Animal Playground

Putumayo Presents | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Putumayo World Music
• ASIN: B000OLHGIE
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,522 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #23 in Music > Children's Music > Sing-A-Longs
  • #85 in Music > World Music

Track Listings

1. Animal Crackers - Wee Hairy Beasties

2. No More Monkeys - Asheba

3. Nella Vecchia Fattoria - Quartetto Cetra

4. Aves - Guillermo Anderson

5. The Littlest Birds - The Be Good Tanyas

6. The Three Bears - Gary Rosen

7. Cantiga do Sapo - Ze Renato

8. L'Otorhinoceros - Les P'tits Loups du Jazz

9. Bigi Kaiman - Samba Salad

10. Don't Ever Step on a Snake - Don Spencer

11. Eagles - Terri Hendrix

12. If a Dinosaur Was My Friend - Phil Melancon

13. Mbube - Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Putumayo's Playground series consistently lives up to its name by sending far-flung cultures out to recess, freeing them to reveal their musical fun sides. The metaphor ends there, but the parallel to actual playgrounds doesn't: as any parent who's felt forlorn at times knows, nothing nullifies a dreary afternoon funk more effectively than a trip to the neighborhood playground. So it goes with the series. Animal Playground, the latest to swing, slide, and see-saw its way into agile imaginations of all ages, is a fine-tuned creature feature as playful as a giant-pawed puppy. Even if you don't know what forro is (North Brazilian dance music), or that "Cantigo do Sapo" has something to do with a little singing frog, you'll want to shake a tail feather in time to the beat; that holds for Quartetto Cetra's right-on Italian reworking of "Old McDonald," "Nella Vecchia Farroria." No disrespect to the other exotic offerings here ("Aves," from Honduras, for example), but the English-language songs are most winning of all: Canada's the Be Good Tanyas captivate with "The Littlest Birds," and you can't help but a love a man who cries crocodile tears from his puppy dog eyes, in this case Jon Langford who, when he's not a Wee Hairy Beastie belting out "Animal Crackers," leads the excellent punk/folk band the Mekons. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

Since children of all nationalities are fascinated by animals, Putumayo found it only natural to create a collection of exceptional songs featuring animal themes and folklore from across the globe. The 13 tracks on the album will guide listeners on a journey that begins in North America and ends in Africa without skipping a beat in between. Music fans of all ages will want to jump, hop and sing along to the playful, upbeat melodies of Animal Playground.

The collection includes a track from up-and-coming North American kids artists The Wee Hairy Beasties, whose bluegrassy "Animal Crackers" features Jon Langford of the Mekons. Texas singer-songwriter Terri Hendrix offers "Eagles," a sweet song from a mother eagle to her baby with a little southern twang. Crossing the globe, Netherlands based Samba Salad presents a song about a Surinam crocodile called "Bigi Kaiman." From Italy, Quartetto Cetra delivers a fast-paced version of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," though here it's "Nella Vecchia Fattoria." Zé Renato of Brazil leads a call-and- response sing-along that will get kids dancing to the forró tune "Cantiga do Sapo," about a little singing frog. And Australian children's music legend Don Spencer contributes an amusing song about using caution when walking near snakes.

Also featured is the video for Asheba's irresistible Caribbean arrangement of the popular "No More Monkeys!" song. Shot on the beaches of Trinidad, the video creates a magical land where Putumayo Kids' characters come to life and interact with Asheba and his band of Trinidadian kids as they sing and dance to the playful song.

A portion of Putumayo World Music's proceeds from the sale of this album will be donated to the Wildlife Conservation Society, headquartered at the world famous Bronx Zoo, in support of its activities that save wildlife and wild lands.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Animal Playground is sure to delight young animal lovers, June 10, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animal Playground (Audio CD)

The latest in the award-winning Playground music CD series, Animal Playground: Playful Music Tracks from Around the World is an album offering a multilingual collection of animal-themed songs from around the world. Filled with hootin', hollerin', family-friendly musical fun, the songs are by a wide variety of artists and include call-and-response music, folklore from around the globe, and energizing beats young people will want to jump, hop, and sing to. The tracks are Animal Crackers, No More Monkeys, Nella Vecchia Fattoria, Aves, The Littlest Birds, The Three Bears, Cantiga do Sapo, L'Otorhinoceros, Bigi Kaiman, Don't Ever Step on a Snake, Eagles, If a Dinosaur Was My Friend, and Mbube. Drawing on musical traditions from nations as diverse as Trinidad, France, Netherlands, Brazil, South Africa, and much more, Animal Playground is sure to delight young animal lovers and is the perfect souvenir of a trip to the zoo.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and different kids' music, September 8, 2008

By 

SarasotaSarah (Sarasota, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animal Playground (Audio CD)

I bought this CD for my 6 month old daughter. I was a bit tired of the traditional kids' music. She giggles at the songs and bounces and taps her feet to the music. Tons of fun for babies and kids as well as music that adults can tolerate. I would buy the CD for the Ladysmith Black Mambazo song "Mbube" (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) alone. I highly recommend this one!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for Kids, August 7, 2008

By 

Barbara (Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animal Playground (Audio CD)

We LOVE this album (yep, even my husband and me)!!! The songs are fun, engaging, and a joy to listen to. Definately our favorite kid's cd!