I occasionally forget that the Many Hands CD has had real impact, not just in funds raised for relief, but also for listeners. Then I get an e-mail like this (posted with permission):

Hello,

I’m sitting on a hammock listening to Many Hands, watching the twilight sky darken, about to make my fifth trip to Haiti, overwhelmed once again by the promise and challenge ahead of me as I head to the place of greatest need.

I work with teachers and children all over the country, bringing laptops and creativity and hope and freedom of a sort.  This trip I’ll be reaching another hundred, most of them in Cité Soleil.  I’ll also be glad-handing a bunch of so-serious types, all with power to help so many more, and most who completely miss the point … that we need to free hearts, free minds … that it’s about children being children, that they need a childhood, they need a friend.

Please pass the word to the artists that they’ve given strength to at least one steely-surfaced marshmellow man spending way too much time & money for the kids of Haiti, who listens to the songs along with his 5 year old daughter, over and over and over.

And that one beautiful twilight night in a moment of considerable doubt, Frances England made me cry the shaking kind of sob with the simplicity and truth of “What Friends Are For.”   I wish I could airdrop your CD all across Haiti so the kids there could hear what the kids here are jamming out to in the backseat on the way to their happy, healthy home.  Those kids and these kids . . . there aren’t words.

Anyway, thanks again.

Tim

—

Timothy Falconer
Waveplace Foundation

As you can guess from his signature lines, Tim works with the Waveplace Foundation; he also sent along a link to a video that describes some of their innovative work in Haiti.  Check it out:

And here’s Frances (with Elizabeth Mitchell and Daniel Littleton helping out) doing the song he mentions:

Listen any old time at our page at WRSI.com.

Segment 1
TMBG – it’s spare the rock
TMBG – Cells
Fuzzy Lollipop – Please and Thank You
Caspar Babypants – Googly Eyes
ID
Cat & a Bird – Platypus
Submarines – Clementine

Segment 2
Stacey Peasley – Jen
Caroline Herring – The City Grew Up Around Her
ID/ prep to rock
TMBG – Don’t Spare the Rock
Frank Turner – I Still Believe
Deedle Deedle Dees – Growl Growl
Baron von Rumblebuss – Did You See Where the Cat Threw Up
ID

Segment 3
Recess Monkey – Covered in Band Aids
ID
Rhythm Child – Everybody is the One
Alchemystics – What We Need
ID
CandyBand – Godzilla/Iron Man

Segment 4
Scribblemonster – Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
ID
Kinder Castle – Horse & Buggy
Elizabeth Mitchell – the Happy Song
ID
Dan Zanes – So Long…
Dog on Fleas – When I Get Little

Segment 5
Nields in-studio
Anna Kick a Hole in the Sky
This Train

Segment 6
Nields in-studio, con’t
Goin’ to Boston
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Vocal Chords
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo – Butterflies
Jeremy Plays Guitar – I meant to do that
ID
TMBG – Meet the Elements
TMBG – Spare the Rock

Listen any time you like at our page at WRSI.com!

Segment 1
TMBG – It’s Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG -Boat of Car
Johnny Cash – Daddy Sang Bass
Frances England – Daddy-O
ID
Lori Henriques – Enough is Enough
Randy Newman – Memo to My Son
Medeski Martin & Wood – Where’s the Music?
ID

Segment 2
Booker T Jones – Harlem House
Dan Zanes w/ Barbara Brousal – Malti
ID/prep to rock
TMBG – Don’t Spare the Rock
Sippy Cups – Springtime Fantastic
ScribbleMonster – Do the Bounce
ID
NRBQ – RC Cola and a Moon Pie

Segment 3
Los Straitjackets – Kawanga
Sugar Free Allstars – Little Red Wagon
ID
Jeff Warren – Synonym Toast
Average White Band – Pick Up the Pieces
Brady Rymer w/ Laurie Berkner – Soft Things
ID

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster – Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
ID
Steely Dan – East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
Billy Kelly – Scootdootdoodlydoo
Los Lobos – Heigh Ho
ID
Gene Autry – Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Dog on Fleas – Ridin’ on a Pony
ID

Segment 5
Marcy Gregoire in-studio

Segment 6
Joe’s Backyard Band – Cities with Seagulls
Ziggy Marley – Wings of an Eagle
Bob Marley – Three Little Birds
ID
Be Good Tanyas – The Littlest Bird
Lunch Money – Somehow a Frog Finds a Pond
ID
TMBG – Flying V
TMBG – Spare the Rock

Long-time friends-of-the-show The Nields came by to record an in-studio that we’ll broadcast on June 11, but I wanted to give you a preview now of their lovely song “Anna Kick a Hole in the Sky,” including a brief introduction of the origins of the song’s name.  They’re doing a ton of stuff to celebrate twenty years in the music business, including a family show that morning, a scavenger hunt, and a full-band reunion that night.  Check out their website for more.

Listen any old time at our page at WRSI.com!

Segment 1
TMBG – It’s Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG – LMNO
Stacey Peasley – Every Day
Steve Weeks – Birdsong
ID
Dog on Fleas – Buffalo Gals (feat. Elizabeth Mitchell)
Gustafer Yellowgold – Infinity (Infinity Sock)
ID
Jason Riley – Camptown Races

Segment 2
Sweetback Sisters – Cowboy Ham & Eggs
Sophie & les Petits – Les Trois Petits Cochons
ID/prep to rock
TMBG – Don’t Spare the Rock!
Weezer – Pork & Beans
Justin Roberts – Meltdown
ScribbleMonster – I’m a Utility Pole (The World’s Worst Dance Song)

Segment 3
CandyBand – Cookie Jar
Yuck – The Wall
Billy Kelly – The Family Garden
ID
The Little Bits – Dance Bounce Jump
Kindercastle – Ferris Wheel
Dan Zanes – Wonder Wheel
ID

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster – Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
ID
Fountains of Wayne – Song of the Passaic
Bob Dylan – Watching the River Flow
ID
Rhymezwell – I Love Music
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo – Gotta Be Me
ID

Segment 5
Recess Monkey – Your Favorite Book
Paul Simon – Graceland
Mister G – Blast Off
ID
Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band – Gato Astronauto
Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Segment 6
Deedle Deedle Dees – Teddy Days
Gourds – Country Days
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem – They All Ask’d For You
ID
The Missing Piece – Cucumber Canoe
ID
TMBG – House at the Top of the Tree
TMBG – Spare the Rock

Listen any time you like at our page on WRSI.com!

Segment 1
TMBG – It’s Spare the Rock
-Ella ID
TMBG – My Name is Kingof Socks
Lori Henriques – Happy To Be Me
Fugees – Happy To Be Me
ID
Father Goose – Island in the Sun
Lead Belly – Rock Island Line
ID
REM – Driver 8

Segment 2
Okee Dokee Brothers – Lucy & Tighty
Heidi Swedberg – Train Medley
ID/prep to rock
TMBG – Don’t Spare the Rock!
…hole Surfers – Underdog
Mister G – Pam the Pug
The Missing Piece – Little Brown Dog
ID

Segment 3
Sugar Free Allstars & Secret Agent 23 Skidoo – Cooperate
Alchemystics – Type A Prayer
ID
Flannery Brothers – Wake Up Song
Mr. Leebot – Bright Ideas
Lunch Money – Roller Coaster

Segment 4
ScribbleMonster – Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
ID
Royal Order of Chords & Keys – Punk Rock, One Sock!!! (Flywheel 1:30 Sunday with Mister G)
Kinder Castle – Beddie Bye
Salteens – I’m So Happy
ID
Cat & a Bird – Night Owl
Book Time with Ella (The Looking Glass Wars (Frank Beddor))

Segment 5
Shiprock & Anchordog in-studio
Rufus Thomas – Can Your Monkey Do The Dog

Segment 6
ID
Frances England – Place in Your Heart (Mind of My Own)
Mates of State – Starman
ID
Elizabeth Mitchell – Keep On the Sunny Side (Sunny Day) (Eric Carle Museum today at 3:00)
Loretta Lynn – High on a Mountain Top
White Stripes – Rag and Bone
ID
TMBG – Robot Parade
TMBG – Spare the Rock

Click on the book cover to find an online independent bookseller carrying The Looking Glass Wars, which Ella talked about on today’s show.