Sing Us a Song Mr. Lego Man

For my mom's birthday last week, Henry sang her Rocky Raccoon. Not just the chorus of " Rocky Raccoon checked into a room" but the first 163 words of it (see highlighted below). I had asked Jared to stop singing it to him and Sullivan after Henry came up to me and asked if I was going to run off with another guy as per the song. But... hearing Henry sing it was beyond adorable and hilarious. 

He's always been musical, but lately, with his crazy memory, the lyrics are a'flowin. He sings to Sullivan and Sullivan does a little shake that could be considered a dance. Sullivan has got the music in him, too. His favorite show on TV is Glee. Whatever he's doing in the room, when we turn it on and the characters break into song, he turns around, big eyes on the screen and does the little body shake. Again adorable. 

They will also sing in the car. Sullivan prefers Gypsy Kings while riding with Jared, sort of more like yelling, but hey, he's nine months. It oddly sounds in tune. Henry likes Disney show tunes where Mommy bumbles up lyrics. My rendition of "Part of Your World (aka. Look at this Stuff)" is quite moving. You can really feel Ariel's longing. It's a driving-to-school-favorite. 

And, of course, Jared and I rap. Yes, we rap. They particularly enjoy the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, with Vanilla Ice and Nate Dogg & Warren G close runner ups. To represent the ladies, I recently converted En Vogue's "Whatta Man" into "Whatta man, whatta man, whatta tiny Lego man (he's a tiny Lego man)." The rap that followed ("I'd like to take a minute or two to give much respect to, the tiny Lego man in the backseat...") changed with each singing.

It has been fun to watch Henry's musical taste evolve. He's always liked to watch Jared play guitar. And more recently, accordion. And what kid doesn't like to bang on a plastic drum set? He also does a little dance, stomping his feet and waving his upper body side to side with some spastic jazz hands thrown in. I try to dance with him to show him dancing can be silly and fun and free from inhibitions. Considering neither Jared or I are much of athletes, maybe we can raise some musicians. 

Now somewhere in the Black Mountain Hills of Dakota
There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon,
And one day his woman ran off with another guy,
Hit young Rocky in the eye.
Rocky didn't like that
He said, "I'm gonna get that boy".
So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloon.

Rocky Raccoon checked into his room,
Only to find Gideon's Bible.
Rocky had come, equipped with a gun,
To shoot off the legs of his rival.
His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,
By stealing the girl of his fancy.
Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,
But everyone knew her as Nancy.
Now she and her man, who called himself Dan,
Were in the next room at the hoe down.
Rocky burst in, and grinning a grin,
He said, "Danny boy, this is a showdown".
But Daniel was hot, he drew first and shot,
And Rocky collapsed in the corner.
Now the doctor came in, stinking of gin,
And proceeded to lie on the table.
He said, "Rocky, you met your match".
And Rocky said, "Doc, it's only a scratch.
And I'll be better, I'll be better, Doc, as soon as I am able".

Now Rocky Raccoon, he fell back in his room,
Only to find Gideon's Bible.
Gideon checked out, and he left it, no doubt,
To help with good Rocky's revival.