Aris' Favorites: December 2006          

I decided to share in detail with you all for the next year an Aris' Favorites type section on the site. I'll share with you all 12 of my favorite KIDS Incorporated songs of all time (1 per month) and tell you what the song meant to me and why it's my favorite. Let's start with the first of twelve installments, shall we?

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One of my favorite songs from KIDS Incorporated of all time has to be Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover from Season 2. This was a KIDS Incorporated original written exclusively for the show by Michael Cruz, who also penned the infamous KIDS Incorporated theme song and numerous other notable KIDS Inc. originals. (For a complete list of originals to download, please go to 'Show Info' then click 'KIDS Incorporated Originals'.)

While it was always one of my favorite songs of the series, I never really listened to it at a high volume. I noticed the song felt even more alive once the volume was turned up. It's one of those odd scenarios where you see and/or hear something that changes your perception of what you always believed it to be. That's what this song did to me. I had a playlist blaring while I was cleaning the house and this KI original came on and I found myself singing and full of energy as I was bopping to it around my house (Yes, people, I have no shame, LOL). Since that day, I have been blaring the song in the car and in my iPod ever since.

The first time I ever heard/saw this song was back in 1987. It was on around Halloween time on the Disney Channel and once this song started, I went crazy bopping in the living room! I remember living in Somerville, MA at the time and my friend, Kristin, would always come over because her parents couldn't afford to pay for Disney at the time. On a little side note, we discovered KIDS Incorporated together for the first time which was a 1984 episode titled 'X Marks The Spot'. Since then we were always captured by the spirit and excitement of KIDS Incorporated!

This song is definitely the epitome of the 80's with it's glorious use of Simmon's eletronic drums, hot synth lines, careful harmonies, vocal layering and nice use or reverb/echo effects.

You should also notice that this song's instrumental was used in quite a few episodes of KIDS Incorporated as background music. Other songs that were used as background music are Bad, Bad Trouble, Come The Night, You're My Friend, just to name a few!

Some of you don't care too much for this song or think it probably wasn't one of Ryan Lambert's best due to some pitch problems in the song (and that's okay!) but I urge you to listen to a new, updated and re-mastered version of the song than what's currently on the KIDS Inc. originals page.

I'm curious to hear your responses about it after. Leave comments about it on the tag board! I urge you all to share your memories of this song.

WARNING: Addiction is likely from the constant play of this song :-)

You can download the re-mastered mp3 here.

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