Track Listing

1. Nasty Dan
2. One And One Makes Two
3. I Got A Boy And His Name Is John
4. Little Magic Glasses
5. Miss Tara
6. Dinosaur Song
7. Tiger Whitehead
8. There's A Bear In The Woods
9. Call Of The Wild
10. Little Green Fountain
11. Old Shep
12. (The) Timber Man
13. Grandfather's Clock
14. Ah Bos Cee Dah
15. Why Is A Fire Engine Red

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3370 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2006-05-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
As foreboding a figure as Johnny Cash was, his son John Carter Cash writes in liner notes to this excellent CD, he was also a big kid: "a fun-loving, easygoing, laughing man." That's not to say he was more inclined to skateboard over the line than to walk it, only that given his mesmerizing voice and his gift for storytelling, he had an enviable way of relating to kids. Thirty years on, parents who pick up this disc will find not a lot has changed: In 15 songs never before released on CD--four of which are bonus tracks not included on the 1975 classic--the Man in Black melds the silly with the sweet, the madcap with the meaningful, and emerges as a country-folk Pied Piper any kid would kill to have for an uncle. "Nasty Dan," the opener, will be familiar not only to those who grew up singing along to the original LP, but also to subsequent generations of "Sesame Street" watchers (Oscar duets on a later version). But for most, the rest will arrive as pure revelation. "Old Shep," a dog song, deserves placement on a disc of classic pet tributes, if such a thing exists; "Tiger Whitehead" treads fearlessly through wild bear territory; "Ah Bos Cee Dah" is nonsensical noodling with the language at its most brilliant; and "I Got a Boy and His Name Is John," a duet with the great June Carter Cash, steers the modern listener to a long-lost place where love of family was enough for a kid to get by on. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews

Strangely Essential
The Johnny Cash must be one of the oddest entries in the Cash Library. It is at the least a very different Cash than we get usually. Yet it seems to make perfect sense. This reissue allows us to get a more complete picture of the man. Like his son John Carter Cash writes in the liner notes; "I see the dark, foreboding figure of Johnny Cash far too much these days. This dark side of John R. Cash is real and significant, but there is another that is just as true, and for us, those who love the man, even more important to remember; The big kid".

There is a lot to enjoy on this record. The moods are endearing, moving and joyful. A side of Cash that usually under lit; although this is an album for children, adults will find their share here. The Children's Album is a true family album.

As a musician he was perfect for children songs. The rhythms are simple, the song structure plain and the stories imaginative. Hearing this album leaves you wondering why Cash didn't do more material for children. Though intended for children, the material is rich and layered. Songs like "Little Magic Glasses" and "Call of the Wild" have a mature undertone that will be wasted on most kids, and will almost move you to tears.

Adding this to your collection will give you a more real view and complete picture of Johnny Cash. The Children's Album is highly enjoyable for the casual listener and strangely essential for the Cash fan.

relief
I was so happy to discover this album. My 17-month-old son loves music and we were tiring of his Raffi and Baby Einstein CDs. While the content may be over his head, he smiles contently with the slow tracks and claps along with the upbeat ones. A sweet standout is the duet with June Carter Cash about their son John -- it is wonderful to have such a warm, charmingly funny song reflecting parents love for a child and each other.

Simply and profoundly whimsical
Very refreshing to hear such a whimsical childhood album that not only will entertain your kids but you as well. As thouroughly entertained as I was, I can't imagine any adult feeling less so. Really. I actually found myself listening to the album after my son had gone to bed. Like much of children's entertainment, there is a silver and simple profundity in the lining - a moral to the stories that Johnny Cash sings and an adult perspective that is framed by the simple honesty and goodness that is childhood. "There's a Bear in the Woods" contrasts the cynical skepticism of an adult as he seeks to discredit the imaginative truth of childhood. Yeah, maybe there wasn't an actual bear in the woods, but in spite of that fact the kid comes off as more honest than the adult who doubts him. Quite frankly I am astonished at the opinion of the reviewer who panned this album. Apparently they think raising a child should include inculcating some type of political message. Her comments about the song "Old Shep," are taken completely out of context. The song is a classic, sung by everyone from Elvis Presley to Dean Martin, and talks about the suffering of a poor boy who must "put down" his suffering and infirm dog. I remember hearing this song as a child and it made a lingering impact. After all there is nothing more affecting than "puppy" love as it always seems to stay with you througout your life. Who doesn't remember their first dog and his eventual death? This is comforting for children because most children have experienced the agony of a pet's loss. To say otherwise is to totally misunderstand the song. Bravo to Johnny Cash who didn't think kids entertainment had to simply be something quarantined to his childhood but rather realized that it was something perhaps that could teach lessons that they carry with them throughout their life. I am proud to have my son learn its moral of love, friendship and loss all in a simple children's tale. Isn't that what the best children's literature and music should do? Pick it up. I think you'll find yourself listening to it long after you've turned out the kid's light.