Spinning the Child: Musical Constructions of Childhood through Records, Radio and Television

Spinning the Child is a book that analyzes music for children across records, radio, and television, exploring how entertainment, education, 'the child,' and 'the family' have been communicated through folk music, BBC children's radio broadcasting, Woody Guthrie's children's songs, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Bagpuss. It provides a critical overview of recorded music for children, its production, and dissemination, analyzing the music, lyrics, and sonics in their social, historical, and technological contexts. The book reveals the attitudes, morals, and desires adults have communicated to and about children through the music created for them, highlighting how recordings have reflected and shaped transformations in discourses of childhood. It is recommended for scholars in sociology of childhood, sociology of music, ethnomusicology, music education, popular musicology, and children's media.

Format: Hardback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 02 October 2020
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Spinning the Child delves into the realm of music for children, exploring its presence on records, radio, and television through a comprehensive assessment of how various ideals have been conveyed through folk music, BBC's children's radio broadcasting, the children's songs of Woody Guthrie, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Bagpuss, as well as the contemporary children's music industry and other case studies. This comprehensive book offers the first in-depth critical examination of recorded music specifically designed for children, encompassing its production, dissemination, and analysis.

Through meticulous analysis of the music, lyrics, and sonics of hundreds of recorded songs, the book sheds light on their specific social, historical, and technological contexts. It uncovers the profound messages and values that adults have communicated to and about children through the music created and curated for them. The chapters unveil the attitudes, morals, and desires that adults have expressed through the music, revealing the intricate ways in which recordings have both reflected and shaped transformations in discourses of childhood.

This book holds immense value for scholars engaged in the fields of sociology of childhood, sociology of music, ethnomusicology, music education, popular musicology, children's media, and related disciplines. Its focus on the analysis of musical, lyrical, and sonic texts within specific contexts makes it an invaluable teaching and research resource. By delving into the intricate interplay between music and society, Spinning the Child provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the role of music in shaping the experiences and perceptions of children.

Weight: 538g
Dimension: 162 x 240 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138571563