Editor’s Note: ‘Do-Re-Mi’ is Good for You
The August issue's Editor's Note, from the desk of NH Magazine's Editor, Mike Cote
One of the first albums I ever owned was by the Beatles, typical for a child of the ’60s.
I wish that were the truth. It was an album of Beatles songs, but it wasn’t by the Beatles.
My introduction to Ringo, Paul, George and John arrived courtesy of Alvin, Simon and Theodore.
Our family’s scratched up copy of “The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles” is long gone, but a couple of years ago I found one in mint condition at an antique shop. After a listen, I mailed it to my grandson so he could enjoy gems like the Chipmunks’ version of “All My Loving,” which begins with studio chatter before manager Dave Seville counts off the song.
“All right, Chipmunks, got your hair on straight?”
“Yeah! Yeah!”
Now that I’ve entered my seventh decade, that’s my favorite part of the song. After that, it’s the high-pitched screech of cartoon rodents — Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian’s reincarnation of the Lollipop Guild Kids from “The Wizard of Oz.”
I feel roughly the same way when I hear my granddaughters listening to the KIDZ BOP
kids performing a sanitized version of “Uptown Funk,” the monster hit by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars.
The best children’s music reaches kids where they live. While it’s not directed at adults,
parents might actually enjoy it. I’ve had the pleasure of observing performances by two of the four children’s entertainers profiled by Kara McGrath this month. (page 38).
I first heard about Mr. Aaron from my granddaughters, who saw him playing at local gatherings before their parents booked him to perform at a birthday party. Aaron Jones, who writes original material for children, led the partygoers in songs and games — making
a strong case for paying for quality entertainment versus renting a bouncy house.
I’ve watched Alli Beaudry perform in venues for both children and adults. As Miss Alli, Beaudry appeared at a Christmas celebration for families of Make-A-Wish New Hampshire. Using a parachute to gather children in a circle, she encouraged them to participate and find their voice.
During TEDxAmoskeagMillyard in 2024, the former Berkelee College of Music educator had hundreds of adults on their feet practicing barre dance movements while learning sign language and singing “Do-Re-Mi” from “The Sound of Music.” (I’m quite sure it was the first time I have ever done a plié.)
Children’s entertainers remind us that music was never meant to be a spectator sport.
“When I’m Miss Alli, the main concept I love to project out to the community is that our bodies are our instruments,” Beaudry told the group as they began stretching, “so we need time to wake them up, especially in the middle of the day.”
Just make sure you got your hair on straight.
