Customer Reviews

Peggy's Pie Parlor

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Yup, I am. . . . Ralph Covert has struck on something very valuable in his Ralph's World persona: good music disguised as "kid's" music. What strikes me most is the musical diversity he uses that can be a great teacher for kids--they'll get to hear instruments and styles on Ralph's CDs that they might not otherwise hear in a "kid's" setting. From the pop sounds of "The Mighty Worm" right into straight-ahead rock on "Banana Seat Bike," then onto a polka (yes, a polka. . .) on the title track, Ralph keeps putting somewhat silly lyrics ("Covered in Glue") and even sillier ones ("Go Go Pogo") into great musical settings. Classic folk tunes--"I'm My Own Grandpaw" & Carl Sandburg's "My Name is Yon Yonson" (which I play every year for my Grade 11 American Literature class)--mixed with great kid-oriented tunes--"All I Wanna Do Is Play" & "Puppy Dog"--make for a very pleasing 45 minutes or so. He closes with a tear-jerker, too--"67 Cents of Heaven," which makes my wife cry. Barney makes me cry, too, but for different reasons. . . . This ain't Barney, Raffi, or even Sesame Street. It's good music, with occasionally nonsensical lyrics, mixed with some inside jokes for the parents. I don't know how a reviewer (with whom apparently nobody agrees) can call his lyrics "blather."

Check his "adult" stuff, too, if you get a chance. Amazon has a couple of his titles from years past that he wrote with purely an adult audience in mind. Search for "Ralph Covert." It's good 80s and 90s pop/rock from a Chicago-grown performer.

Bottom Line: This should be a hit with both the adults and the kids in the car/living room/English class. . . .

First I will say that this CD is far better than 95+% of the kids music out there. It's easy for all ages to listen to, with Ralph's usual great mix of musical styles.

That said, I don't think this is Ralph's best work. Our 4 year old son loves it as much as he loved the other 3 Ralph CDs, and wants to hear it repeatedly, but we as parents don't feel this one stands up to repeated playings quite as well as some of his other work. I can't say why exactly, but I just haven't found this set of songs as memorable.

Ralph fans, both young and old, will absolutely want to buy this CD to complete their collection, but I would recommend that those new to Ralph's World pick either "Bottom of the Sea" or "Happy Lemons" over this one.

My four- and two-year-old sons love Ralph's World music more than any other artist, and Peggy's Pie Parlor is no exception. We played Banana Seat Bike six times in a row yesterday while driving--the best thing is, I didn't mind, because it's good music for adults, too. My younger son is bouncing around the house shouting "I'm my own grandpa" -- impossibly cute. Cavemen! makes me think of Monty Python (I've been humming it all morning and grinning). This is my favorite artist to introduce to new parents. Buy this CD -- you won't be sorry!

I knew of Ralph before he started Ralph's world and have always considered him one of my favorite performers. I bought his previous albums for my niece and nephew. The kids loved the songs but my sister turns out to be the biggest fan. She has always been a classic rock fan and has not enjoyed the standard music made for the 8 and under crowd.

Recently I took the three of them to see Ralph in concert in Chicago where this album was being sold. My sister bought the album there and we listened to it on the way home.
Unsurprisingly they loved it as much as the others and couldn't get enough of it. My sister especially loves Ralph becasue the songs are cool and she can stand to hear them over and over without suffering the post traumatic effects caused by Barneyesque tunes.

Since I was the cool uncle who bought them their first Ralph albums, I get to bask in the reflected glory and get fully credited with being the overwhelming favorite uncle.

Thanks Ralph.

We own all the Ralph's World CDs and love every one of them. Peggy's Pie Parlor is great. We especially enjoy "I Never See Maggie Alone".

Ralph Covert is an extremely talented songwriter, musician, and singer. I can think of no one else that can appeal to all ages as he can.

Another great album from Ralph's World! I have all 4 and they are all great. The music is well-written and well-perfromed. It's music for kids that even adults like! (I sometimes even listen to it when my kids aren't around.)

Everyone in my family loves this one- especially the kids! A great collection of well produced songs from a great songwriter (with a few well chosen covers in there too!). FIVE STARS IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THIS GREAT ALBUM!

Chicago singer-songwriter-guitarist Ralph Covert tops himself with each release. In this fabulous family rock 'n' roll album, Covert's sophisticated instrumentals are a wow to adult ears and his strikingly original and deftly crafted lyrics about tango-dancing bears, cavemen, a banana-seat bike and glue disasters go right to the heart -- and funnybone -- of childhood.

The rockin' tracks are nothing if not eclectic -- they include arrangements of "I Go Pogo," from a 1948 album based on cartoonist Walt Kelly's characters, and a goofy 1930s novelty song, "I Never See Maggie Alone."

If you only buy one Ralph's World CD, this is it. While I find most of Ralph's CDs brilliant but uneven, this one has so many rollicking wonderful tunes, there's not a bad one in the bunch. My kids cannot get enough of the title song, "Covered in Glue", "Go go Pogo", "Puppy Dog"...there are some fantastic songs here! Buy it! You won't be sorry.

We borrowed this CD from the library before buying it. My 5-yr-old son wants to hear it again and again--and that's just fine! I particularly enjoyed "go go pogo" and "maggie alone." The tunes are catchy and stand up to repeated listenings. I plan to purchase more Ralph's World Cds.