You figure that pop music legend Neil Sedaka could've happily called it a day once he'd racked up his impressive collection of chart-topping hits. Talk about impact, teenagers of the 50s and 60s took to their parents' basements for dance parties that were heavy on Sedaka tunes like "Calendar Girl," "Oh! Carol," and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." In the 70s, the prolific songwriter surged onto the charts again with singles such as "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood," along with Captain & Tennille's "Love Will Keep Us Together."
Now, after some five decades in the music business, a funny thing happened to Neil Sedaka: He became a grandfather. Encouraged by his son Marc and daughter-in-law Samantha, the 69-year-old, award-winning composer retooled the lyrics to some of his biggest hits and turned them into a newly-released children's CD and coloring book titled Waking Up Is Hard to Do, a knowing wink at those who remember the originals.
Grandparents.com recently spoke with Sedaka about the loves of his life: his family and his music.
Grandparents.com: How did your new project come about?
Neil Sedaka: It came from my son, Marc, and his wife. They have three beautiful children. I have three grandchildren — two girls, five years old, twins — Charlotte and Amanda, and a three-year-old grandson, Michael. They thought it would be an interesting project, to change the words to my original rock-and-roll songs so they're applicable to children. And the exciting thing was, I used the five-year-olds for the background vocalists.
GP: What made this the right time to do this CD?
NS: Well, being a papa — I'm Papa Neil — I live in Los Angeles and New York York, and I spend a lot of time with the grandchildren in Los Angeles. And watching them react to music, listening to kiddie records, I was inspired to change the words, adapt the words to children.
Neil Sedaka's Waking up is hard to do
GP: Had you ever considered getting into children's music before?
NS: The reason I didn't do it years ago was because I was so busy with my career, writing and recording records, and traveling. I never thought of doing it until I became a grandparent myself.
GP: How did you select the songs?
NS: Well, I went through the big hits, like "Oh! Carol" and "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Little Devil." Late 50s and early 60s I had, oh, at least ten or 12 hits. So I used those, and it was a delight. I love writing lyrics — they're like puzzle pieces to me.
GP: Can you tell us about your granddaughters, who sing on the CD?
NS: They're fraternal twins, and they think every papa can sing and write songs. I always have them at the piano singing with me. You know, the patience span of a 5-year-old is very short. In the studio, I had to give them lots of candy and cookies to be in front of the microphone. They did very well. They couldn't get through the whole song in one take, so the engineers today are able to loop them and repeat. If they do one phrase correctly, then we repeat the phrase later on in the song. Because for 5-year-olds to sit for two hours, three hours, it'd be almost impossible. The little 3-year-old is not on the record, but he, particularly, seems musical.
GP: It sounds like you've passed along the musical gene.
NS: I think so. My granddaughters go to ballet; they go to piano lessons; they go to theater. They're very well rounded.
GP: Would you ever encourage them to pursue a career in entertainment?
NS: Whatever makes them happy. You can't force a child. I started playing piano very early. My parents tell me that I wouldn't eat unless the radio was playing music. I showed musical aptitude at a very early age. I would say my grandchildren should do what makes them happy.
GP: You've said before that you want your grandchildren to play piano. Why the piano?
NS: You have to start with the piano, which really is the basic musical instrument for theory and harmony. I started by buying them a piano. They were only 3-years-old, so it was too early. But I gave them their first few lessons, and they are with a teacher now.
GP: Once your grandchildren learn the piano, would you put them on a follow-up CD? Because we were hoping you'd do a version of "Bad Blood" for kids — maybe call it "Brown Mud"?
NS: Oh, I doubt it. I don't know. First of all, I don't know if the children will be proficient enough on the piano until they're older. And "Bad Blood" was a very big record, but I never thought of doing "Brown Mud." (Laughing) Doesn't seem to go along with the theme.
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