iTunes for Dads editing home movies

Everyone is a film maker, especially with the new computers all sporting professional video editing software like iMovie for the Mac. If you’re going to make a birth, baby, or kid movie, and you should, you need to do it right. If nothing else, get a tripod, so your entertainment objective doesn’t turn into a nauseous result. Next, consider some music. Here are some sure fire crowd pleasers, but you can also find some of your own. If you do, please let us know in the comments section and we’ll be sure to add them.

Birth

Forever Young – Bob Dylan – I first heard this as a background music in an Apple ad explaining the joys of iMovie. It’s a wonderful song, full of wonderful wishes for a new born.

Where do the Childen Play by Cat Stevens – puts parenting versus other grand projects in perspective, and makes a darn nice soundtrack.

LongMayYou Run by Neil Young – If you like the raspy voice of a young Neil Young, and also edit out a few lyrics, (“back in ’62 when I last saw you alive”) this has a good beat and mood.

May you Never by Eric Clapton

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – very soothing variation on the old standard, and if not overused, less clichéd than other more popular versions.

Crawling Babies

La Donna e Mobile – You’ll instantly recognize La donna è mobile (“Woman is fickle”) as the misogynistic song from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Rigoletto (1851), Though you don’t need to consider that last part. Just use it as backdrop to a baby (preferably female) cruising around the house and you have instant soundtrack magic.

Everyday People by Sly

Family Stone Sweet Child of Mine by Sheryl Crow

Baby or Little Girls

Tupelo honey by Van Morrison by “She’s as sweet as Tupelo Honey” is all you need to know.

Blue Sky by The Allman Brothers

Rock-a-Hula Baby by Elvis Presley

School

We’re Going to be Friends by White Stripes

Moving music for fast-paced photos and quick cuts

Classical Gas

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day – While written as a “breakup song,” this popular hit is often played at weddings. Depending on your social group, you might put this under “clichés.”

Hawaii 5-0 by The Ventures – Sure, it’s tacky, but dads like a little tacky.

Too sappy or clichéd, but you might consider them anyway:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, others

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder

Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash

Upside Down by Jack Johnson –music from the recent Curious George movie. Young kids will love it. (“talk of the Town” from the same movie is good as well)