21 Non-Terrible Songs Babies Actually Seem to Enjoy Despite Not Knowing Anything About Anything
They Might Be Giants — “Stand On Your Own Head”
There’s obviously a very long list of They Might be Giants songs I could have chosen here, from obvious hits like “Particle Man” to lesser known gems like their cover version of “Why Does the Sun Shine,” a 1959 educational song. But if you dig a little deeper, you will of course find that their catalog is full of extremely poppy, playful sounding songs that are also deeply weird and endlessly entertaining. My current number one choice is this deep-cut from their 1988 album Lincoln. It’s short, but the melody is crazy, it’s perfect for dancing around if anyone should request that you dance with them, and the line “I love the world, and if I have to sue for custody, then I will sue for custody” is just perfect.
Fleet Foxes — “Montezuma Blues”
This is one of the first songs I noticed my daughter really liking. I think it has something to do with the way the upbeat strumming works with the layered vocals and the harmonies, building and building until that big tempo change a few minutes in. It used to put her into a frankly weird trancelike state; now it just seems to have a relaxing effect. Bonus points, of course, for lyrics about not actually being a special snowflake.
Weezer – “El Scorcho”
This song has it all: gargling, funny voices, guitar solos, profanity, the snare-hit at 1:25 that’s one beat late, a huge, singalong chorus, the crazy double-time part, and so on. Also worth noting here is “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To,” from 2009’s Raditude, which is apparently irresistible if you’re a child. Or if you’re my child, anyway. (I don’t think you are, though.)