Folk Songs About Toys

[list compiled by Frank & Denise Gosar]
Thanks to Doug Dick, Karen Impola, Michael Stock, Angela Page, Fiddlin' Big Sue Hunnel and Sara at Hobo Star Music for these, and also my wife Denise for helping trawl the station's music database after the holiday party.  And also allmusic.com.  Songs are clumped loosely by toy or theme.

Dreidel by Don McLean
Monopoly by Terri Hendrix (actually not about the game but the name fits)

Barbie by Cosy Sheridan
Doll's House by Phil Ochs
Joe Giacoio - The Dinosaur Ate Barbie - I SING THE BODY ACOUSTIC
Nancy White - Daughters of Feminists ("How come they want a Barbie?")
Cathy Fink/Marcy Marxer - Daughters of Feminists - A PARENT'S HOME COMPANION
Bob Bovee and Gail Heil - Chiney Doll - Rural Route 2  (they learned it from
 Almeda Riddle - there may be recordings of her doing it too)
Bob Wills, Rubber Dolly
Woodie Guthrie - Rubber Dolly - MULESKINNER BLUES
Uncle Earl - Rubber Dolly - SHE WENT UPSTAIRS

John McCutcheon - Rubber Blubber Whale - WATER FROM ANOTHER TIME
Jim Henson (as Ernie) - Rubber Duckie - SESAME STREET PLATINUM ALL-TIME FAVORITES


Kat Eggleston - Paper Boats - Second Nature
Alison Krauss - Paper Airplanes - PAPER AIRPLANES
Kasey Chambers - Paper Aeroplanes - WAYWARD ANGEL
Heather Styka - Dragon Kite - Lifeboats for Atlantis

Peter Mayer's Christmas Morning from his new CD "Midwinter"

Tom Paxton - Marvelous Toy - VERY BEST OF...
Sue Trainor - Murderous Toy - IN A CLOSE-UP
Rod MacDonald - Video Games - RECOGNITION
Tracy Grammer - Hey Ho - Flowers of Avalon (kids playing with warlike toys)
Toys for Peace with Pete Seeger and Ray Korona on "The Safe Thing To Do"
Andrew Calhoun - Battling Tops - Walk Me To The War (the tops are metaphorical, but they are toys)

Trout Fishing in America - 11 Easy Steps (for assembling a swing set)

Steve Dillon - Radio Flyer
Volebeats - Radio Flyer - MOSQUITO SPIRAL

Greg Cahill - Sledd Riding - BLUE SKIES
JD Crowe - Sledd Riding
Bill Harley - The Great Sled Race - THE BATTLE OF THE MAD SCIENTISTS

Betty Elders - Crayons - CRAYONS
Michael McNevin - Etch-a-Sketch - ETCH-A-SKETCH

Coffee Club Orchestra - Rag Doll - SHAKING THE BLUES AWAY
Mindy Smith - Raggedy Ann - ONE MOMENT MORE
Hans Mayer - Sock Monkey - FUNNY LITTLE CREATURES
Bob Franke - A Velveteen Love Song - IN THIS NIGHT
Mike/Carleen McCornack - My Best Friend Lars - BEASTIES BUMBERSHOOTS & LULLABIES
Livingston Taylor - Pajamas - GOOD FRIENDS
Hans Mayer - Teddy Bear Lullaby - LULLABY AND GOODNIGHT
Baby Gramps - How I Found My Teddy Bear/Teddy Bear's Picnic - SAME OL' TIMEOUSLY
Robin & Linda Williams - Old Toy Trains - FIRST CHRISTMAS GIFT
Dave Gunning - Old Toy Trains - Christmas Too

Sally Rogers - Waltz of the Toys - GENERATIONS
Bobby McFerrin - Kids Toys - BANG! ZOOM
Sandy Cash - New Toys - EXACT CHANGE

Various - Don't Take Toys Away, Buy A China Doll - OASIS ACOUSTIC FOR KIDS DISC 2
Steve Fisher - That's My Toy

Infamous Stringdusters - Toy Rocket - THINGS THAT FLY
Brook Adams - Toy Story - TUNNEL OF SHARKS
Adrian Legg - Rocking Horse - FINGERS AND THUMBS
Sean Hogan - Your Rocking Horse - RULED BY MERCURY

John Gorka - Branching Out ("Louisville Slugger") - I KNOW
Casey Neill - Double Dutch - CASEY NEILL (jump rope)
Hans Mayer/Frank Gosar - Neighborhood Cowboy - MY BROTHER EATS BUGS
Melanie - Brand New Key - GATHER ME

Jim Brunberg - Eucalyptus Guitar and Toy Accordion - LOVE EXPRESS
Mike Cross - Silver Harmonica - High Powered Low Flying
The Bacon Brothers, w/ Mickey Hart - Pots and Pans - DOG TRAIN

Additional song suggestions? Email Richard Gillmann


Folk Music Song Themes Last modified