Track Listing

1. Jenny Jenkins
2. Freight Train
3. Horse Named Bill
4. Three Men Went A-Hunting
5. When First Unto This Country
6. Arkansas Traveller
7. Hopalong Peter
8. Teddy Bears' Picnic
9. There Ain't No Bugs On Me
10. Miller's Will
11. Hot Corn Cold Corn
12. Shenandoah Lullaby

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27446 in Music
• Released on: 2002-04-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
An aptly named album if ever there was one, Not for Kids Only combines the talents of two legendary performers, the late Jerry Garcia, singer/guitarist of the Grateful Dead, and David Grisman, mandolinist and father of "dawg music", a melding of bluegrass, jazz, swing, Latin and Jewish klezmer sounds. On this 1993 recording, the two devoted friends make seemingly effortless music, adapting traditional and old-time folk into a personalised sound so "homemade" (with jew's-harp and tambourine) as to inspire any child, young or old, to pick up whatever's at hand to play along. From the jaunty rhythms of "Jenny Jenkins" to the cornball humour of "Arkansas Traveller" and the laugh-out-loud lyrics of "A Horse Named Bill" ("I had a girl and her name was Daisy / And when she sang the cat went crazy"), this album, with Garcia's delightful hand-drawn cover art, tickles from top to bottom. --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews

Lives up to its title
This collection of children’s songs is intended to simulate a situation in which Jerry plays guitar, David plays mandolin and both sing children’s songs while the family gathers round to listen. The family is not represented here – you have to supply that - although there are a few other musicians lending their talents in support of Jerry and David.

The result is a very folksy album. An adult not listening closely might not even notice that this is a children’s album until a few tracks have been played, but children are always quick to realise what this album is about. And so this album lives up to its title. Adults can appreciate the instrumental skills (whether they like the songs or not) while the children enjoy the songs.

The most famous song is surely Teddy bears’ picnic, though Freight train and Shenandoah lullaby are also well known. The acoustic treatment brings a freshness to these songs, so even if you have heard these songs too many times already, you might enjoy them anyway.

This is an excellent album that children will enjoy, but so will adults.

Pshh Pshh Pssh... Freight Train dum de dum de dah...
Bearing in mind that it is now impossible to undertake any journey without the freight train song playing continuously (unless one is prepared to put up with continuous and vehement protest from the 2 year old in the back seat), and I can still sing along to it without going mad, this CD is a winner.

As the previous reviewer said, don't listen too closely to the lyrics of the songs and you can pretend that you are actually playing grown up music!