Music and the calming of the beastie

It's 10 past 7.  Ethan has been in bed for the night for about 20 minutes.  Thom and I are relaxing to the remainder of the Wriggly Mix. The bedtime routine is about getting ready to snuggle and sleep.  We might start with a book read in soft tones, followed by a massage and then a warm bath.  Then it's clean clothes, warm milk and 'nite-nite' all 'round after which he sails off to dreamland.  All of this is set against some relaxing background music, something that really seems to help Ethan get into bedtime mode.  The Wriggly Mix is my eclectic selection of adult and children's tunes that aid the calm, sleepy vibe to get flowing.

No matter what the day has brought us, the bedtime routine is kind of like the reset button.  It starts off a chain reaction of events he has come to expect and allows him some constancy in his always changing and quickly developing world.  Plus I love it.  Getting splashed by his kicking feet at bath time and his sleepy little snuggle-monster body getting heavier and more relaxed as we progress through our schedule and I sing along to the Wriggly Mix.


I remembered Bugs Bunny saying that music tames the savage beast, and wondered how much of the music could be responsible for the relaxed little man I just put to bed.  After a little Google-ing, I discovered that music does not in fact tame the savage beast.  The phrase comes from an English play write, William Congreve, who began his work The Mourning Bride with the line 'Musik has charms to sooth the savage breast'.  The bride who mourns her dead lover goes on to say that music, usually so calming and influential of our emotions, has no effect on her grief.  So Bugs was a little unclear on 17th century literature, doesn't mean his 'Waschaly Wabbit' techniques haven't worked a charm on my lil Wriggly.   I think music has calmed my savage beastie.

For your enjoyment, Bugs misquoting Congreve's Bride and the list of songs that comprise my Wriggly Mix.







Wriggly Mix



All I Really Need (Live) 4:16 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
Blue Bayou 2:33 Roy Orbison
Change 3:42 Blind Melon
De Colores (Live) 2:58 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
Diamonds And Pearls 4:20 Prince
Earth and Water Song 6:19 Humble Pie
Everything Grows (Live) 3:12 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
Why Is a Fire Engine Red 1:21 Johnny Cash
Good Feeling 3:57 Violent Femmes
Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) 4:16 The Judds
Hammer 2:57 Bob Marley
Have You Ever Seen The Rain 2:40 Creedence Clearwater Revival
Humrush 3:27 KMD
Like Me and You (Live) 3:08 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
You Make Me Smile 3:26 Aloe Blacc
All I Have To Do Is Dream 2:27 Roy Orbison
Mr. Brown 3:33 Bob Marley
Muted Cartoons 5:26 DJ Yoda
My Man 2:40 Billie Holiday
Near You Always 3:09 Jewel
Sweet Jane (lou Reed, Velvet Underground Cover) 6:51 Phish
Please Do Not Go 4:15 Violent Femmes
Rise and Shine (Live) 2:25 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
Ah Bos Cee Dah 2:33 Johnny Cash
The Sad Bag of Shaky Jake 3:02 Humble Pie
Baby Beluga (Live) 2:43 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
Safe From Harm 5:20 Massive Attack
Scar Tissue 3:36 Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sleepyhouse 4:29 Blind Melon
Summertime 4:56 Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Take Me Back 4:57 Humble Pie
Teardrop 5:28 Massive Attack
Tingalayo (Live) 2:58 Raffi & The Rise and Shine Band
Toys for Tots 2:33 Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole & Nancy Wilson
Yellow Ledbetter 5:03 Pearl Jam
Good Things 4:02 Aloe Blacc
Dinosaur Song 1:25 Johnny Cash