Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Album of the Week: Bullfrogs and Butterflies


Bullfrogs & Butterflies: God Is My Friend (1978) is the first of four cds in the series "Bullfrogs and Butterflies." You can hear thirty-second samples here.

The Agapeland website says this cd features: Barry McGuire, George Banov, Jim & Dee Patton, Andy Davis, Kathy Salerno, Sherry Saunders, Frank Hernandez, Mary Gross, Theretha Boswell, Ane Weber, Ron Krueger.

Songs on the album include Welcome To Agapeland, Good Morning, This Is The Day, Rainy Day Song, Kid Talk, I Like Knowing God, My Hands Belong To You, Friends, Practice Makes Perfect, Bullfrogs and Butterflies, Noah, and You're So Good To Me. Throughout the songs there are some narrative bits.

"Welcome To Agapeland" is the cheerful opening song which "transports" the listeners to a cartoon-like world of love, peace, and goodwill. (I know this because the record album included illustrations for all the songs.) 5 stars

"Good Morning" continues the cheerful spirit of "Welcome To Agapeland" and unless it's used as a mean-spirited wake-somebody-else-up song...is quite enjoyable :) 5 stars

"This Is The Day" is a softer, slower song with lyrics taken straight from Scripture. 4 stars

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
"Rainy Day Song" is one of my favorites. It's message is that the weather (rain or shine) doesn't matter since Christians have a different sort of son shine. (Corny pun, yes, but it's still fun in its own little way.) 5 stars

"Kid Talk" is another one of my favorites. This song is a conversation between two kids: a boy and a girl. The message of the song...is that everyone...kids and adults...can have a relationship with God. 5 stars

"I Like Knowing God" is sung by a spirited bunch of kids. It compares the normal "kid activities" with the more spiritual ones. Cute song. 4 stars.

"My Hands Belong To You" lacks the spirit and energy of the rest of the album, it's more of a slow-down-and worship song. 4 stars.

"Friends" was the first song on the second side of the record/cassette; so it begins off with a cheerful "Welcome Back" message. It's an upbeat song that is very catchy. 5 stars.

"Practice Makes Perfect" is an endearing song about a young girl whose piano playing is less than perfect...and her determination to keep on trying. 5 stars.

"Bullfrogs and Butterflies" is a very fun song; it's hard not to sing along with this great song. 5 stars

1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
"Noah" is a very fun story-song (much better than the classic "Arky Arky") that, as you can guess, tells the story of Noah. This song is fun to clap and dance too. Although I spent my entire childhood listening to this album, it wasn't until recently that I noticed how much of a disco-beat this song had! 5 stars

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
(You can read Noah's story in Genesis 6, 7, 8, and 9.

"You're So Good To Me" is the last song on the album. It is in a way a "wind-down" song. It's probably my least favorite on the album...although it's not a bad song. 3 stars.

I grew up listening to BULLFROGS AND BUTTERFLIES: God is My Friend. It was a wonderful album then, and I'm glad to see it has been released on cd.

The music will probably seem dated to some audiences, but if you grew up in the late seventies to early eighties...these songs will transport you back. (A trip I'm quite happy to make some days.)

3 comments:

Amy said...

This definitely transports me back t many a car trip!! I so loved this when I was little. ;)

Cynda Western Felini said...

Yes, had it too! There was also the Music Machine. I think that was the name with songs about the fruits of the spirit. I sing the song about being patient all the time. I need to find that one.

Jacqui Graham said...

Ah, memories! My son David was given "Music Machine" by his Sunday School teacher, and we almost wore out the tape. I sang the patience song a lot to my six kids. Let's see if I can remember it...

"There was a snail called Herbert, who was so very slow, he always caused a traffic jam wherever he would go. The ants were always getting mad, and the beetles they would fume, but Herbert always poked along and sang this little tune:

"Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry. When you get impatient you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient too, and think of all the times when others have to wait for you.

"When Herbert was much younger he often got in trouble; forgetting that he was a snail he did things on the double. He crashed through every spider web, with crickets he'd collide, til one day Herbert's father took his speeding son aside....

"As you can well imagine, there's a moral to this tale, Someday you may find yourselves behind a speeding snail. So if you get impatient and you're easily disturbed, think about this little song and take a tip from Herb.."

Of course, you sing the chorus in a very slow, deep SNAIL voice.

Meanwhile... I came here looking for the lyrics to "Practice Makes Perfect". Ironically, lyrics for Christian children's songs are practically impossible to find on the internet.