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Slate Culture Feed

Working: How Raffi Makes Kids Music That’s Actually Good

Slate Culture Feed

Slate Podcasts

Music, Tv & Film, Arts

4.22K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, producer Cameron Drews talks to the legendary children’s musician Raffi Cavoukian, who’s best known for songs like “Baby Beluga” and “Bananaphone.” In the interview, Raffi discusses his pivot to kids music in the mid-’70s and the creative choices that went into one of his most beloved albums, Singable Songs for the Very Young. He also talks about his decision not to market directly to kids, his climate activism, and a philosophy he developed called “Child Honoring.”  After the interview, Cameron and co-host Karen Han discuss how artists can follow their instincts while keeping their audience in mind.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Sometimes running a business can feel like cycling uphill, with square wheels!

0:10.0

But zero online accounting software can help predict the future cash flow of your business.

0:15.0

So you can stay one step ahead.

0:17.0

Soon it'll feel more like freewheeling downhill.

0:21.0

On a tandem!

0:22.0

What, mate?

0:23.0

With a messer on the back.

0:25.0

Oh, that's nice.

0:26.0

Search zero with an axe.

0:28.0

Because healthy business is beautiful business.

0:40.0

I instinctively felt I didn't want to do any song that I didn't have a feeling for.

0:45.0

I wasn't going to do a song just because I was suggested I should do it.

0:49.0

So I let that feeling guide me.

0:51.0

Just do what feels right, you know, and what feels fun.

0:54.0

And we never took a formulaic approach.

1:00.0

Welcome back to Working. I'm your host, Karen Han.

1:03.0

And I am usually your producer, but today I'm your other host, Cameron Druse.

1:08.0

Hi, Cameron! So who did you talk to for this week's episode?

1:12.0

So the voice we heard at the top of the episode, maybe familiar to some, it belongs to none other than the legendary children's musician Raffi.

1:22.0

Karen, are you familiar with Raffi's work at all?

1:25.0

Oh my gosh, yes.

1:27.0

Although that said, I don't know that I can name too many of his songs beyond maybe like Banana Phone and like Baby Baluga.

...

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