Whaddaya Think of That?

by Laurie Berkner

Overview

When Laurie Berkner released a handful of cassettes of Whaddaya Think of That? in 1997, she had no idea that the album would launch her almost immediately into the upper echelon of American children's music performers. These songs were developed in day care classes and summer camp workshops with pre-school children, and it's clear that Berkner's interaction with her young students helped to shape the recordings. Movement and imagination play such a large role in Berkner's music that it's hard to imagine a roomful of children being able to sit still through them. "We Are the Dinosaurs" sets them to stomping and flattening buildings in the chorus and grazing peacefully in the verses. "I Know a Chicken" is an infectious call-and-response blues romp about the joys of rattling percussive shakers. "Bring Your Clothes" may be the most inspiring cleanup song since "A Spoonful of Sugar." Berkner's target audience is children below seven years of age, so she doesn't spend much time trying to be clever or educating overtly. The environmentally conscious ballad "Can You Imagine" is the only didactic tune in the lot, gently imploring listeners to "think about tomorrow please!" The others tend rely on charmingly silly nonsense humor and irresistibly catchy acoustic guitar and piano tunes. Berkner may not be teaching here, but her teaching experience clearly gives her an unfailing instinct for entertaining young children. ~ Evan Cater

Product Details

Release Date:	01/01/2001
Label:	Razor & Tie / Two Tomatoes Records
UPC:	0695842340126

Tracks

1. We Are the Dinosaurs
2. Doodlebugs
3. Down Down Baby
4. She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain
5. Bring Your Clothes
6. I'm a Little Snowflake
7. The Animal Fair
8. What Falls in the Fall?
9. These Are My Glasses
10. Abcd Medley
11. I Know a Chicken
12. Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)
13. I Love My Rooster
14. The Cat Came Back
15. Can You Imagine?
16. (I'm Gonna Eat) On Thanksgiving Day
17. All the Pretty Little Horses
18. The Airplane Song
19. 123
20. Last Night I Had a Dream
21. The Great Big Dog

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Laurie Berkner   Primary Artist
The Laurie Berkner Band   Primary Artist
Adam Bernstein   Bass,Snaps,Vocals
Joe Ruddick   Drums,Piano,Choir/Chorus
Brian Mueller   Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

Laurie Berkner   Mixing,Artwork,Arranger,Composer,Producer,Back Cover
Hugo Peretti   Composer
Luigi Creatore   Composer
Dave Greenberg   Graphic Design
George David Weiss   Composer
Joe Ruddick   Mixing,Engineer
John Battaglia   Mastering
Brian Mueller   Back Cover
Traditional   Composer
Laurissa Anne Berkner   Composer,Arranger