Album Review

The one2one network offered me the chance to listen and review Kenny Loggins' new children's/family album ALL JOIN IN.

We first listened to the album as a captive audience taking Karl to work one morning. I really enjoyed the music--it was upbeat and made me want to tap my toes.

We all enjoyed the "andy song," as my three year old, Henry, referred to Loggins rendition of You've Got a Friend in Me. It is always nice to have instantly singable and recognizable songs on an album.

However, I did not care for many of the song's lyrics. Gandhi/Buddha offered a message of karma/reincarnation that as a Christian, do not want to teach my children (however subtly.)

Other songs were so ambiguous--There is a Mountain, Your Lollipop-- that I wasn't sure what the song was trying to convey lyrically. And because it wasn't clear, I wasn't comfortable singing along or having my kids memorize it (as kids naturally do--they are sponges!)

I really wish the album had included a set of the lyrics inside the case. Typically, when I first listen to an album, I curl up next to to the stereo with the lyrics and learn them right off the bat--to me songs are immensely more enjoyable when I can sing along.

Had a copy of the lyrics been included, I believe some of the ambiguity that I experienced when listening to the tracks would have been allayed.

I had never followed Kenny Loggins' music before, but apparently his album "Return to Pooh Corner" is still the #1 best selling children's album of all time. I may check that out from the library on our next visit.