Justin Roberts delivers happy songs about naps

  • By Theresa Goffredo Herald writer
  • Thursday, October 25, 2007 3:47pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

He’s been compared to Elvis Costello, Green Day and Paul Simon.

But Justin Roberts doesn’t sing about adult angst, rebellion or how to lose your lover, though he’s known to generate a mosh pit wherever he goes.

Roberts sings about nap time, imaginary rhinos, bullies and having cookies before dinner.

Roberts is also becoming known as a rising star among child music artists. His songs are tuneful, poppy and deliver meaningful messages on the chords of Roberts’ warm voice.

Roberts will perform one show at 11 a.m. Saturday at The Moore Theatre in Seattle.

And it’s not just the dancing and singing kids who are fans. Adults are forming their own brand of fan base. He’s a four-time Parents’ Choice Gold award-winner. He and the Not Ready for Naptime Players were recently featured on NBC’s “Today” show. And reviewers have praised Roberts for his listenable style, sophisticated chops and funny lyrics.

For instance, on his latest CD called “Meltdown,” which won national awards, Roberts rhymes wonderfully about the age-old battle between parents and their children over naps:

“But I feel like a revved up Rolls-Royce on the freeway

“And you’re not giving me no leeway.

“Naptime!”

“What? Not even close.”

“More like jumping out the window, running ‘round the house.

“It’s not naptime now, so don’t even start

“With those carpet squares or you’re gonna break my heart.

“There will be no sheep taking that big old leap,

“That will not be me going z-z-z

“Cuz it’s not naptime now and it’s never gonna be.”

Roberts is known for his wide-ranging musical styles that help spread the word about dinosaurs, losing teeth and the pain of having to move away from friends. His songs have a “stick-in-your-head” infectiousness and sometimes incessant alliteration such as in “Willy Was a Whale.”

“I just try to write songs for kids that I would want to listen to as an adult. Something with a good hook and some meaningful, if sometimes slightly absurd, lyrics,” Roberts said on his Web site, www.justinroberts.org. “A good song is a good song.”

Roberts started his career in the late ’90s as the leader of the rock band Pimentos for Gus. To help pay the bills, Roberts worked as a Montessori preschool teacher by day. He began to write and sing songs for his students and they responded. Roberts made a home recording and sent it to his close friends. One was Liam Davis, a record producer, who suggested they record the songs professionally, according to Roberts’ Web site bio.

The collection of songs became known as “Great Big Sun,” Roberts’ first children’s CD released in 1998. Sesame Street Parents Magazine named the CD its “Best Music Gift of the Year.”

Roberts quit his day job and went on tour. Over the next few years, he released “Yellow Bus,” “Not Naptime” and “Way Out,” the title song carried by a Caribbean beat that highlights people and animals that dream of being somewhere else, such as Samuel the camel who “hums to the sun so quietly, Yeah but secretly he would rather be, out on that deep blue sea.”

Reporter Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424 or goffredo@heraldnet.com.

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