I feel like I’ve been on a reign of spreading bad vibes this week. I get that way sometimes. Sorry folks. As a remedy, I thought I’d share this video for “Happy Song,” by Baby’s Gang, featuring the legendary Boney M. As you enjoy this happy song and turn your thoughts away from issues of mediocrity and downright suck. I thought you’d find even more enjoyment through a Last Man Standing challenge seeking rock songs featuring a chorus of kids.
These songs must feature actual kids, not Yoko Ono, for instance, singing in a child-like voice on The Beatles’ “Bungalow Bill.” Also, despite how childish the songs might sound, they cannot actually be kiddie songs for a kiddie audience. Entries must be serious rock songs by serious rock artists, like Boney M. and his friends in Baby’s Gang, for serious rock fans. More or less.
Chances are other ground rules will develop in mid-competition, but as always, please limit yourself to one entry per comment. Don’t bogart this thread!
“School’s Out” – Alice Cooper
“Career Opportunities” – the Sandinista version – The Clash.
“The Wall” – Pink Floyd
Indeed. Thanks for getting this rolling!
“The Real Thing” – Russell Morris.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HImcaPDmfBY
This extraordinary 1969 bit of late-period psychedelia hit number one in its homeland of Australia (despite being over six minutes long) and also got a fair amount of US airplay even though it never officially charted. The boys’ chorus at the end of the tune is singing “Die Jugend Marschiert (Youth on the March)” – the Hitler Youth song!
You Can’t Always Get What You Want. Talking ’bout Boys! (choir)
The alternate charity single version of The Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”
Last Man Standing!
I can’t remember if Dear God by XTC has a kids choir in it or just one kid singing so I’ll say choir and I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.
I think Dear God is just one kid. And if I haven’t pulled you off the perch with my pince nez, then I’ll just drop Happy Xmas/War is Over by John and Yoko to supplant you.
You’re gonna hate me for this:
“Sing” – The Carpenters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hGn6CU2wQ
Black and White by Three Dog Night
I know, but it’s kind of a plodding over the top stupid guilty pleasure of mine.
I considered that one, but a re-listen seems to indicate that while there is a big chorus, it doesn’t necessarily sound like a kiddie chorus. We’re probably in a gray area here.
I think you’re right that it’s just one kid, and while I was crafting this topic I meant to use that song as another example of an entry that’s NOT allowed because it’s only one kid. If, in fact, there is only one kid’s voice on the song, not even overdubbed as a choir.
Whether it’s anything approaching rock is certainly debatable, but here goes…
“Everything is Beautiful” – Ray Stevens
I think it’s just that they’re fairly low in the mix, I didn’t see in the post that it had to be all kids or big.
Apparently one of the kids in the chorus was young supermodel Naomi Campbell. Random tidbit…
Happiness Is Easy – Talk Talk
Well, since Suburban kid played the kids’ version of “Career Opportunities” I’ll play the kids’ take on “Guns of Brixton.”
A song from Roger McGuinn’s first solo album, Stone (written by Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMvCiufuT1o
Isn’t that just one kid?
You’re right. My nez has been pinced!
“Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud’ – James Brown
How about “Grocer Jack” by Keith West?
Kind of an obscure one, but “Rock and roll apocalypse” by Vaganza. Such a crazy goofball song.
The Smiths “Panic”
hang the dj hang the dj hang the dj etc.
Define “kids.” I mean, we’re old now and I accept that, but were the female voices on Across the Universe “kids”?
Dude, you can’t be in a gray area: the song is Black and White.
This really painful: if pressed, I might have to point to this as the most horrifically bad recording of Dylan’s entire career: “They Killed Him” from the mostly atrocious Knocked Out Loaded, which at the time (1986) seemed a career nadir, at least until his next lp, Down in the Groove. (Flip a coin.) Anyway, the fact that Dylan was doing a Kris Kristofferson cover was in itself disturbing; but it is abominable in every respect–singing, production, whatever. Plus a children’s chorus. Kristofferson probably should have sued. I am almost sure I hadn’t listened to this song since the day I got the record in 1986. My God, indeed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxQcHKupMbc
Without looking it up, I’m pretty sure they were 12. Let’s see…
Wikipedia describes them as “Two teenaged fans…”
Here’s a creepy video for your enjoyment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOKuWy2zsCA
They refer to themselves as having been 15 or 16. That’s young enough if they were too young to have had consensual sex, etc.
“How gray?” – Frank
“Charcoal.” – Fletch
aloha
LD
I never heard that song before. This was during the long stretch when I couldn’t stomach new Dylan records at all. I know it sucks, but it’s also AMAZING!
One of my faves, The Cramps, featuring “The McMartin Preschool Choir” (“That’s a joke, son…I say, I say, a joke!”) on “People Ain’t No Good” . The tykes start it out, then come in again towards the end: http://youtu.be/We8qTPJ65rk
I’ll admit this is a lateral move, but tonyola’s entry, “Sing” reminded me of this song/commercial. Originally an uplifting song by the New Seekers (cassette tape sent to our family by a religious English friend of the family, clearly to instill some positive moral fiber in our depraved American family), it was bogarted by Coke. Who remembers this one????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib-Qiyklq-Q&feature=related
To clarify future additions to this post, Mod, can we submit recorded rock/pop songs of child/teen choruses?
I’m not sure I understand your question. We should not enter Kidz Bop recordings, if that’s what you mean: faceless kids singing Nirvana songs and the like.
I realized that another no-no is real bands actually made up of kids, like those “Pass the Dutchie” kids or the J5. The kids need to be tacked onto an existing adult band’s recording.
The song you reference, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, was actually first introduced as a 1971 Coke commercial called “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2msbfN81Gm0
The song became so popular that the New Seekers and other groups re-recorded it and made it a radio hit.
I stand corrected!
Thanks for clarifying – I was thinking about real kid bands, like The Langley School recordings, but now I’ll just keep them to myself.
Mr. Royale recommends Talk Talk’s “Happiness Is Easy.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpGkiZ7FGmg
“Playground In My Mind” rears its ugly head once again.
What a good song! Never heard of it before.
Well, it is unforgettable. I know, ’cause I’ve tried.
Doubt this counts but I was so taken aback that I thought I’d “throw it up” here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2-Cfr2Ap9Q
aloha
LD
That is a titanic find! Lou Reed…As He Was Meant to Sound…With Kids!