Ken Sheldon wrote “Meltdown” this summer in the middle of the night while visiting his granddaughter Elsa after an epic emotional display earlier in the evening.
“Drama Queen” is a tune for every young girl, including his great niece who he describes as “one of the loves of my life, but everything is dramatic and over the top.” “Nana Lamb” is for his sister, Sue who was given the name that inspired the song title by her grandchildren.
All three are featured on Sheldon’s second independent and recently released children’s album, “Talking to My Food”. There’s an ode to a “Mud Pie”, written long ago with his nephews Zach and Micah and a love song to a “Chocolate Chip Cookie” – because Sheldon loves chocolate chip cookies. Add in an update to an old tune called “Mary Had a Dinosaur”, “I’ve Got an Itch for You” by Elvis imitators Melvin and the Four Fleas, a sing-and-clap-along song called “Caleb”, the adventure of runaway goats in “Who Put the Kids in the Car?” and the title track, “Talking to My Food, for those who believe conversation aids digestion, and Sheldon’s got all the makings of a strong follow up to “Ice Cream Soup”, which was released more than 20 years ago. And it’s all capped off with two lullabies, including one that used to be sung to his niece Ellie to get her to go to sleep.
“They’re written in response to something that happened with friends and family,” Sheldon said.
Some of the songs were written many years ago because as Sheldon put it “I’m a songwriter so I’m always writing songs.” Others were put together in the last few months as it became more apparent that he had the start for another album.
On “Ice Cream Soup”, Sheldon had help from his nieces and nephews and friend’s children, and “Talking to My Food” is no different. This time though he enlisted Elsa, two step daughters and his grand nieces and nephews.
“The kids of the kids that were on the first one are on it,” Sheldon said.
Between album releases, Sheldon wrote 180 songs for Scholastic with topics ranging from the ABCs to science. That led into an eight year run with his popular Frost Heaves comedy show featuring what Sheldon is probably best known for, his role as Yankee humorist Fred Marple.
But as a songwriter, he never stopped generating ideas and putting them to music.
“I’ve been writing songs since I was a kid,” Sheldon said. “And I already have more ideas.”
Back when he put together “Ice Cream Soup”, Sheldon did all the recordings in one take at the studio of the late Ken LaRoche. This time around with more advanced technology to work with, he was able to do it all from his own home studio, which he built in his basement from plans he found online.
“It’s the world’s smallest studio,” Sheldon said.
He used a song his granddaughter made up, which they recorded together on his phone. A friend from Alaska recorded her children for a song from her home and sent it to him. Beth Signoretti, a member of Frost Heaves, has a part of “Drama Queen”.
The songs are a mixture of genres, spanning rock and roll, country, folk, jazz and 50s doo-wop.
“It’s all music that I like,” Sheldon said. “And it’s meant to be fun and entertaining.”
People still come up to him and tell them how much their children enjoyed “Ice Cream Soup”. To some he’s known as the guy who did “Chicken in the Bathroom”.
He just hopes that this album can resonate in a similar way with today’s generation.
“It’s wonderful to do stuff that kids are going to remember for the rest of their life,” Sheldon said.
Sheldon describes the album as “a collection of fun, lighthearted tunes for the young and young at heart.”
The name of the album originated many years ago when sitting down for a meal with one of his nieces. She started talking to her food, saying ‘Hello carrots’ and he put it in his notebook to remember. And it seemed like the perfect idea for a song – and the title of his second children’s collection.
Once he decided to put it all together for release, Sheldon made a goal to have it out before the end of the year.
The album is currently available for download from CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes and other outlets. CDs may also be ordered at kensheldon.com/music.