I've Got a Dinosaur On My Head! (AKA "The Dinosaur Song";sing-along)
With a simple, catchy melody, fun animal sounds, and accelerating tempo, this song has become a kid favorite and is requested at every live performance.  Inspired by a silly green dinosaur novelty hat in the Apel house, this song quickly became a fan favorite.  Kids quickly learn the dinosaur verse, and then enjoy the challenge of adding verses with chickens, cats, dogs, and frogs into the song.  An imagination builder, the song encourages kids to imagine any number of items on their heads.  Because of the large number of kids (and adults) that like to sing along, this is one of Apel's favorite songs to perform live.


The Laughing Song (sing-along; movement song)
This one was inspired while "Uncle Pete" was entertaining family and nieces and nephews in living room music sessions. The full song evolved over time.   Forward and backward counting were thrown in for fun.  Younger kids enjoy listening to the melodies and layered harmonies, and the older kids have fun singing along and counting backward at a quick tempo.   The actual laughing can be credited to Peter's son. 



Sometimes I Have Oatmeal For Breakfast (AKA "The Oatmeal Song"; sing-along)
One of the most popular songs for both kids and adults, this song has been responsible for introducing kids to new foods and has even caused adults to try oatmeal again.  The idea is to simply have fun trying different toppings with your oatmeal.   The song idea originated from Apel's young son, and the two collaborated to decide what should go on the oatmeal next. Peter had a flamenco/classical guitar in hand at the time and used that inspiration to add a new flavor the song.  You only need to hear this song once, and you'll be able to sing it on your own.

Walking in a Circle (movement song category; coordination) This is a song to help get those kids up and moving around.  This was updated with suggestions from Apel's pre-school teacher wife and other teacher friends.  It starts with the kids sitting down. In the middle they're led through stretching, stomping, walking, hopping, and clapping.  By teacher request and to help with transitions, the song tempo eventually slows and the kids end the song once again sitting on the floor. I Once Had a Balloon (But Then It Popped) Sometimes we grow attached to people (or things) in our lives. The loss of that item (or person, or relationship) can be a struggle for us even if others don't share or understand our sense of loss.  This musical story, told with gentle humor, acknowledges that kids might actually go through these ups and downs just like the rest of us. The idea is to understand that there is comedy in some our own misfortunes, and that it's important to be able to laugh at ourselves once in a while.  Apel challenged himself to write a sad love song to which kids could relate.  The resulte is this waltz for kids (and their parents of course) where, despite a mother's valiant efforts, a small child repeatedly loses his "favorite" balloon.   Blue Beef Broth (musical tongue twister) This is a homemade tongue twister that evolved into a short musical story. Try to sing along as you hear how Grandma, Grandpa, and kids accidentally create this new concoction. Eensy Weensy Spider (Traditional) Peter's rendition of the standard includes a pleasant guitar arrangement and multi-part vocal harmony.  Like parent's around the world, Peter would regularly sing this to his young kids.  Peter customized this one for his son (in the 2nd verse the spider gets a name), and included this track on the album for obvious sentimental reasons.

Train Whistles
A Sound effect that your kids may enjoy. The steam engine crosses slowly from the left to the right speaker as you listen to the whistles and chugging sounds.

Big Locomotive (movement song, educational)
Take a short rhythmic journey down the tracks and through a tunnel. Learn a bit about the types of cars on a railroad.
 


Peacocks Don't Lay Eggs
("AKA The Peacock Song"; sing-along, science/educational)
Most people respond, "They don't?"
This song was inspired by daily peacock conversations after Apel's son heard the peacock's eerie call from his uncle's front porch. These birds slowly worked their way into Apel family bedtime stories, and then into the song.  Of course the old peacock/egg  joke was a contributing factor.  Hint: The species is the peafowl, and the peahen lays the eggs.  Just for fun and education, we've created a special page of interesting peacock information here.


I Love Bananas (AKA "The Banana Song"; sing-along, nutrition, story time)
A little spaceman named Fred flies down to earth and sings his favorite song about bananas. 
Our company, Fred Pinsocket Productions, was named after Fred.  Fred, the cartoon has been around as a baseball player for a while, but with this new album, Fred finally got a voice and a new spaceman outfit and made it onto  track 11 as a little spaceman that sings about his favorite food. You can also hear brief guest appearances by Fred in "Sometimes I Have Oatmeal for Breakfast" and "Walking in a Circle."   For more info on Fred, see Who is Fred?  and  World-wide Banana Shortage Caused by Spaceman? and Fred t-shirts



Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Traditional)
Everybody knows Twinkle Twinkle the traditional way.   Peter capitalizes on every young kid's desire to sing along even when they're not really sure of the words. Is it "up above the" or "hubba bubba"?  You decide.  Once you hear this version (or even better, see your kids' reactions in a live performance), it will be hard to sing it the old way again.   Peter's "hubba bubba version" is highly requested at live performances. 

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We'd love to hear from you. Let us know if you'd like to know more about a song, the album or anything else!