Fun
Knit to This: Dan Zanes
Dear Ann,
Earlier this week, MDK’s Social Media Boss, Cristina Shiffman, sent us Dan Zanes’s version of the song “Wanderin’,” linked above. The sound of his voice sent me rocketing back to my kids’ preschool years and our endless listening to Arlo Guthrie singing his pa’s songs, to No! by They Might Be Giants, and to Judi Dench narrating songs by the King’s Singers. Somewhere in the mix is a blurry memory of Dan Zanes and his family band performing for tots in Madison Square Park.
[Pause for happy weeping at the sweetness of those times.]
Dan Zanes is perfect early fall Saturday listening, while you knit or go about doing early fall things like baking a pie or cleaning a closet. I started with the album that includes “Wanderin’,” Parades and Panoramas: 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg for the American Songbag, and I kept rolling the Dan Zanes playlists, which are plentiful on YouTube.
Hope your Saturday includes a little dancing in the kitchen.
Love,
Kay
We love Dan Zanes! Took the kids to see him when they were small and they had a wee mosh pit down front. He played “I don’t wanna go home” last and led a procession out of the theater. My youngest doesn’t remember and my oldest talks about it like it was a dream she had.
Ok, I put that song on and my dog, who was anxious and pacing because I’m getting ready to go out, immediately lay down and fell peacefully asleep. I think I’ll pull up his songlist and leave it playing for her!
We have a big gap in age between our three older kids and our “caboose baby”— they were basically 13, 11, and 7 when he was born. They all grew up on Dan Zanes— you’ve reminded me that I should put those albums on for the now-6-year-old little one (who has grown up on the safer tunes of Hamilton, to be honest. You want a revolution? I want a revelation.). 🙂
Have you listened to young Josh Turner sing duets with friends and guitar? Wonderful strumming and voices.
Brilliant recommendation! Usually on similar YouTube playlists are the Okee Dokee Brothers too – their Winterland album makes for perfect knitting music when it’s cold out!
Having a tooth ach……my dentist loves me..time to grab some go9d stuft
My baby turns 17 this week. This brings back memories….
Lynn in Tucson, I’m in Tucson, too! We should meet up and knit to Dan! I’m lucky enough to have married a sound guy who did audio for one of Dan’s gigs a few years back. I got to listen in on the sound check and the whole show, which was full of kids dancing on stage with him. Magical. He was delightful to meet, as well.