Bible Story Songs (DAVID)

Ahhh... Music.. one my favorite things! A number of us were sent a Bible Story Song CD, with different titles going to different folks. My family received the newest release, David: Shepherd, Psalmist, Soldier, King. It is filled with one hour of music that tells stories from David's life, tracing him from Shepherd Boy to King. The cost is $9.99, with additional CD purchases being discounted 15-50% off right now.

The lyrics are for the most part, original (with the exception of an actual Bible verse or two), and the music they are set to ranges from classical compositions to folk tunes, with a smattering of original tunes, all sung by children and young adults. Depending on your musical tastes, these may be a great fit for your family. If you like to hear new lyrics to old tunes(which has been a songwriting tactic for centuries...), then you may enjoy these as well.

Once again, here is my list of Pros and Cons~

Pros~

*The songs are Bible stories set to music, which means I don't have to worry about the content of the songs.

*There are some interesting rounds which my 11 year old thought were the best part of the CD, as she enjoys singing in "parts" at the moment.

*The accompaniment is primarily piano, which I appreciate ever so much more than over-synthesized music!!

*There were songs that promoted good attitudes and manners, which were probably MY favorite songs on the CD. ;)

Cons~

*Many of the songs dealt with war (This *is* David we're talking about), but were set to dainty classical pieces that just didn't "jive" with the content of the lyrics.

*There were only a few songs that had a good "hook", and were easily singable. Too many of them "Told a story", but were too "wordy" and/or musically difficult for a child to remember and/or sing easily, in my opinion.

I may be being too picky here(my husband and I are both musicians), and I hate to say this, but I have to be honest. These were not a great fit for our family. We do listen to a wide variety of musical styles and artists(From Phil Keaggy to Casting Crowns and Steven Curtis Chapman, to Alison Krauss, Josh Groban, Joshua Bell and the Newsboys, Albums like "I Hear America Singing", Colin Buchanan's "Aussie Praise" CD's, etc...), but this CD just didn't "catch" any of us.

I will also admit that we are not huge fans of the wildly popular WeeSing compilations, so don't rest on my opinion... listen to a few clips and see what YOU think... :) You can even download a free lyric sheet and get a feel for the content of the songs yourself. Other TOS Crew Mates had very differing opinions, which is to be expected because musical taste is highly subjective. :)
This is definitely a case of "Different Strokes for Different Folks". Check out more reviews and see whose "Style" fits yours before making a decision.

A couple of general additional notes:
The premise of Bible Story Songs is good, to help children learn and remember stories from the Bible more easily, and if you have an auditory learner, this could be a great supplement to a bible program.

If you have a kinesthetic/visual learner, a couple of the Bible Story Song Titles also have Color 'n Sing Song Books and Puzzle Pages available to purchase as PDF downloads for $4.99 each.

I would say, based on my children's reactions that this is best suited for the 4-7 year old crowd.

Check 'em out and see what you think!
Blessings,
Lis