When I went into the Fisher Price area of Mattel’s large booth at the Toy Fair, I was sure I was in the wrong place. An insane screeching pierced my eardrums there, a howling so unearthly that I needed to go, to run as fast and as far as I could. I steeled myself and soldiered on. Before me I found the Sing-A-Ma-Jigs, sirens of such evil that I could barely contain my bile… until I realized they were singing, not screaming.
Such music! Such harmony! Like plush Beach Boys, these tiny rag dolls sang widly and free, routing sorrow from the corners of my heart. Sure they could only play public domain hits like “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In,” but I could imagine these little fellows under a tree in the Old South, signing some Stephen Foster hits as the sun goes down over the Sawanee. In fact, they could probably drive off old Patch himself, so variegated and sweet their song.
These little guys are $12.99 and sing a note every time you squeeze them. When you get a few of them together you can make them sing with each other, which is kind of fun, although you may want to sit down with the kids one night and just sing these same songs with your own high, clear voices, just like the Carter Family used to do on the farm. Barring that, have your nanny do it.