Ella Jenkins, baby (1-2-3)

I recently posted a podcast interview that Elizabeth Mitchell did with First Lady of Children's Music Ella Jenkins. Here is the Zooglobble interview. I learned "Head and Shoulders Baby" from her and used it on a regular basis in my library storytimes. It's quite simple, and yet it's got syncopation. Mister Rogers couldn't keep up when Ella Jenkins visited the neighborhood. Here's one version of how it goes:

Head and shoulders, baby, 1-2-3
Head and shoulders, baby, 1-2-3
Head and shoulders, head and shoulders,
Head and shoulders, baby 1-2-3.

I continued with "knees and ankles, baby" "touch the floor, baby" and "stand up sit down, baby." All in all, it was far more satisfying than "Head, shoulders, knees and toes" (which I found irritating, because 1/2 the room decided to repeat "knees and toes" twice while the other 1/2 repeated it three times).

My favorite album of Ella Jenkins' right now is Little Johnny Brown, with the bluesy title song urging, "Little Johnny Brown, lay your blanket down..."

Want more? Sure you do. Here you go.