Disney Babies: Lullaby

Various Artists

Walt Disney Records, 1992

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/17/1999

There are times that I absolutely hate reviewing children's records.

It's not for the reasons you might think. Sometimes, I listen to a children's record, and it reminds me that I could have been doing a better job raising my child than I've done in the first three years of her life. It can remind me of happy memories of my childhood, and make me wish that I was four years old again, even for just one day. It can remind me of how my parents (both of whom are still alive) were when I was younger, and it makes me wish that they were younger. And, if all three hit me at just the right time, a simple children's record can reduce me to tears.

In the case of Disney Babies: Lullabymy_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 , two out of three ain't bad, and while I thought the disc was magnificent, it had me wanting the first years of my child's life back so I could correct the mistakes I've made.

The performances on this 20-track disc, with rare exception, are well thought out and selected. From Stephen Bishop's rendition of the Disney classic "When You Wish Upon A Star" to the jazzy rendition of "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes," your kids might not want to go to sleep when these songs are playing, for fear they'll miss something.

There are some moments that just cannot be recreated, such as with Paige Morehead's version of "Baby Mine" from Dumbo. I'm sorry, but the original version of that song, combined with the pathos of the scene which features that song, has a magic that will never be recreated. (The real test should lie with my father, who told me how moving he thought "Baby Mine" was in Dumbo. I should play this version for him and see if it carries the same emotional punch.)

And while it's good to hear from Larry Groce again (Trivia time, kids: What song did Groce briefly become famous for in the '70s?), there's really not much you can do with "Rockabye Baby" - not that some version of the song doesn't belong on a collection of lullabys. Groce's magic shines better on "Mountain Lullaby" and "Sleep Little Child".

The two moments where I almost lost it were on "Sleep, Daddy, Sleep," which is almost perfect for me, 'cause I can fall asleep in front of the TV without warning, and on "Sleepytime Skies," a track which really had me wishing I could be a child again for just one more day and have my mother tuck me into bed. If you're sentimental about things like that, in all seriousness, have tissues on hand for this track.

Seeing that my daughter now goes to sleep on her own, needing only a story to satisfy her, Disney Babies: Lullaby probably won't be getting overplayed in our household. (And, seeing how emotional I got on a few tracks, I hope the fine people at Disney will forgive me if I don't listen to this one again for a long time.) If you are fortunate enough to have an infant in your household, this disc is probably a no-brainer to pick up. Who knows, it might even help lull you to sleep after a bad day.

Rating: A-

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


Comments

 








© 1999 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Walt Disney Records, and is used for informational purposes only.