Ralph Covert is hitting three for three in his Ralph's World series of recordings for children. Happy Lemons is bursting with the kind of charm and creativity that earned him a following of fans--both young and young at heart--with his first two albums.
The recording opens with the jaunty title song all about lemonade and happiness! Though Ralph wrote most of the songs on the recording, a few familiar covers are included in the mix. Ralph puts his personal stamp on "The Muffin Man" and "What's New Pussycat?", for example, with fresh and warm energy. Musical styles range from the almost-manic "Belly Button" that is sure to inspire children to dance, to the wistful and dreamy "Pony Boy".
The album is filled with themes that children love, such as pets (like Sammy the dog who has "learned to play trombone"), animals at the zoo, and, of course, lemonade! Like his first two recordings, there is silliness around every corner. Ralph tackles alliteration with his usual versatility in a track about Betty Botter who fears for her batter after buying bitter butter, for example.
A rainy day gets an "is the glass half empty or half full?" spin in "Puddle of Mud". In this slower-paced tune, Ralph puts himself in the shoes of a child who is feeling bored and blue on a day that "looks like a puddle of mud"; but the mud doesn't seem quite so bad once he gets the chance to play in it!
Children's voices in the recording add enormous value and support to the songs. Happy Lemons absolutely encourages children to join in the fun, whether by singing or dancing along. Ralph's style is both easygoing and energetic at once, and the humor in the album works on two levels--some lyrics seem to be designed to bring smiles to the faces of adults as well. Whatever his "formula", it's magic.
Our preference for music that both children and parents can enjoy is not only about keeping parents happy--it's delightful when adults and children can connect through a common love of music. Happy Lemons, along with the two previous recordings in the Ralph's World series, is one of those gems that speaks to both.
