Kidsongs

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Kidsongs
Genre	children's music sing-along
Format	Children Musical Educational Live Action
Developed by	Warner Bros. Records (1985-1995) Together Again Video Productions, Inc.
Written by	Carol Rosenstein
Directed by	Bruce Gowers
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
Production
Producer(s)	Carol Rosenstein and Bruce Gowers
Camera setup	multicamera setup
Distributor	View-Master Video (1985-1994) KidVision (1994-1995) Sony Wonder (1995-1998) Image Entertainment (2002-current)
Broadcast
Original channel	Syndication/PBS Kids
Picture format	480i SDTV
First shown in	1985
Original run	Syndication: September 26, 1987 PBS Kids: April 4, 1994 – Syndication: 1989 PBS Kids: November 3, 1998

Kidsongs is an American award-winning ^[1] children's media franchise which includes Kidsongs Music Video Stories on DVD and video, The Kidsongs TV Show, CDs of favorite children’s songs, song books, sheet music, toys and an ecommerce website ^[2]. Kidsongs was created by producer/writer Carol Rosenstein and director Bruce Gowers of Together Again Video Productions (TAVP), both of whom are music video and television production veterans ^[3][4][5]. The duo had produced and directed over 100 music videos for Warner Brothers Records (WBR) and took their idea of music videos for children to the record label. Warner Brothers funded the pilot, “A Day at Old MacDonald’s Farm”. Shortly thereafter, a three way partnership between TAVP, WBR and View-Master was formed with TAVP being responsible for production and WBR and View-Master responsible for distribution to video and music stores, and toy stores respectively ^[6].

The home video series was launched with four Kidsongs Music Video Stories episodes at New York's Toy Fair in January 1985. "A Day at Old Macdonald’s Farm” was one of those first four and has sold over one million copies ^[7] and won the Vira Award ^[1]. Each half-hour Music Video Stories episode features 10 to 15 songs,in a music video style production starring talented kids. They sing and dance their way through well known children's songs and nursery rhymes—all tied together by a simple story and theme.

The TAVP/WBR/View-Master (Viewmaster was later acquired by Tyco) ^[8] partnership produced fifteen Kidsongs episodes of the Music Video Stories. In 1995, WBR and TAVP bought out Tyco's distribution rights and produced an additional four videos: "Country Sing-Along", "Boppin' With the Biggles", "Let's Put On a Show" and "Baby Animal Songs", as part of a new venture with another division of Warner Bros.--Warner Vision ^[9]. In 1997, TAVP acquired all rights from WBR/Warner Vision and become the sole owner of all Kidsongs properties.

Later in 1997, TAVP entered into a distribution/production agreement ^[10] with Sony Wonder which resulted in the production of four more titles: "I Can Do It", "I Can Dance", "Adventures in Biggleland: Billy's Birthday" and "Adventures in Biggleland: Meet the Biggles". That agreement ended in 1999 and in 2001 distribution rights were licensed by Image Entertainment who continues to distribute the videos.

From 1985 to 1999 twenty-four Kidsongs home video episodes encompassing 300 children's songs and nursery rhymes (and occasionally cover versions of pop songs) were produced featuring a variety of subjects that are of interest to kids: animals, birthdays, the zoo, the amusement park, camp adventure, fantasy, vehicles, and general silliness. 14 have been certified platinum by the RIAA.

The Kidsongs TV Show debuted in 1987 with twenty-six episodes distributed by Orbis Entertainment ^[11]. The half-hour, live action episodes featured the Kidsongs Kids running their own TV show in a top 10 countdown style show featuring music videos from the Kidsongs home video series. The syndicated show ran on network affiliates primarily on Saturday mornings ^[12]. It garnered excellent ratings and ran for 2 years before moving to the Disney Channel for another four years. The show won the prestigious Excellence in Children's Programming Award from ACT ^[13].

In 1994, a new version of the television series was developed by Rosenstein and produced in conjunction with Chicago public television station WTTW and distributed by American Public Television to PBS stations nationally. Airing as part of the PBS Kids, "Ready to Learn" block, "The Kidsongs Television Show" aired throughout the country and by 1998 reached 89 percent of households ^[14]. Many of the original Kidsongs videos were used in the public television series along with new educational content and in-studio guests. The kids are joined by the adorable fantasy characters Billy and Ruby Biggle and their magical friends from Biggleland. The Biggles help the children resolve their problems and concerns in a comforting and kind way. They address age-appropriate issues, such as not wanting to share, jealousy, friendship, telling the truth and patience.

Seasons Two through Five of The Kidsongs Television Show totalled sixty episodes. The series ran on Public Television for six years winning critical acclaim ^[13][15]. Currently, ten episodes of The Kidsongs TV Show are available on DVD ^[2].

Cast of The Kidsongs TV Show

The Biggles

• Julene Renee - voice of Ruby & Billy
• Frat Fuller - Billy
• Marilyn Rising - Ruby

The Kidsongs Kids

First-run Syndication 1987-1988; The Disney Channel 1989-1992

• David Chan, Todd Alyn Durboraw, Julie Ann Gourson, Hilliary Hollingsworth, Tiffany Johnson, Nicole Mandich, Robby Rosellen, Scott Trent
• Chris Lytton, host, Triskin Potter, host

and some more syndication kids

Season 1 -- 30 Episodes (PBS 1994)

• Christopher Aguliar, Janessa Beth, Mark Humphrey, Megan Miyahira, Hassan Nicholas, Katie Polk, Melanee Ann Shale, Janet Veyts, Kevin Williamson
• Christian Buenaventura, host, Alexandra Palm, aka Alexandra Picatto

With:

• Stephanie DuBois
• Neil Janassan

Season 2 -- 20 Episodes (PBS 1995)

• Lynsey Bartilson, Jessica Fried, Brooke Garrett, Ryan McCuthen, Megan Miyahira, Hassan Nicholas, Mayia Norton, Casey Rion, Shira Roth, Dava Schatz.
• Aaron Harvey, host, Alexandra Palm, aka Alexandra Picatto, host

With:

• Stephanie DuBois
• Roger Scott

Season 3 -- 20 Episodes (PBS 1997)

• Frat Fuller - Billy
• Marilyn Rising - Ruby
• Asa Karsten Bernstein, Kamran Kamjon, Brady Kimball, Michael Minden, Megan Miyahira, Troy Mullins, Mimi Paley, Evan Paley, Sara Perks, Lana Richards
• Tiffany Burton, host, * Sergio Centeno, host

With:

• Stephanie DuBois
• Pete Fremin

Season 4 -- 10 Episodes (PBS 1998)

(own showing re-edit in this order)

Ten episodes of the Kidsongs Music Video Stories re-edited to air on PBS.

Home Videos and DVDs

The following is a complete list of Kidsongs music video titles:

A Day At Old Macdonald's Farm (1985)

Featuring these music videos:

• Old MacDonald Had a Farm
• Shortenin' Bread
• Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
• Mary Had a Little Lamb
• This Old Man
• Skip to my Lou
• Take Me Out to the Ball Game
• John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
• She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain
• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (1986)

Featuring these music videos:

• I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
• Funiculi, Funicula
• Did You Ever See a Lassie?
• London Bridge
• Frere Jacques
• Kumbaya
• Waltzing Matilda
• Sakura, Sakura
• Los Pollitos
• Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)

Good Night, Sleep Tight (1986)

Featuring these music videos:

• Ring Around the Rosy
• Pat-A-Cake
• Atisket, Atasket
• Let Us Dance, Let Us Play
• Our House
• Tomorrow is a Dream Away
• The Unicorn
• St. Judy's Comet
• Hush Little Baby
• Lullaby and Good Night
• All the Pretty Little Horses
• Good Night

Cars, Boats, Trains, And Planes (1986)

Featuring these music videos:

• Car Car Song (Riding in my Car)
• Daylight Train
• Up and Down, Round and Round
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• I Got Wheels
• Up, Up and Away
• Where, Oh Where Has my Little Dog Gone?
• I Like Trucks
• US Air Force (Wild Blue Yonder)
• The Bus Song

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1986)

Featuring these music videos:

• Yankee Doodle Boy
• America's Heroes
• Home on the Range
• I've Been Working on the Railroad
• Oh Susanna
• Deep in the Heart of Texas
• There's a Hole in My Bucket
• Turkey in the Straw
• If I Had a Hammer
• You're a Grand Old Flag
• Living in the USA

A Day With The Animals (1986)

Featuring these music videos:

• BINGO-
• Do Your Ears Hang Low?-
• Little Bo Peep-
• Why Don't You Write Me?-
• Rockin' Robin-
• Water World-
• The Wanderer-
• Harmony-
• How Much is That Doggie in the Window?-
• Little Duckie Duddle--
• Hickory Dickory Dock--
• Itsy Bitsy Spider

What I Want To Be! (1986)

Featuring these music videos:

• What Do You Want to Be?
• Sea Cruise
• Drivin' My Life Away
• One, Two Buckle My Shoe
• School Days
• The Alphabet Song
• I Want to Be a Fireman
• Candy Man
• Them Bones
• Mr. Policeman
• Rodeo Rider
• Act Naturally

Let's Play Ball! (1987)

Featuring these music videos:

• It's Not If You Win or Lose
• Practice Makes Perfect
• Bend Me, Shape Me
• I Get Around
• Over the River
• Footloose
• SCORE
• Catch a Wave
• Centerfield
• You Know That You Can Do It

A Day At The Circus (1987)

Featuring these music videos:

• The Circus is Coming to Town
• Polly Wolly Doodle
• Strolling Through the Park
• Put on a Happy Face
• The Ringmaster Song
• The Man on the Flying Trapeze
• The Lion Tamer
• If You're Happy and You Know It

A Day At Camp (1989)

Featuring these music videos:

• The More We Get Together
• The Caissons Go Rolling Along
• Fishin' Blues
• On Top of Spaghetti
• Ninety-Nine Bottles of Pop
• Pop! Goes the Weasel
• Found a Peanut
• The Ants go Marching
• Boom Boom, Ain't it Great to be Crazy?
• The Animal Fair
• Little Bunny Foo Foo
• Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat
• Baa Baa Black Sheep
• The Old Grey Mare
• I Had a Little Rooster
• Whistle While you Work
• The Hokey Pokey
• When the Saints Go Marching In

Ride the Roller Coaster (1990)

Featuring these music videos:

• Let's Twist Again
• Whole Lotta Shakin' Going' On
• Little Deuce Coupe
• Fast Food
• Here We Go Loopty Loo
• Anything You Can Do
• Splish Splash
• A Pirate's Life
• We're Gonna Get Wet
• 1812 Overture (instrumental)

Very Silly Songs (1990)

Featuring these music videos:

• The Name Game
• Down By The Bay
• Rig-A-Jig-Jig
• Mail Myself to You
• Purple People Eater
• Fiddle-I-Dee
• The Thing
• Jim Along Josie
• Michael Finnegan
• Do the Silly Willy

We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1992)

Featuring these music videos:

• Deck the Halls
• All I Want for Christmas
• Frosty the Snowman
• Jingle Bells
• Santa, Please Don't Forget Me
• If I Had a Pony for Christmas
• The Twelve Days of Christmas
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Play Along Songs (1993)

Featuring these music videos:

• Come On and Join in the Game
• Fooba Wooba John
• Down by the Station
• Oh, Dear, What Should the Color Be?
• Bumpin' Up and Down
• Three Little Fishes
• The Green Grass Grows All Around
• Chickie Chickie Beat
• Ten in the Bed
• Join in the Band

If We Could Talk To The Animals (1993)

Featuring these music videos:

• Hound Dog
• Talk to the Animals
• Five Little Monkeys
• Raccoon and Possum
• Over in the Meadow
• The Bear Went Over the Mountain
• The Farmer in the Dell
• The Kickin' Mule
• The Old Hen
• See You Later, Alligator

Country Sing-Along (1994)

Featuring these music videos:

• Swingin'
• On the Road Again
• Watch Our Oats and Barley Grow
• The Old Chisholm Trail
• Born to Be a Cowboy
• Buffalo Gals
• Nashville Cats
• Achy Breaky Heart
• Country Kid
• Happy Trails to You

Boppin' with the Biggles (1994)

Featuring these music videos:

• Walkin' the Dog
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
• Alley Cat
• La Bamba
• Put Your Little Foot Right There
• Loco-Motion
• Little Red Caboose
• Peppermint Twist
• Rock Around the Clock
• Paw Paw Patch

Let's Put On A Show! (1995)

Featuring these music videos:

• We'll Put On a Show
• Personality
• It's Magic
• Blue Suede Shoes
• Mr. Bass Man
• By the Light of the Silvery Moon
• Me and My Shadow
• The Best Dog in the World
• It's Time for the Show
• Give My Regards to Broadway

Baby Animal Songs (1995)

Featuring these music videos:

• The Petting Zoo
• Wooly Bully
• "A" You're Adorable
• Jeepers Creepers
• Yes! We Have No Bananas
• Side by Side
• Oh, You Beautiful Doll
• Five Little Ducks
• Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor
• The Way You Walk

I Can Do It! (1997)

Featuring these music videos:

• I Can Do It!
• Look What I Can Do
• How Does Your Garden Grow?
• All Shook Up
• C'Mon and Swim
• Peanut Butter
• Button Up Your Overcoat!
• Bicycle Built for Two
• In the Good Old Summertime
• Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
• The Best Sandcastle

I Can Dance! (1997)

Featuring these music videos:

• I Can Dance
• Dancing in the Street
• Charleston
• Don't You Just Love to Waltz?
• Twist and Shout
• Mexican Hat Dance
• The Yellow Rose of Texas
• Come on and Conga
• Barefootin'
• Mashed Potato Time
• At the Hop

Adventures in Biggleland: Meet the Biggles (1998)

Featuring these music videos:

• Adventures in Biggleland
• Consider Yourself
• East Side, West Side
• Alouette
• Alexander's Ragtime Band
• Let's Rock It Up
• The Muffin Man
• Harrigan
• Let's Be Silly
• Ta-Ta-Ra Boom-Dee-A

Adventures in Biggleland: Billy's Birthday (1998)

Featuring these music videos:

• Adventures in Biggleland
• I'm a Big Boy Now
• Playmate
• Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake
• Go In and Out the Window
• Jump-Jump, Turn Around, Start Again
• Simon Says
• Limbo Rock
• Happy Birthday to You
• You Can't Sit Down

The Kidsongs Television Show: Let's Be Friends (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• In the Good Old Summertime
• Bicycle Built for Two
• Button Up Your Overcoat!
• Me and My Shadow
• The More We Get Together
• Look What I Can Do
• The Caissons Go Rolling Along

The Kidsongs Television Show: Let's Work Together (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• Come on and Conga
• Button Up Your Overcoat!
• Skip to my Lou
• Anything You Can Do
• Fooba Wooba John
• How Does Your Garden Grow?
• Oh Susanna
• Campfire Medley
• If You're Happy and You Know It

The Kidsongs Television Show: Water World (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• Peanut Butter
• Three Little Fishies
• Splish Splash
• Down by the Bay
• Water World
• In the Good Old Summertime
• "A" You're Adorable
• Look What I Can Do

The Kidsongs Television Show: We Love Animals (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• The Petting Zoo
• Yes, We Have no Bananas
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm
• All Shook Up
• The Way You Walk
• The Kicking Mule
• Raccoon and Possum
• Wooly Bully

The Kidsongs Television Show: Let's Dance (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• At the Hop
• Blue Suede Shoes
• Charleston
• Don't You Just Love to Waltz?
• Alley Cat
• The Hokey Pokey
• Personality

The Kidsongs Television Show: Let's Learn about Animals (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• Jeepers Creepers
• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
• See You Later Alligator
• Oh You Beautiful Doll
• Purple People Eater
• Five Little Monkeys
• Do Your Ears Hang Low?
• Don't You Just Love to Waltz?

The Kidsongs Television Show: A Day At The Beach (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• Barefootin'
• The Best Sandcastle
• Catch a Wave
• Come On and Swim
• Day-O (Banana Boat Song)
• Polly Wolly Doodle
• We're Gonna Get Wet

The Kidsongs Television Show: We Love Dogs (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• Walkin' the Dog
• All Shook Up
• Best Dog in the World
• Hound Dog
• Little Bo Peep
• The Farmer in the Dell
• Fiddle-I-Dee
• Bingo

The Kidsongs Television Show: We Love Trucks (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• I Like Trucks
• Mail Myself to You
• Home on the Range
• Down by the Station
• Little Deuce Coupe
• Whole Lot Shakin' Goin' On
• Little Red Caboose
• Drivin' My Life Away

The Kidsongs Television Show: Fun With Manners (2006)

Featuring these music videos:

• Little Red Caboose
• See You Later, Alligator
• Sakura Sakura
• Bumpin' Up and Down
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
• Give My Regards to Broadway
• Personality
• Happy Trails to You

Airing history

• USA
  • Public Television Stations via Syndication through American Public Television (notably on PBS) 10 years
  • Disney Channel 4 years
  • Saturday morning, Network Affiliated Stations (Syndication)2 years

• International
  • Broadcast on television in more that 60 countries

References

External links

• The Official Kidsongs Site
• Kidsongs on Internet Movie Database
• A petition to release the original 1987 Kidsongs TV Show on DVD
• Kidsongs Clips on You Tube
• Kidsongs at TV.com