It's a 40-plus-minute journey around the world, and the whole family will want to come along. This collection features mostly "best of" songs pulled from Music for Little People's favorite albums. Though Brown Girl in the Ring can easily be considered a fine sampler of the company's offerings, it does exceptionally well as a standalone album.
An enjoyable version of the Mexican La Bamba by Los Lobos opens the compilation, and songs like the Cajun Choo Choo Boogaloo and Down on the Bayou continue the fun. This title has its share of heart-warming songs as well, including a beautiful Irish song from the Celtic musical Seal Maiden, a tender lullaby entitled Fala Nina Fala Nana, and the poetic The Moon from A Child's Garden of Song.
Many will be familiar with the a cappella South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo through Paul Simon's Graceland. Their contribution to this album is a powerful version of the classic Wimoweh (Mbube) The Lion Sleeps Tonight that begins with story telling. A popular song from France, Sur le Pont d'Avignon, is here as well, with both French lyrics and English translations. Taj Mahal performs the West African Quavi, Quavi, a fun song that features the calls of a fruit seller ("I have pomegranates for you!"), performed in two languages.
There are many children's songs available that remind listeners of the similarities of kids around the globe, so it is refreshing to present kids with a song like the title track, Brown Girl in the Ring (performed by Bob Marley's mother, Cadella Marley Booker), that celebrates—and inspires affection for—diversity and cultural differences.
The songs in this world music collection are diverse and varied in style, so the album feels a little disjointed at times. But for the most part, this variety works to the title's advantage. Brown Girl in the Ring as a whole serves as a nice introduction to cultures of the world, offers some exposure to foreign languages, and helps inspire the imaginations of listeners, both young and old.
