VeggieTales: If I Sang a Silly Song … (DVD)

Facial expressions, subtle humor, clever arrangements, and witty lyrics combine to make Silly Songs fun and entertaining.

VeggieTales: If I Sang a Silly Song … (DVD)

VeggieTales (www.veggietales.com)

Publisher: Big Idea Entertainment

Length: Approximately 72 minutes

The Silly Song is an essential part of VeggieTales. Expect one in every story.

What is a Silly Song? It is an uncommon innocence and goofiness in song. If there is a shortage of humor in music, the Silly Song is the exception. Children, and even adults, enjoy the craziness. Grownups appreciate the subtleties; kids the simplicity.

To celebrate this legacy of unrestrained fun, VeggieTales has released If I Sang a Silly Song … (DVD). This is a collection of fan-favorite Silly Songs from the first two decades plus the new song, “Bubble Rap.”

The theme for the latter was chosen from thousands of viewer submissions. The volume of ideas shows that the making of Silly Songs is no laughing matter.

A dapper-looking Larry the Cucumber hosts this countdown of songs in a TV studio, call-in environment. Volunteer vegetables take the calls. As for appearance, I can give Larry and friends no finer compliment than to say they have not aged in twenty years.  

Larry is not one to be at a loss for words, but don’t expect song introductions. Brief telethon interludes separate the songs.

If it is not enough just to see and hear these catchy tunes, you can switch to a sing-a-long setting, which may lead others to question your sanity when they hear you singing songs like “His Cheeseburger.” The menu allows for easy navigation to the track of your choice. A behind the scenes look at recent and upcoming releases is included as a bonus feature.

The look of VeggieTales is outstanding; the graphics and bright colors are a delight. Facial expressions, subtle humor, clever arrangements, and witty lyrics combine to make Silly Songs fun and entertaining. One drawback of isolating the songs from the stories is the loss of the spiritual values, communicated by the latter. I wonder if future songs could have more substance without detracting from their playfulness.

Regardless, this collection represents the remarkable body of work found in the many VeggieTales’ releases. New titles are now being released in the Blu-ray format, which will further enhance visuals and sound.