It's another dance party playlist! It's been super fun for me to listen to upbeat songs and to think about you all getting down at home. If anyone wants to share a picture, I’d LOVE to see it! It’s not as much fun reading the lyrics over and over again to make sure that the songs meet the criteria, but it’s a sacrifice that I’m willing to make.
Here’s a playlist of some of my favorite kid-friendly songs on Amazon Prime with uplifting choruses.
My criteria: no swear words, no references to violence or drugs, no explicit references to sex, and no explicit references to alcohol. The lyrics of some of the songs do include having “a drink” and relate to love.
I have to give honorable mentions to two songs that didn't meet the criteria, and it's a little painful to leave them off the list of uplifting songs. I’ll leave it to your discretion if they are appropriate to add to the playlist.
· "This Year" by the Mountain Goats has a driving rhythm and a chorus that I dare you not to sing along to ("I am going to make it through this year if it kills me"). It also has specific references to alcohol, which is why it isn’t on the list.
· "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine is a fantastic song to move to; this is on my workout playlist. I would basically be writing down the whole song if I included all of the energizing lyrics. It references violent imagery (“Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back”).
Tips for a dance party (in case this is your first dance party DJed by me):
- Schedule it. As much as I love spontaneous dances, we all need things to look forward to. Put it on the family calendar. Set an alarm for it. Talk it up ("I better stretch out. We're going to boogie tomorrow, and I don't want to hurt myself").
- Make it an event. Move furniture around to make a dance floor even if you don’t need to. Flicker lights on and off or use some holiday lights to create a disco ball effect.
- Let them help choose the playlist or alternate who chooses the songs.
- Get dressed up- by that, I mean put on colorful socks, jammies, or sweatpants. Spike your hair up or put it into a side pony. Wear sunglasses or put your hoodie up.
- Invite friends or family to Zoom in.
- Prepare to look really silly. Show off your classic moves like the running man, sprinkler, and the shopping cart. Being silly can bring the more reluctant dancers to the floor.
- Be prepared to start the party on your own. Some kids will be too cool to get excited beforehand and may not join right away. That's okay. Crank the music up and get started anyway. Invite them to join in playful ways like "fishing" for them or a little friendly trash-talking ("I get it. You're intimidated. No one can beat these sweet moves."). It's a win, even if they just come into the room to laugh.
Put the music on shuffle and let me know how it goes! I have more songs that I can share…
Mary can be reached at CORT@i-can.center.