Nana’s Greatest Hits

This blog was originally inspired by a set of songs that I wrote some years ago for my grandchildren, Ethan and Taylor. I have always thought that sharing these songs might help other grandparents approach that sweetest of grandparental pursuits – singing with little ones.  This blog makes it relatively easy to share these tunes; maybe some day there’ll be a collection, but for now, you’ll get them one-at-a-time, so come back often. 

I will also include stories of grandparenting and adventures with my grandkids as well as any tales I can get from friends.  More grandparents are being made every day!  It does seem that after saying “Hi, Kathleen” the next thing so many friends do is whip out their cell phones and show me the latest, cutest antic of their darlings. 

Joy simply sings through this new role of grandparent.

With all the adoration, grandparenting does come with some additional obligation.  Though this wasn’t at the top of my reasons for singing, more recent research has shown the link between music and brain development.  So, if you want to help your grandchildren get smarter, SING!

“When young children listen to familiar words in songs, the neural transmitters in their brains are firing away, and their brains are building connections to the sounds they are hearing and the words they are singing. Singing songs and reciting poems and rhymes with children helps them develop early literacy skills.”  – Jackie Silbert, “The Importance of Music for Children”

To settle any performance anxiety, I want to emphasize this – no musical background nor talent is required.  Besides great willingness, my “talent” consists of a fair rhythmic sense gained from tap dancing from a very early age.  I have little memory pre-tap and a sideline of my connection with dance is that I memorized most of the musicals of the 30’s and 40’s.  Name a song, I can pipe out some part or all of the lyrics.  But I digress.

Funny Rhymes and Slightly Familiar Tunes

Though, come to think of it, that may be why funny rhymes and slightly familiar tunes wound up in my songs.  I did not sit at a piano and pound out the melodies for Nana’s Greatest Hits.  They initially came to me “whole, perfect and complete” (well almost) on Highway 101. They came during a two hour, bi-monthly commute Santa Rosa to San Jose to teach a class. My ride was an old Datsun with no working radio.   Driving along, thinking about my most recent observations of what Ethan or Taylor were up to, well, the songs seemed to create themselves.

I offer Nana’s Greatest Hits to grandparents everywhere.  And also, urge you to just sing what happened in your day. Or favorite nursery rhymes you remember. It will take you back to happy days of your childhood, I bet.  And then, I recommend you check out Ella Jenkins, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and just keep going.  These were the songs I sang to my children and they are very smart.