Here Comes Science-Music for Kids

[Chi Meson]

Here Comes Science--Music for Kids

The band They Might be Giants just released their 3rd CD/DVD collection written for kids. This one is titled "http://tmbw.net/wiki/Here_Comes_Science" ." All together, these releases might just be be the most significant set of music/videos since "Schoolhouse Rock."

Full disclosure, I was a college DJ in the late 80s, I've favored "off-center" music, and we started having our kids at the same time TMBG started writing full-length kid-specific albums. I've seen them live 5 times in the last 2 years. Apparently I am genetically engineered to be a fan. I knew well ahead of time I would get this CD/DVD (because I pre-ordered it).

So I'm asking: As science minded people, and keeping in mind that this is kid's music, ages 4--12, distributed by Disney;
What do you think?

Here's what I think:
As we have watched it/listened (with my kids, mostly) I'm picking up some brave moves that few people ever make. The album unabashedly promotes Evolution. Check the first refrain from the lead-off "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty33v7UYYbw&feature=channel"." (those are the lyrics, the video is not posted yet).
In an interview on NPR's "http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200909256" ," just yesterday, John Linnell introduced "Ape" as being about "evolution, that controversial fact."

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0zION8xjbM&feature=fvw"" speaks for itself.

Another significant song, "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RJ0-GxeIYs&feature=channel"," is the first one about planets that includes Ceres, Eris, "and a bunch of other stuff." Pluto is included as part of that "bunch of other stuff," but it is left open as to whether or not to call it a planet. Their main point being that it's just not important what you call a planet or not; there's is just a heck of a lot more planetary bodies out there and there is nothing sacred about the number 9. Only fault: they missed their chance to say "Quaoar." More people need to know there is a planetoid named Quaoar. And Makemake.

BTW, all links are from the band's (or the animator's) own YouTube Channel.

I have no objectivity here. Nearly all outside reviews are superlative, but I'm intrigued to know what other science-types think.

 

[FredGarvin]

I really used to like TMBG but wore a bit thin. I am sure I will let my kid listen to them. Heck, I can say for sure that I learned one little bit of geography/world history from them..."it's Istanbul not Constantinople." I'm never forgetting that, no matter how hard I try. So if I can learn something from them, why not my kids?

I liked the three songs you posted. I tried to get my 3 year old to listen, but he only lasted about 5 seconds before he saw something shiny. It seems to me that they have made a bit of a change in their music so it's not so...so...I don't know...ADD-ish. I think that is a good thing, especially with kids music.

 

[Chi Meson]

I really used to like TMBG but wore a bit thin.
...

Their most popular songs are not their best. And some of the songs that followed behind their biggest hits were easily their worst ever. They deliberately stretch their music into as many genres as possible, so it's guaranteed that most people will not like several songs on any single album. I never bother to argue with folks who "are not impressed" or "don't care for" this band since that has nothing to do with me.

Yet all of a sudden, it's very important to me to know what the "scientific community" (stupid phrase, I know) thinks of this.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

I'm not really in the 'scientific community', but I like it.
'Science is Truth' is a pretty big epistemological call, especially for kids, however.
Not to put too fine a point on it, should we rather be making little birdhouses in something more physically verifiable?