FISTFULAYEN

Whenever someone at the Yahoo! holiday party would ask me, “How’s the baby?”, I’d tell ‘em the truth: “She’s super into Cheech.” Then I’d just leave that hang in the air for a minute and see how the answer computes. If they were brave enough to inquire further I’d explain, “Yeah, you know, Cheech Marin, from Cheech & Chong, ‘Born in East LA’?” Um, yeah, that never really seemed to clear things up. I had to write this post to explain more fully, and because it’s not possible in the conversations at the holiday party to turn up the confusion to 11 by saying/linking, “You know, this guy.

But it’s true, Lucinda, our one year-old, loves Cheech. Among her first 50 words were “Cheech! Cheech! Read! Read!” and a simple point to the speaker demand of “Cheech!” No, we haven’t been rolling spliffs and listening to Big Bambu or watching Nice Dreams, we’ve just exposed her to Cheech’s kids album from 1992 and book from 2007, and she’s obsessed. Everyone knows who Cheech is, few know or are willing to believe he made one of the best kids albums in the history of time fifteen years ago and an excellent children’s book in 2007. Well, he did.

When Zoe was two (1992) I tripped across an audio CD called “My Name Is Cheech The School Bus Driver”. With cartoon Cheech on the cover I wasn’t sure what I was getting into but when Lou Adler produces a kids record by a self-documented stoner, you take a chance. Much to my surprise, Cheech’s childrens record was fabulous and to this day it stands as a favorite and one of the best children’s records I’ve ever heard.

My Name Is Cheech, The School Bus Driver

Not only is it funny, it’s contemporary and real, as appropriate for modern, unsheltered kids as Sesame Street was in its day. It’s a clever concept album made up of lyrical songs (not skits for the most part), each teaching a different practical lesson: combining primary colors, being courageous but also knowing when to trust fear (”…keep a good distance and call for assistance…”), and making new friends by learning new languages. In fact, the album was available in its entirety in Spanish.

Courage
Cambiando Lonches

Unfortunately, both the English and Spanish versions are long out of print. I’ve managed to score a few copies of the English version (to give as new baby gifts) by trolling Half.com and Amazon (you can find it used on Amazon for about $25), but it took a year of trying to finally get my hands on the Spanish language version (it actually looks like there are a few copies of this used on Amazon now, hopefully you’ll have better luck than I did). If you love your kids, score these for them. Cheech, if you’re reading this, what say you and I get the digital rights to this back from Sony and blow this shit up. The world might be ready now. The kids clearly are.

Somehow, Cheech and I are on the same schedule. I have a baby in 1990, and he puts out a children’s album in 1992. I have another in 2006 and he drops a kids book, titled “Cheech The School Bus Driver” of course, in 2007. I discovered the book on one of my periodic “Cheech” searches on Amazon and couldn’t hit the one-click-send-me-that-shit button fast enough.

Cheech may not be the most prolific Children’s author but at least he’s consistent — apart from too many unnecessary commas the book is wonderful. Informal and colloquial but engaging, funny, and clever, contemporary but with a nod to tradition (spoiler warning: mariachi beats rock n roll), and (just like the album) delivers practical, important lessons: hard work pays off, substance and class beats flash, show and volume, and…BE YOURSELF! High quality stuff.

That said, it’s a long picture book, not something a newly-one-year-old has the patience to sit through. In fact, until this book Lucinda’s attention span was limited to short board books, preferably with cute animals hidden behind cardboard flaps. Somehow, Cheech The School Bus Driver became the only book Lucinda wanted to read, and she would sit through the entire thing not just once but multiple times in a row. Julie, Zoe, and our nanny Ruth have all read the book countless times. I read the book three times today and successfully deflected a couple of readings (”no, we’re not reading Cheech again, it’s time to go to bed…”), which is a pretty average day. She’ll let you read other short books, but she gets bored with most other long books, taps the book with her hand and says, “No. Cheech.” She knows what she likes, and somehow Cheech Marin is in the zone. Go figure.

Of course, there’s a Spanish version (which Zoe has read to Lucinda but she’s not nearly as into). Even better, it looks like we might not have to wait fifteen years for the next installment, Amazon is showing “Captain Cheech” shipping in June.

Kids music can be rough. Here are some gems I’ve found that are tolerable for self-respecting adults but good for the childrens, too:

Aesop’s Fables The Smothers Brothers Way
This is my all-time fave. Clever and hilarious as well as Tom and Dickie’s most consistent and cohesive work. Zoe loves this album to this day. When Zoe was little it was on the Music For Little People label, but now it’s been re-issued by Laugh.com.
Smothers Brothers – The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Taj Mahal Sings and Plays for Children
This one came out on the Music For Little People label around the time Zoe was born. The CD looks out of print but is easy to find used and miraculously you can buy the MP3s from Amazon. Soulful, singable songs, great from the first week of life. I spent a fair amount of time carrying both Lucinda and Zoe in the dark (sixteen years apart) and singing songs from this album.
Taj Mahal – Fishin’ Blues

Elizabeth Mitchell – You Are My Little Bird/You Are My Flower/You Are My Sunshine
Our friend Jon Rubin gave these CDs to us when Lucinda was born and they’re incredible, truly wonderful. Don’t hesitate, if you have kids and love music, buy these albums (available as MP3 downloads). If you’re not convinced, check the Velvet Underground cover from “You Are My Little Bird” or the Johnny Too Bad ABCs from “You Are My Sunshine”, below. Also, if you’re on the east coast go to one of her shows and let us know how it is.
Elizabeth Mitchell – What Goes On
Elizabeth Mitchell – Alphabet Dub

Music (and kids) is (are) the best,
ian