Review: Gerry Rhymes

I'm always very amazed at the capability of fellow mums who have to juggle their families, but yet can follow their hearts in doing something that they love. Geraldine Png is one such mum. Her love for music, children's music to be exact, has driven her to produce her very own CD album of children's rhymes. To top that off, it's a collaboration with her partner-in-music, none other than her husband Bert Lindsey, who is an accomplished music producer himself in the United States. I just find that really sweet, the fact that you and your spouse love the same thing, and then work in partnership together to create something extra special out of it.

Gerry Rhymes: For Kids One to Ninety-Two is not only the result of a sweet husband-wife collaboration, the music in it is equally sweet too. Familiar nursery rhymes are remixed into catchy tunes that bring an irresistible, jingling spring to your feet. There is a certain appeal to the tunes that make them reach out to adults too, not just kids, and inadvertently brings out the child in the adults, and perhaps even fond memories of childhood, kindergarten and play.

And it indeed did so for me. As I was surfing around and listening to Geraldine’s creation, I found my old school song that she had sung. Curious, I emailed her about it and found out that Geraldine attended the same kindergarten, primary and secondary school as me!!! She was my senior, but we had the same principal & maths teacher in primary, and the same history teacher in secondary. Isn’t that something?

Now Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is currently the most played and sung nursery rhyme in our home. EV sings it in sorfege during her music class, I play it in the most basic way on the piano to help her practise, and little AA loves 'singing' it out loud to display his lung power. So it was really a refreshing relief when I heard the Geraldine's version. It was bright and cheerful, and while different in the way it was remixed, the flavour of the original is not lost.

This can be said for the rest of the music, which are pop, jazz, classical and fusion all rolled into one package. Every time Itsy Bitsy Spider or Old Macdonald Had A Farm comes on, the kids just can’t resist not grooving to the tunes, and that is the true testament of how delightful this musical collection is.

The most inspirational song in Gerry Rhymes has to be the original ‘Child In Your Eyes’, with music written by Bert and lyrics by Geraldine. It is a soulful song and I couldn’t help but get into a reflective mood as I listened to it. I couldn’t help but think of my dear grandmother, who passed away suddenly in 2006. How I wished EV and AA could have had the chance to meet her. That would have made her so extremely happy. Unfortunately, that was not to be. But I know somewhere up there, she’s looking out for them, for me, for I will always be a child in her eyes.

A simple song, with simple lyrics, yet so touching. That is the power of ‘Child In Your Eyes’. And like the rest of the songs in this collection, it has the power to engage both kids and adults, adding to Gerry Rhymes’ appeal and charm.  

Gerry Rhymes is priced at $16.90 and is available at Popular Bookstores and HMV Singapore. Also included in the collection is an eight-party narrated story that is accompanied by music. Alternatively, the tracks can also be purchased online at CDBaby.

Giveaway!!

We have three copies of Gerry Rhymes to give away! Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter. They are all optional, but do give you more chances. Good luck!

Terms and conditions:

- Entries that do not fulfill the requirements stated will be disqualified without notice.

- Winners will be notified by email, through the email address provided in the Rafflecopter widgets.

- Winners must confirm by reply email, within three days. Otherwise, a new winner will be picked.

- This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.

- Giveaway starts on 29 April and ends on 13 May (inclusive) at midnight.

- Winners will be announced on this post and my Facebook page by 20 May.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: We received a Gerry Rhymes CD for review purposes. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own.

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