I was reminded about this song while having a conversation about childrens music with a few day-job colleagues several weeks ago.
As the story goes, Alejandro Escovedo and Mike Fracasso led a songwriting seminar for a group of students at the Ziker Elementary School in South Austin, Texas. From Escovedo:
[The boy] thought deeply for awhile and finally said he knew what we could write about. He said ever since I’ve hit the bit 10, my legs hurt, my back hurts and candy just doesn’t taste as good anymore.”
Here’s the original recording with the Zilker Elementary School kids, plus audio and video versions of Alejandro’s take on the song.
Audio Download: Alejandro Escovedo, Michael Fracasso and the Zilker Elementary School Kids, “Sad and Dreamy (the Big 1-0)” [audio:http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/11/1/2169351/Sad%20and%20Dreamy%20%28with%20Zilker%20Elementary%20School%29.mp3]
Audio Download: Alejandro Escovedo String Quartet, “Sad and Dreamy (the Big 1-0)” [audio:http://www.archive.org/download/ae1998-03-04/ae1998-03-04d1t05_vbr.mp3]
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.