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"5 years old Today"
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For The Love Of The Song

photo by Jim Mendell

Produced and arranged by Kim Papa at Roadhouse Records, available September 2008 here.

"For The Love Of The Song" features several talented youngsters on vocals and keyboard, Ben Bath on cello and Kim Papa on everything else. This CD was a ton of fun to create, and we hope you'll have as much fun listening to it as we had creating it. Dedicated to the irreplacable Bob Blue www.BobBlue.org

About the Songs

Donde Esta el Sol?

This song was born on a grey rainy morning at Rainbow School in the Bronx, N.Y. Children in one the bilingual classes were unhappy about the weather. We talked about our hopes for sunshine, and the song came together very quickly after that.

Looking for a Rainbow

Ben Tousley, a Boston area songwriter and performer, was on his way to a concert a few years back, driving across the Tappan Zee Bridge, when he noticed that the Tarrytown side of the river was drenched with rain, while on the Rockland side the sun was shining. We like to make a dancing rainbow with multicolored scarves when we sing this song.

Morningtown Ride   

I used to listen to the Limeliters recording of this song when I was little, and I've loved it ever since. My young friend Anna was eight when she recorded the backup vocals on the chorus.

Rachel

Bob Blue's uncanny ability to "hit the nail on the head" when writing about children really shines through in this song, which poses the question "can a friendship accommodate three?"

Five Years Old Today   

A "zipper song" for the birthday child; we change it according to whose special day it is and how old they are about to be. The color of the balloons and the flavor of the cake and frosting change every time it's sung as well.

Playing in the Rhythm Band / Hammer Song

Get out your maraccas, bells and tone blocks and have some fun!

Let it be Your Lullabye

We recorded this beauiful Lorre Wyatt song as a "call and response" between Anna and me, with Ben (17 at the time) on cello. I love this philosophy.

59th Street Bridge Song

Nina was 6 when she recorded this on the first try; her brother Nicolas was 9 and wrote his own keyboard part. Another great philosophy for living!

When the Rain Comes Down   

We recorded this song as a call and response between Nina and me, with Nina in the lead. It's about the common thread that unites us all as members of the human race.

Sledding

This song was inspired by my own memories of sledding on Sachs' Hill in Branford, Connecticut way back in the 1960's. I drove by there not too long ago, and the hill had decidedly shrunk.

Firefly

Part Mozart, part summer memories, artfully arranged by Kim.

You are You

A celebration of diversity. Ben improvised the cello part for this.