Say hello to Bao-Bao the giant panda cub and 15 of her furry classmates! This charming new synth-pop number introduces kids and families to the methods used in China's wildlife preserves to successfully raise pandas in an environment where some can be reintroduced to the wild. This practice has helped the giant panda species come back from endangered status.
The voices of Kindergarteners and a 2nd grader blend nicely with
"Awesome Amy's" call-and-response vocals and really help set the cute scene.
This single marks "Jersey Jason's" first self-produced Jungle Gym Jam track. "My first love as a young rock musician in the 80s was the synthesizer," says Jason. "For this production, I started with completely plain synth tones and shaped them in ways that reminded me of those sounds I cherished as a kid."
For an artist producing his own music, it's always good to have a friend with production skills and great ears give a listen, so Jason turned to John Cullimore of Chibi Kodama, an extremely prolific, skilled and creative self-producer of cool kids' music, to help critique and hone the sound of the finished product.
The song was inspired by Jason and Amy's trip with their family to the Smithsonian National Zoo where they came face-to-face with Bao-Bao, a giant panda cub. This special experience led them to the educational book "Panda Kindergarten" written by Joanna Ryder and illustrated with photographs by Kathleen Feng, published by Harper Collins.
lyrics
Ni Hao! I'm Bao-Bao the Panda and I'm 2 years old
Born the size of a stick of butter, so I'm told
At first fuzzy and pink and now I'm black and white
When my eyes began to work, Mom was such a beautiful sight!
Pre-chorus:
Well, the years went by and Mom and I began doing our own thing
And then my human teachers took me under their wings
Under their wings…
Chorus:
We get an awesome start in (awesome start in)
Our Panda kindergarten (Pandagarten)
Our teachers put the heart in (put the heart in)
Our Panda Kindergarten (Pandagarten)
We grow capable and smart in (Growing smart in)
Our panda kindergarten (Pandagarten)
Pandagarten
That's where we learn and play
Verse 2:
There are sixteen pandas in my class
It's me and my furry friends
On a playground where we swing and climb
And try again and again
All this exercise and these healthy treats
Help us grow big and strong
For a year or so we'll learn new skills
And how to get along
Pre-chorus:
When we graduate, some classmates will stay here to have a child
And the most daring and adaptable will be picked to live out in the wild
Chorus
Outro:
(Pandagarten) Pandagarten
That's where we learn and play
(Pandagarten) Pandagarten
That's where we learn and play
Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym JamMontclair, New Jersey
Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam is an award-winning "kindie" band that brings a true rock-n-roll spirit to songs that
emphasize kindness, active play, imagination and love of learning. The band's debut album "Everyone's Invited!" was honored with the Parents' Choice® Approved seal. The sound is often compared to Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and The Ramones -- for kids and families....more
Joanie blends musicianship, a strong, clear, versatile voice, imaginative lyrics and a real sense that she "gets" her young audience. Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam
Hooky songs that will appeal to kids and grown-ups alike, smash-cutting the irreverence of The Moldy Peaches with wild psychedelia. Bandcamp New & Notable May 30, 2020
This Seattle duo explore the more darkly psychedelic side of indie rock on this retrospective album, covering songs recorded from 2009-2019. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 20, 2022
This children’s record isn’t just for kids. Smoky soul grooves and bizarro pop chestnuts make for an entertaining listen. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 21, 2018