Bright Spaces

1	Arthur Theme Song / Melody Makers 1:50
2	Bling Blang / Arlo Guthrie 3:40
3	Something in My Shoe / Raffi 2:34
4	Bossa by the Numbers / The Crawdaddys 3:16
5	Old MacDonald / The Dream Project 3:22
6	Moonlight / Cathy Fink 5:01
7	Everything Grows / Raffi 2:34
8	This Land Is Your Land / Woody Guthrie 2:32
9	Garden Song / David Mallett 2:55
10	Still the Same Me / Sweet Honey in the Rock 2:02
11	If I Ran the World / John McCutcheon 2:19
12	This Happy House / Jessica Harper 2:37
13	All I Really Need / Raffi 3:47
14	Talk to Me / Cathy Fink 2:45
15	Goodnight Irene / Raffi 2:59
16	One Glass of Water / Si Kahn 1:43

Barnes & Noble

Proceeds from this benefit album are earmarked for Bright Spaces, a program that provides toy-filled play spaces in homeless shelters, making the disc as delightful to purchase as it is to hear. Kids music superstar Raffi, a longtime activist, is a leading presence among the album's fine assortment of folk- and world-music artists, who include Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, with their sunny, irresistible theme song from the PBS TV series Arthur; counterculture folk legend Arlo Guthrie, who sings with his late father Woody Guthrie (via the magic of recording technology) on "This Land Is Your Land"; and all-female a cappella act Sweet Honey in the Rock, who contribute the exuberant lead track from their Grammy-nominated kids album Still the Same Me. Another Grammy-nominated act, Cathy & Marcy check in with the lyrical lullaby "Moonlight" (from their nominated album Pillow Full of Wishes) as well as an earlier song, "Talk to Me." Superb kids' artists like Jessica Harper and John McCutcheon join the fun, along with folk giants whose songs have passed into the cultural pantheon, Dave Mallett ("Garden Song") and Si Kahn ("One Glass of Water"). But the real highlight is two tracks from lesser known artists: the dance-happy "Bossa by the Numbers" by the Crawdaddys and the Dream Project's unusual, blues-inspired take on "Old MacDonald" with a chorus of grade-school and high-school students. Moira McCormick

All Music Guide

This collection of children's music by a number of artists supports Bright Spaces, a program designed to create safe, supportive environments for playing, reading, and dreaming for homeless children. The album Bright Spaces gathers 16 fun songs by everyone from Arlo Guthrie to the Crawdaddys to Si Kahn. Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers start things off with the lively "Arthur Theme Song" from the popular PBS show, while Dream Project offers a gospel version of "Old MacDonald" that would make Aretha Franklin proud. Sweet Honey in the Rock bring their vibrant harmonies to "Still the Same Me," a song about the power to imagine the world without changing one's basic self. Dave Mallett's "Garden Song" is a real standout, filled with imagery of rain, sun, and earth, and praising the simple joys of planting and growing a garden. There are a couple of classics, including "This Land Is Your Land" and Raffi's closing track, "Goodnight Irene." The songs on Bright Spaces never come off as "grownup propaganda" but seem more concerned with helping kids to feel OK about who they are. The arrangements for the songs range from the a cappella of Sweet Honey in the Rock to the reggae of Raffi to the soft rock & roll of Jessica Harper's "This Happy House." This variety keeps the ears perked up. Bright Spaces manages the duel feat of being a good album that serves a good cause. Kids will like it, and so will their parents. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.