Kids Incorporated

Take Baby Loves Jazz, where the barn-musty “Old MacDonald” is revitalized courtesy of soul/funk singer Sharon Jones. In this version, the farmer is now a bandleader, conducting a roll call of his instruments (“And in this band he had a trumpet …”). OnThe Bingo Kids Sing Motown Hits for Kids, Marvin Gaye’s evocative “What’s Going On” is lent even more emotional gravitas with children’s background vocals. And relatively unknown ballads feel comfortingly familiar whenPutumayo Kids Presents: Celtic Dreamland mixes celestial voices with traditional Irish instruments.

“It’s not just about appealing to kids,” says Ric Cohen, who founded children’s label Bingo with fellow entertainment attorney (and fellow father) Michael Silver. “It’s also about not alienating parents. And that’s why there’s been such a dramatic change in the quality. Repetitive, silly songs, kids doing nursery rhymes, covers of what are often inappropriate songs for children—there’s a real movement today to get away from all that.”

Operating under the mantra “Don’t feed your kids junk music,” Bingo releases authentic re-creations of Beatles and Motown tunes with carefully orchestrated vocal parts performed by children. The label isn’t about offering music that’s a happy, simple diversion, but rather helping to forge bonds between parent and offspring. And ironically enough, it’s being done with the very classic pop that once divided generations. (Same goes for Baby Rock Records, whose Rockabye Baby series converts cacophonous acts such as Metallica and Led Zeppelin into instrumental lullabies for tots, thus allowing hip parents to soothe their own offspring with the very music their own parents likely railed against.)

For Putumayo Kids—the children’s and educational division of indie label Putumayo World Music—the music is an introduction to new cultures. The label showcases musical stylings from New Orleans to Brazil and Hawaii. “Kids are like sponges,” says director Mona Kayhan. “Introduce them to new cultures at a young age and they will be more open to them as adults. In a way, we like to think we’re making good global citizens.”

Baby Loves Music is equally ambitious in its efforts to enlighten growing minds and deliver a product that won’t drive parents nutty. The brainchild of Andy Blackman Hurwitz, it features songcraft that’s second to none, thanks to a bevy of established musicians and producers. Baby Loves Hip-Hop, for example, features stars like Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 and Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets, and was produced by Prince Paul. With silly vocal hooks and bass lines kids can bump to on their Big Wheels, the album delivers young listeners a nifty lesson on perceptions and stereotypes. “Kids don’t like to be talked down to,” Hurwitz says. “The same applies to their music. They want to listen to an album that hasn’t been dumbed down.”

Thanks to this new vision for young ears, being a parent no longer means being punished with insipid songs about giant purple dinosaurs. The eggman and the walrus get their chance to broaden the imaginations of growing minds as well.