Music for your first birthday

My sister had twins a year ago.  It's amazing how those months have passed.  My little nieces went from tiny inanimate bundles to toddlers in such a short period of time.  As far as I'm concerned, this is when they start being fun.  They're mobile, interested in the world and starting to communicate.  They have started to like music and will find any opportunity to dance.  The problem my sister pointed out to me is that most of the music for toddlers is unbearably annoying. Did I know of any music that's suitable for children that won't drive parents batty?

After thinking about it, and consulting my music collection, I came up with an answer: yes, loads.  What kids respond to isn't necessarily the saccharine message and squeaky voices.  Kids (like me) like something catchy, with a simple melody that they can dance to.  Everything that I have learned about children tells me one thing: kids love punk rock.  Now, of course you don't necessary want your kids singing along with every punk rock song (Bodies by the Sex Pistols and a number of Misfits songs immediately come to mind as particularly inappropriate).  But the basic 1-2-3-4 beat, derived from roots rock that appears in punk and indie rock definitely fits the bill.  To mix it up, New Wave songs offer keyboard sounds that inspire giggles. And who doesn't love an anthem? 

So I put together this compilation, for the girls' first birthday party.  They weren't the only ones dancing.

1. Happy Birthday - Altered Images
2. I Wanna Be Like You - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
3. Nee Nee Na Na Na Na - Dicky Doo & The Don'ts
4. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
5. Shake Shake Baby - American Teens
6. Pretty Baby - Blondie
7. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy - Julie London
8. Ice Cream - Sarah McLachlan
9. Earth Angel - Penguins
10.  Real Wild Child - Ivan
11. Birdhouse In Your Soul - They Might Be Giants
12. ABC - The Jackson 5
13. Stay Up Late - Talking Heads
14. I'm A Hog for You Baby - The Innocents
15. Up & Down - Supernova
16. Baby, I Love You - Ramones
17. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da - The Police
18. Here I am baby - UB40
19. Twist And Crawl - The English Beat
20. Maybe Baby - Buddy Holly
21. Tiny Dancer - Elton John
22.  Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
23. Birthday Gal - The Replacements