The Babes Dig the Blues

I never used to wow the babes in 1968 when Bill Yenne made this photograph.

September 3, 2015

Today I visited Community Day Care and sang to the babies, birth through 12 months. No. I don’t know how old the kids were. Must have been a half-dozen or maybe a couple more than that, toddling about.
They seemed to enjoy blues, so I played guitar and sang “Trouble in Mind,” the way Janis Joplin sang it, only quietly and sweetly (I said to myself). I didn’t know either of the teachers, so I introduced myself and sat near the fence that keeps the kids in the play area. I did a Yiddish folk song, but even babies seem to know when you don’t remember the words correctly. I also tried a couple songs from “The Fantasticks,” that we are performing later this month at NOVA Theater. Neither song pleased the babies. I think the accompanying music and the close harmony and dancing around are required at a minimum. Oh, they responded to “Hey Jude,” though.
Why I went to the child care this morning: I had promised Karen Tooker. Eventually, after stopping to chat with the First Congregational Senior Minister, Mike Mulberry, about huge theological questions of “having enough fun,” I caught up with Karen in her classroom. I was out of time. I did learn from Volunteer Grandpa Bernard that the four- and five-year-olds still sang the song, “Abiyoyo,” while eating lunch. Also the few I spoke with wanted to know why I am so large. One girl told me she wants to be as big as me.
I promised to return, perhaps early next week, when I learn to play some more songs.