15 songs from children’s shows that are actually pretty fucking great

Some songs for kids are awful – they’re basic, too loud, and manage to get stuck in our heads no matter how terrible they are. But, there are also some songs from children’s shows that are pretty fucking rocking, and here’s 15 of the best.

You can’t deny that a fair few children’s songs have managed to get stuck in your head a time or two. Whether this was because you rewatched a childhood favourite, or your own offspring insisted on watching Frozen for the umpteenth time in quarantine and is insisting on singing ‘Let It Go’ on repeat, it’s likely you’ve gotten a song from a kids show stuck in your head at some point in your life.

Let’s be honest – many kids songs are beyond irritating: they’re filled with annoying, high-pitched voices that give you an instant headache, are repetitive to the point of being infuriating, and sometimes just completely horrid.

However, if you look back to your early days, there was probably a song or two that you still reckon is a banger even today, or one that you’ve heard from your kids that you thought wasn’t half bad. Whichever way you look at it, there are a few songs from children’s shows that are pretty decent, and we’re here to walk you through the top 15.

15. The theme song from All That:

Written by U.S. R&B girl group TLC, the theme song from All That was all that and a bag of chips. From the very beginning, you can’t help but start bobbing your head to the rhythm, and belting the chorus of “oh, oh, oh, this is All That, this is All That.”

The song itself opens up the listener to the epitome of late ’90s, early ’00s entertainment, with the sketch comedy show sporting all sorts of teenage stars like Kel Mitchell, Kenan Thompson, and Lori Beth Denberg.

14. ‘A Baby Is…’ from Rugrats:

If you’re one of those people who liked being a child, but abhor children, this is the song for you. Rugrats is famous for not only being a children’s show, but for tossing adult humour in that insults the very audience it caters to.

‘A Baby Is…’ shows toddler Angelica singing about how awful babies are while Suzy attempts to sing a pleasant tune about babies being ‘gifts from above’ all while in the setting of a baby shower. Give it a listen, it’ll make you snort laugh.

13. ‘Getting Strong!’ from The Wiggles:

Meant as a song that gets kids up off the sofa and into some exercise, The Wiggles‘ ‘Getting Strong!’ is a song that can get you groovin’ and a-movin’ with easy-to-follow instructions.

More notably, though, ’90s Aussie alt-rock collective Jebediah put a new spin on the beloved tune by turning it into a classic anthem in the Rewiggled A Tribute To The Wiggles cover compilation.

https://youtu.be/Dg0M6iFOi40

12. The theme song for Round The Twist:

If you didn’t get this stuck in your head a time or two over the years, then you’re straight up lying, because Round The Twist‘s theme song was probably the most banging song to come out of Aussie kids shows in the ’90s.

Pulling from multiple nursery rhymes we grew up, the song is beyond catchy. It even features as a key part of Adelaide indie punk collective Chelsea Manor’s set list as a cover.

11. ‘The Word Is No’ from Sesame Street:

Notably one of the most underrated songs from Sesame Street, ‘The Word Is No’ walks little ones through how frustrating it is that “no” is such a common answer to their queries.

While at first you think it’s a depressing song, making life no fun, the song turns into an anthem of how to say “no” to “no”, with the lyrics shouting, “How can just one word, just two letters / Keep so much from getting done? / We’d be worse off without it / No doubt about it / Stand up and shout it / ‘No”s no fun!”

10. The theme song from Dragon Tales:

You can’t deny that after watching Dragon Tales  that you also hoped to move into a new, mysterious house that had a random drawer containing a magical dragon scale that would transport you to a mystical land. You didn’t? Okay, just me then.

Regardless, this theme song is so darn catchy, and describes the cute little dragons perfectly. From the beginning with Max beating on the drum, to music notes floating through the sky and a parade of instrument wielding dragons, the song is completely on point.

9. ‘Aardvark’ from Arthur:

Lets all take a minute to thank Arthur and his pals for teaching us a crucial spelling word sure to help us win any spelling bee. ‘Aardvark’ taught me that it’s actually “a-a-r-d-v-a-r-k” not ‘ardvark’ as I’d been spelling it.

Even though it’s a short little tune, once you hear this little aardvark rap his about his own species, you’ll never be able to spell the word ‘aardvark’ without chanting along. Sorry, not sorry, because you’ll also be spelling it properly every single time, too.

8. ‘The Krusty Krab Pizza’ from Spongebob Squarepants:

Probably one of the most memorable points in Spongebob Squarepants is when they had to deliver a Krusty Krab pizza, and in classic Spongebob fashion, he decides to sing about it the entire journey, much to Squidward’s dismay.

Stylised as many different famous singers, ‘The Krusty Krab’ pizza will get stuck in your head at the most random times, refuse to leave, and you’ll secretly love it.

7. The theme song from Pinky And The Brain:

Besides the absolutely awful accent that Pinky sports, the theme song from Pinky And The Brain not only served as a brilliant theme song for an equally weird, and very ’90s cartoon, but as a pretty great ringtone when you needed a bit of nostalgia.

From two little laboratory mice wanting to take over the world, the lyrics chant their names over and over again while singing major spoiler alerts like, “Before each night is done / Their plan will be unfurled / By the dawning of the sun / They’ll take over the world.”

6. ‘The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything’ from Veggie Tales:

Say what you will about Veggie Tales and it’s religious agenda, but the segment included in each episode, Silly Songs with Larry, was complete comedic gold. Just one of many in the series, ‘The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything’ takes the cake in terms of best children’s songs.

Tell me after hearing it that you don’t believe it’s a banger, and I’ll tell you that you’re damn wrong. The lyrics are absolutely incredible: “Well, I’ve never plucked a rooster and I’m not too good at
ping-pong / and I’ve never thrown my mashed potatoes up against the wall / and I’ve never kissed a chipmunk and I’ve never gotten head lice / and I’ve never been to Boston in the fall!”

5. ‘Killer Tofu’ by The Beets from Doug:

Sung by The Beets, which was clearly a cartoonised Beatles-esque band on the ’90s show Doug, ‘Killer Tofu’ featured lyrics like “I eat my sugared cereal / But it makes my teeth bacterial” helping parents to reason with their kids to try something other than junk food.

“Just stick by your buddy / And don’t eat too much fried food” the lyrics preach, but in a cool way that made us kids still sing it, regardless of our diet preferences.

4. ‘Party In My Tummy’ from Yo Gabba Gabba:

Although this one comes from a later era than the rest of these songs, ‘Party In My Tummy’ is a song that will get you grooving, regardless of age.

Used as a technique to get kids to eat their healthy food, the song personifies vegetables that are sad that they can’t go to ‘the party in your tummy’, because digestion is apparently akin to a some sort of rave.

3. ‘Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat’ from The Aristocats:

One of the best songs to ever come out of a Disney movie, ‘Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat’ is a sweet little jazz number from the 1970 film The Aristocats.

Never in my life have I found a song that resonates so loud with me, especially when doing chores around the house while my cat snoozes happily in the sun. I entirely want to be a cat.

https://youtu.be/4rrXR6n0RTY

2. ‘Having Fun Isn’t Hard When You’ve Got A Library Card’ from Arthur:

Another piece of brilliance to come from the children’s show Arthur is ‘Having Fun Isn’t Hard When You’ve Got A Library Card’. Included as an initiative to get kids excited about reading, the song jams with a sweet little dance number posing as the chorus.

Sporting lyrics about every kind of book that a library has to offer, while recommending some key authors in history, the song sure did get many excited about the library, and wondering “who’s Dewey?!”

1. ‘I Love My Lips’ from Veggie Tales:

Not as widely known, but the top choice for greatest song from a kids show is, without-a-doubt, ‘I Love My Lips’ from the Silly Songs with Larry segment on Veggie Tales. The song takes us on a long list of all the reasons Larry The Cucumber loves his lips, and how sad he’d be if he lost them, all while talking to an asparagus spear posed as a therapist.

Don’t discount it at the start, because it gets better and better, and will have you rolling with laughter. Let’s also take a moment to appreciate the fact that Larry The Cucumber doesn’t actually have lips.

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