redundant and complacent though. They don’t hurt different parts at all. Oh well.

David Hudspeth downs the tempo with “Five Little Snowmen” focusing on their demises. Dark. (Is he playing a bouzouki?)

There’s also ‘I’m a Little Snowman’ sung to ‘I’m a Little Teapot.’ It’s all ready to go for kids three and up. Short and cold.

Singing Hands embodies the horrific in kid songs with “I’m a Little Snowman.” All the joy is marched into syncopation, all the talent is colored between the lines.

Super Simple Songs ups the temp a bit with “I’m a Little Snowman” and round and around they go. Skippit.

Heidi Burgess creates a new melody for the old saw. One note, but insistent. I say brava.

Kiboomers are back to let us know the snowman can be round not fat. But it’s the polka liveliness that rescues “I’m a Little Snowman” here. I don’t want to just sing along. I want to be the godammt snowman.

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One sidenote to the whole kids’ snowmen is the big deal 1978 book The Snowman by Raymond Briggs made into a British big deal animated special in 1982 and which plays around Christmastime across the pond every year.

The ethereal ultrasonic soprano song “We’re Walking in the Air” became a 1985 hit for Aled Jones who did not sing it in the cartoon, but released it as a single when a teen. Thirty years later he released it a duet with himself. Freaky.

Andy Burrows dropped a prog rock song “Light the Night” in the 2012 TV sequel ‘The Snowman and the Snowdog.’

The original ‘Walking’ has been coopted by the crystal-gazers as an out-of-body/Wiccan trip. Finnish group Nightwish does an over-orchestrated dance version i could get naked and flail around to. Prog-celtic. (This is lite-metal. Fuller metal like from Woods of Infinity harshes the vibe. Ick.)

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Kids want to sing and dance and learn at the hands of songs their betters ditto upon them.

Maple Leaf Learning has a sly pop number in “The Snowman Song” about a happy inanimate who wants to play but keeps melting away and then refreezing. Secular resurrection, anyone?

My Vox’s Michelle Schooff pops a cork with her pop “The Snowman” about those magical constructs that walk around while you’re asleep, like in those horror movies you’re not supposed to stay up for. Lots of calisthenics here.

The “Snowman Polka” is a creepy night-only dance from Deborah Malena and Garth Phillipsen. But kids need therapy less than us.

David Chicken enlists the kids to bop a doodle doo with “Snowman the Bop.” Socks out, kids!

Shake a leg for the party at the “Snowman’s Cafe.” Elizabeth McMahon conducts the ragtime fun.

“The Snowman Went Waltzing One Christmas” is a sad tale of looking for the right partner from Das Grumps Bavarian Band. Grampa would like it. Better than you think.

ATTENTION PLEASE: MORAL COMING. Captain Kangaroo narrates the “The Littlest Snowman” to teach us about friendship and bravery and stuff. Come on.

“Blingy the Snowman” reminds Gil Bezy of winter, and song, and Jesus. Kidsong or drug trip?

Caspar Babypants brings the adults into the room to see what the kids are listening to with danceable folk polka “I Wanna Be a Snowman.” Mmm, that’s good ball stacking.

Phil Keaggy rescues the genre with a quiet folk elegy, “The Snowman Song.” It’s thoughtful and reflective and touching, but keeping a departed one’s eyes and heart in jars in your room may not set examples we want children to follow.

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Can we get cool for the kids? Snowman songs i can get behind.

Phranc wonders about the flexibility of the frosty one, i mean does the “Hanukkah Snowman” dress the part? Folk figure it out. Oh ho ho.

Frosty’s brother comes to us from South of the border. Lana Rae sings “Henry the Snowman” for the left out siblings.

Pop fun from Rosenshontz chanting out “Snowman” jazzy fun until you have to join in, or run.

Hip hop for the baby “Snowman” is as surprising as you’d think. RhapCD is in it for the young.

Uptempo jazz for the wee, “Mister Snowman” from Kathy Belmont and Michelle Amato grooves.

A highly fashionable song for the preschool rabble would be “Once There was a Snowman” as presented by Lori Ann Stewart. Very short, saccharine, and pithy. I mean, what’s the deal with the embedded lesson of All Things Die? Can’t kids just watch a Disney movie to learn that?

But the irony is not lost on Klaus Schwietzer whose “Nihilist Performance of ‘Once There was a Snowman’” introduces tots to a sense of humor at least.

InsideOut A cappella has hit gold with their take off–a history of music odyssey entitled “Once There Were Some Snowmen.” A few years later they even added a isn’t-that-enough? sequel (i like it more) “In the Sun They Melted (Snowmen II).” This is for the kids, but it makes me happier than they.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: kids 1

The snowman may be a tradition of a thousand years, certainly written references can be found from more than 500 years ago. Whether as a ward, or porn, or simple sculpture (free materials!) this figure has excited our imagination–especially at the holiday season.

Way too many songs of the snowman are meant to excite children, or perhaps dull our own wits (same thing?). So week one will be about the sometimes talented, sometimes tedious, always enthusiastic kidsmusicka.

So we’ll start with the invitation and the DIY how-tos.

I know of no good reason to include the Disney ‘Frozen’ nonsense here. Except for an odd Classical Latin translation from Keith Massey (with questionable syntax). (altho, gosh, i am partial to “Do You Want to Be a Mormon?” from Seth Daybell.)

Conway Twitty slums into the funny-voiced sidekick duet country wishing for snow for “Johnny Snowman.” Gotta start with the snow, man. Deana Carter saves this mess with an update.

Heidi Songs gives us more of what we want. “Let’s Build a Snowman!” is short, jittery, and shrilly upbeat.

Nursery Rhymes by Little Fox utilize ‘O Susannah’ as the basis for their “Build a Snowman.” Proceed with caution.

Sparkle & Shine demonstrate why bearded big guys don’t usually teach the tots. “The Snowman Chant” attempts to dub the step, but embarrasses all.

A real head scratcher comes from Singer Dr. B. “Wonderful Snowman” is an odyssey of creation and discovery and kid celebration. I can’t explain more than that. Oh man.

Slow country from Lee and Sandy Paley who make “Snowman Joe” just for you. If you name them, it’s harder to lose them. (Oreo eyes? A banjo to bring him to life?!)

Gospel saves the day when Homemadesoul handclaps and enlifts with “Snowman” building. Go!

Despite the chatty-chat, Bill Hooper keeps it cool with his “Snowman” directions. Rock on.

E(everyone)L(oves)F(un) Learning has a underdeveloped tutorial with some mean tambourine: “Let’s Build a Snowman.” It goes slowly, so you should be able to keep up.