Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little & Big: Animal Folk Songs [Original recording remastered]

Pete Seeger | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 17, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Smithsonian Folkways
• ASIN: B000001DO5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,501 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #3 in Music > Indie Music > Folk > Traditional Folk
  • #5 in Music > World Music > North America > Appalachian
  • #10 in Music > Indie Music > Children's Music > General

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Folk music represents the best of Americana, and nobody performs folk music better than Pete Seeger. This charming collection of animal songs, remastered from two Seeger LPs originally recorded in 1955, will delight children and parents alike. Comfortable, well-known titles like "I Had a Rooster," "Frog Went A-Courting," "Skip to My Lou," and "I Know an Old Lady (Who Swallowed a Fly)" allow for great family sing-alongs. This album is an excellent example of the simplicity of traditional folk music, with Seeger's warm, friendly vocals and a single yet finely picked banjo as accompaniment. Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes would be an excellent choice for car trips as well as for feeling right at home in your living room. --Deborah Moore

Product Description

Pete Seeger released 28 songs and stories about animals on two short LP records in 1955 to an enthusiastic audience. Ever since, they have been sung by generations of parents, grandparents, and children. The two original releases have been combined on this single CD creating an irresistible collection of songs to sing along with, to draw pictures about, to play hand games to, and to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous CD for kids! December 5, 1999

By Laurel

Format:Audio CD

I bought this CD because I liked the title and we listen to it everyday because we love the style and songs. This CD covers all ages, has a nice bluegrass feel and you can replay it a million times and not want to scream after the third time. The songs are more like stories set to music and our child loves #2. Enjoy.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, simple, singable music that children love December 26, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

My daughter, who is now a mother, grew up with Pete Seeger and loved his way with children. Many of the songs are very "singable" for even young children. The music had a calming effect and was played over and over. I am now ordering for my granddaughter because our old record has been loved so much it has gotten shabby.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A reminder of my early school days March 1, 2003

By Peter Durward Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

For me, this is pure nostalgia - it brings back memories of the fifties. It seems from reading other reviews that today's young children get as much pleasure from this music as those of my generation did, although I can't imagine anybody recording music this way now.

I don't remember all the songs, but I recognise several of them. I know an old lady is immediately recognisable from the title, but I recognised others immediately upon hearing them again, including The keeper and the doe - it has the (for me) immortal chorus lines

hey down hoe down derry derry down
among the leaves so green-o.

Of course, in the age we now live, some of these songs are not politically correct and some may not appeal to vegetarians, but I don't ever remember hearing much about vegetarians until the eighties. Before then, there were very few of them around. I don't mind such people, but Pete could hardly have been expected to consider them when these songs were recorded.

I read another review where somebody complained about Pete's imitations of animal noises. I'm sure that a modern recording of such songs would use authentic animal noises, but again, this music must be seen as a product of its time.

So, this is a fun album, not to be taken too seriously, which can be enjoyed by young children, or by adults trying to remember when they were young children themselves.