That Baby Disappoints

I was psyched to receive DVD and CD copies of That Baby, a much publicized (in the blogosphere, anyway) music and video collection that promised to deliver music that both kids and parents could enjoy.

We popped in the CD the same day I got it in the mail and, well, no one paid much attention. It contains acoustic covers of songs by everyone from Neil Diamond to The Pretenders, but I think I'll take the original versions. That Baby's songs came off like watered-down, namby pamby copies of some formerly great songs.

Next, I put in the DVD. It features lots of (frankly dull) video of swirly graphics, puppets and parents and kids smiling and playing together. My son ignored it, while my daughter watched it with a frown. "Do you like it?" I asked. "I don't," she said. "Why not?" I asked. "Because this music is annoying me," she answered. The only time my 4-year-old daughter and one-year-old son both perked up was when the music stopped and an onscreen alphabet was recited. But interestingly, by the time I popped out the DVD, both of them were crying.

All in all, That Baby is inoffensive, but something about it makes me feel like I should be wearing Mom Jeans. Or a straitjacket. And I kind of resent the idea that now that I'm a mother, Natalie Merchant and Joni Mitchell songs have to be Prozacked down in order for me to enjoy them and play them for my kids.