Every Baby Einstein Video, Ranked

Madeline Fretz - Remember when last year I did my ranking of Baby Einstein CDs? Here's what I said: "(god, I really need to do a ranking videos post, I'll tell you when)." I've had that idea for a long time, and now is the time. Before we start, let's go over some rules:

1. No discovery kits. I'm only ranking videos from the original run, most discovery kits were reissues or recycled content anyways.
2. Nothing from Hello Einstein Studios. These are mainly animated and YouTube-first.
3. No fan videos. And there are a lot of them, from Krazy Krok to Donald Productions. These fan uploads to YouTube have their own soundtracks, puppet shows, and footage. I'm only including official releases.

With all that out of the way, let's get this post on the road, shall we? We've come a long way from 1997 to 2009, and this is a ranking of all 28 major Baby Einstein videos.

Baby's First Sounds (how ironic)

I'm pretty sure most of you saw this coming. Don't get me wrong, I do like the robot toy at the beginning, the flower animation, and some of the puppet shows, though. I get that this video teaches youngsters how to talk, but they use recycled clips from the past 25 videos to do so, which is its biggest problem. This isn't new, however, as recycling clips dates back to Baby Mozart, and Disney recycled animation in their 1973 movie, Robin Hood, but after a while it comes off as an annoyance. My guess is the team at Disney was either extremely lazy or running out of money. If I were them, I would've definitely shot new footage. There is also the narrator sounding out words, which can also get old. With a plethora of reused footage and boring voiceovers, it's clear to see why Baby Einstein enthusiasts dislike this video.

Baby's First Moves (again, how ironic)

I wanted to like this one, especially since it had the moving (no pun intended) Baby Einstein Original Finale Theme, but then I saw how much Baby Einstein enthusiasts disliked it, as with First Sounds - a ton of baby footage, offscreen kids singing, "If You're Happy and You Know It", remixed versions of classical music even though I do like this version of Eine Kleine Natchmusik, and reused footage - it's to the point it's like more of a generic baby video. I get that this video encourages youngsters to "get up and go", to quote the tagline that came with the 2007 reissue, but has its flaws.

Discovering Shapes

Baby Einstein enthusiasts have one problem with this video, it's meant to be the replacement to a much better video we'll get to later that wasn't selling well. I feel like this video would've been better if it were about a whole new topic. I do like the soundtrack, however.

World Animal Adventure

This is one of two videos Chris D'Angelo Productions, who also took over LeapFrog videos, made for Baby Einstein before production came to a halt, and it is the inferior one. The only things going for it are the birthday party puppet show where a frog and another puppet stick out their tongues like party horns and the toy scenes. However, the puppets by Images in Motion Media make look like Playsoup puppets, but they're just so awful. I like the Click Clack Tree, horse, and duck toys, but the rest of the video is just bland, like the puppet shows, they're just so boring. In the end, I'll have no desire to visit World Animal Adventure again.

Baby da Vinci

I liked Flute Concerto in D, the puppet shows, and the drawing, but Baby da Vinci's main flaw is that it has a section on FEET, which definitely aged badly (cough DeviantArt cough that certain Dan cough), so even though I own this video on DVD now, I'll skip through that part.

Baby Galileo

I bet you weren't expecting this one. The other videos were just better, and the last four were worse, but at least this video's not boring. The reason it's ranked so high is because of the cow puppet mooing. I got over the moo sound effect in Baby MacDonald, but I was just haunted by the one in Baby Galileo.

Baby's Favorite Places

This is one of three videos featuring sign language and starring Marlee Matlin, who would later return to Baby Einstein in Closer Look, but it's more forgettable than the other two. I kind of like the soundtrack, but nothing else really stuck with me. For example, the puppet shows are very short and lame and the kid scenes are especially unmemorable here. In the end, Baby's Favorite Places is another video I have no desire to revisit.

On the Go

Yeah, I know, this is the favorite Baby Einstein video of a handful of enthusiasts, but for me, I couldn't stand it. It's once again so boring. I do like the puppet shows and soundtrack, though, and I like that they reused a piece from the Baby Mozart CD as a way to make up for it not being in Baby Mozart the video. In Disney's releases, they went over things twice, that's before and after the music, and it's especially boring here. It's at least better than Discovering Shapes because the topic of it hadn't been touched upon until now, and better than Baby's First Sounds because it's mostly original footage.

World Music

The superior one of the Chris D'Angelo Productions duology, I grew up with World Music and recently got it on DVD. The main issue I have with it is also one I have with World Animal Adventure, the puppet designs are awful, and while the puppet shows are enjoyable, they're just Jane playing her drum while another puppet plays an instrument native to their country. On the bright side, I do like the soundtrack, and it was nice to see Roary again.

Baby Wordsworth

We're into the good ones now, folks. Like other videos, the toy scenes and some of the puppet shows in this one are particularly unmemorable, but at least Baby Wordsworth isn't absolutely horrendous. I really like a handful of puppet shows, and the soundtrack is strong. Ed Kalinis is no Bill Weisbach, but he still did a pretty good job.

My First Signs

This video has some good elements, the soundtrack is fine and unlike the other two videos she was in, Marlee at least gets to interact with the puppets (in this case, the otter host). Its setup is also kinda good, in that it goes over a baby's day from breakfast to bedtime.

Baby Noah

This video uses the story of Noah's Ark to explore animal homes. Remember when I said I wasn't keen on the remixes in First Moves? I liked the contradance remixes in this one, as with the rest of the soundtrack, and the puppet shows were as funny as always. And since a commercial for the Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida plays at the end, I'm CONVINCED this was nothing more than a half-hour ad for that park.

Meet the Orchestra

I like to think of Meet the Orchestra as an experiment. The team wanted to do a video introducing its audience to instruments in an orchestra, but sometimes it can be lame and boring, the reason why a Barney video called The Magic of Music which would've introduced Riff, who would've been called Zack, was cancelled. But this ranking isn't about Barney. The animation and puppet shows were good, however, and it was a nice touch seeing Legends and Lore puppets in the audience, some of whom hadn't been seen since Baby Shakespeare or Santa, as was Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60, 4th Movement.

Lullaby Time

If you're looking for the perfect Baby Einstein video to watch at night, this is it. Yes, it has reused footage, but its soundtrack is impressive, much quieter and slower paced than other pieces, I like the touch of white noise and crashing waves, and the puppet shows were cute even if it was just Baby Lamb. (and his mommy in the credits)

Numbers Nursery

Nothing much to say about this one. I like that they brought Julie back to narrate and write the poems, at least for this video, and unlike Baby Galileo and the 10th anniversary re-release of Baby Mozart, the puppets are at their best, and the soundtrack is relatively enjoyable. I do wish they went at least up to 10 however, but there's the bonus features to make up for it.

Baby MacDonald

The "Old MacDonald" song has started to get on my nerves nowadays, but at least this is an average video. The puppet shows are funny, the soundtrack is nice, and the toy scenes are charming. Baby MacDonald is perfectly pleasant, it's no wonder this was a favorite of my family for years.

Baby Monet

This was going to be a companion piece to the Baby Vivaldi CD with the same pieces, but at least it's still okay. The puppet shows are very charming and fun, and I love the idea of a tree changing as the seasons change, so it makes for a decent watch.

Language Nursery

Yes, the VHS is called Baby Einstein, but I'm using images of the original releases, and this video was renamed to Language Nursery as I Think I Can Productions was renamed to The Baby Einstein Company after being called Aigner-Clark Productions in Baby Bach. Sure, it has no classical music since it was the first video, sure, it's counting, reciting the alphabet and nursery rhymes, and singing simple children's songs in different languages set to random toy scenes, but this was because it was not intended to teach those languages, but to stimulate the parts of a baby's brain that were largely ignored, and if Language Nursery wasn't at least good, there's a chance we wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be typing these words. What I do like about this video is that the soundtrack and toys are really good. I just ranked it higher than other videos is all.

Baby Newton

Even if it's ranked lower than the other Clark videos, Baby Newton still manages to be nice and charming. I get how consistent and a fan favorite this one is. The music videos are beautiful and immersive, and the use of CGI was also like an experiment hence why this is the only video to use it, and the sequences here are fantastic, as are the puppet shows.

Baby Santa's Music Box

I enjoyed this video when I was younger to the point I would watch it the night before Halloween. (no shame) It's a very sweet little Christmas special, as well as the only holiday-related video made during the original run, that shows dancing ornaments, Christmas toys, arctic animals snow, and the kid scenes, which I was really invested in, plus it has the best version of, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I've ever heard. In the end, Baby Santa is a pretty nice video.

Baby Bach

The toy selection in this obvious follow-up to Baby Mozart is quite good and endearing even if they're scary to some, the kid scenes are fun, and I really liked the soundtrack. As I said in my CD ranking, it's a pity that two pieces from the CD had to be left out. Overall, good video.

Baby Dolittle: World Animals

I actually did not like this video at first. I was told that whenever it would be turned on, I would do everything I could to try to get out of watching it. Maybe because it had the warning screen while our other videos didn't? Yeah, I think so. I grew older, and I also grew to enjoy it. World Animals is adventurous and charming with stunning footage of real animals and the puppet shows are fun to watch. They did a great job matching pieces with animals, because the soundtrack is delightful. It's another good video and a must-watch for animal lovers.

Baby Dolittle: Neighborhood Animals

The superior one out of the Baby Dolittle duology, Neighborhood Animals is cute and charming and sweet, and it makes for a pleasant and enjoyable watch. It's a good video that shows nice animal clips, like a nature documentary, set to suitable pieces, so I can definitely appreciate what it goes for. I especially like the opening puppet show, opening and final music video and the credits. I also like the puppet shows. It's a very good video and I like it.

Baby Neptune

"What's this?", you may ask, "a Disney video ranked higher than six Clark videos?" It's true. Baby Neptune is a fun little deep dive on water and its playful personality. The puppet shows are decent, the toy scenes are fine, but the soundtrack is the real meat and potatoes. A good start to "the Disney era", another family favorite, and better than most of what came after (cough Baby's First Sounds cough). In short, Baby Neptune is worth checking out especially if you love the ocean.

Baby Beethoven

I was unsure of Baby Beethoven in the past, especially since it had the cow puppet used in Baby Galileo, but as I grew older I grew to appreciate it, especially since it doesn't have the cow mooing creepily and especially since it was the finale of "the Clark era". The giraffe is a likable host, the illustrations, originally in the book, See and Spy Counting, are beautiful, the toys are great and an excellent fit for the music videos, and speaking of which, I like the soundtrack that puts the pieces on the Kids II-era albums to shame. My only nitpick is that it was released three years after the CD it was named after, why not release those together? (Baby Shakespeare can keep its Beethoven pieces, though) In the end, Baby Beethoven is a good video that I can see the appeal of.

Baby Mozart

You may be shocked that this isn't number 1. I mean this is the definitive Baby Einstein video, one that I told chaseace5127 2.0. was the Rashomon of the Baby Einstein canon, and that's for the reasons I'm going to go over. Baby Mozart makes for a fun watch, and one I'd never get tired of even if I watched it every day. Yes, Bard's scene can be scary, as is the cow mooing in the 10th anniversary re-release, but frightful moments aside, Baby Mozart is still pretty fun, with a soothing ASMR soundtrack, the first video to use classical music. Using the work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first was a no-brainer after Julie Clark read The Mozart Effect. As I said, the soundtrack is lovely, especially the original renditions from 1998, and who's to disagree. This is also the first video to use puppets and they're goofy and witty here. I could go on about how amazing Baby Mozart is, and it's clear to see why this is a favorite amongst so many Baby Einstein enthusiasts.

Baby Shakespeare

My number two pick is Baby Shakespeare and it's so miraculously good. It's the fourth video, sure, but has everything you'd expect from Baby Einstein especially in "the Clark era" - gorgeous toys, a calm and slow tone, some of Bill Weisbach's greatest musical work, and lovable and iconic puppets. Not to mention it's done in the style of a stage play, hence why you get curtains throughout, an intermission, and a curtain call at the end, which fits with William Shakespeare's name being in the title since he was a playwright. Again, I could go on about how amazing it is. To put it short, Baby Shakespeare deserves a standing ovation.

However, there's one more video that I like better, and it's...

Baby Van Gogh

Yeah, I mean it was kind of inevitable. In my mind, Baby Van Gogh is Baby Einstein at its best and nothing will ever top it. From the palette to the screen, it's everything you'd expect from Baby Einstein wrapped up in a masterpiece. I adore everything about it without any nitpicks, except that they used The Blue Danube Waltz, my favorite classical piece, for orange, my favorite color. (couldn't they have called it the Orange Danube Waltz?) It's the closest thing Baby Einstein (well, the original run) has to a plot, since it goes over the six colors of the rainbow, (unordered, for some reason) but it's incredibly well-paced, after Carmen, it starts out energetic with yellow and William Tell Overture and ends calmly with blue and Brahms' Lullaby before rousing credits set to 1812 Overture, the illustrations by Helen Ulan are so gorgeous, the puppets are lovable and endearing, including our host Vincent Van Goat, and the soundtrack is genuinely perfect without a single bad track. (not even The Blue Danube Waltz) In short, I love Baby Van Gogh with all my heart, and that's never gonna change.

And that concludes my list and thoughts on all 28 videos. Without this post, I would've never gotten to figure out my feelings about each video and broaden my taste about what this brand has to offer. I hope you had as much fun reading this post as much as I had fun typing it. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.

Every Baby Einstein CD, Ranked

Madeline Fretz - As a huge Baby Einstein fan, I've listened to almost all the pieces Bill Weisbach and the Music Box Orchestra ever put out, be it video or CD. Throughout the pre-Kids II years, the company probably put out more CDs than videos, and I'm going to rank them all right now. Enjoy, and you should probably listen to these CDs while I discuss 'em.

NOTICE: I'm only listing CDs before Kids II came on the scene, so NO Hello Enstein Studios CDs with badly-sounding and mislabeled pieces, here. The Definitive 100 also won't be listed here since that was probably a digital-only release. Also fanmade ones since they're, well, fanmade ones, though I will mention one at one point, so, they tuned.

Playdate Fun (how ironic)

Many of you probably saw this coming. Out of each and every "classic" album released, this one has to be the weakest. Barney the Dinosaur did a better job than this. What I'm saying is that Playdate Fun has lots and lots of nursery rhymes and children's songs, and, like, four classical music pieces. However, I do like the Beethoven pieces this one chose.

Animal Friends

This CD is like an audio version of the Baby Dolittle titles albeit with mostly public domain tunes - songs about the furry friends we call animals bookended by classical music pieces, but it has the same problem as Playdate Fun AND, to a lesser extent, the CD down below, for there's lots of kiddie songs and only two pieces.

Sing and Play

Sing and Play is full of nursery rhymes and children's songs, most of which were heard in video releases - even more than, like, the centerpiece of Baby Einstein - classical music pieces, and even when there are, they're usually Ludwig van Beethoven's 12 contradances. But unlike Animal Friends, there's a mix of both children's and classical, which I'd say is the right way to make a kids' album/CD.

But what makes it better than Animal Friends is that, also unlike the latter, Sing and Play has some great tracks, such as "Camptown Races" or "Old MacDonald" (the version heard in the Baby MacDonald video) or the segway between contradances 1 and 4 during the medley.

Playtime Music Box

Playtime Music Box is, like, the antithesis of the previous three CDs combined in almost every way possible. It has both public domain songs and classical music pieces, but more of the latters. And the children's songs that are in this release are real bangers, such as Hey Diddle Diddle (the recital in the Baby Galileo video set to a funky backing track) and, once again, "Old MacDonald," and they chose some pretty good pieces, too, and ones I could listen to all day.

Meet the Orchestra

This is the CD version of a video released a year later, and, while the tracks in this one may sound nice, I don't really listen to them that much especially since they don't have the Baby Einstein feel. I do, however, listen to the William Tell Overture, since, who doesn't love THAT piece?

Baby Mozart 2

This is Baby Einstein's only sequel, be it video or CD, and I really have no opinion on it or its tracks, so this is just a default placement. I sometimes listen to the Andante, however.

World Music

This 2009 CD was released alongside a video of the same name, and, together, they kicked off the "World" collection, which also had another video released the same year, "World Animal Adventure," and "World of Colors," due the next year in 2010, and, which, along with the puppet spin-off Einstein Pals, was cancelled for an unnecessary reason I don't want to name.

Now, I know what you're thinking - what makes World Music: The Album better than the first four CDs? Well, while some tracks in this one I don't really and feel like listening to, I quite like the others, such as the funky Purilito ("Lollipop") from Brazil, "Danny Boy" and the catchy Irish Jig, and especially Contradance no. 9, which I'd say is just as good as the slower 2002 version.

Holiday Melodies

This 2006 release is a compilation of instrumental versions of classic Christmas carols and tunes, some of which I don't really listen to while others are well done, such as "All Through the Night," "Toyland," or "Adeste Fidelis" (better known as "O, Come All Ye Faithful"), not to mention this version of "Twelve Days of Christmas" is just as good as, if not better than, the Baby Santa version from 2000.

Baby's Holiday Symphony

A Christmas album right after a Christmas album, and, unlike the previous one, I could sit through all the tracks in this one, though, I don't really listen to two of them, and will say that it has the perfect choices.

Lullaby Classics, Volume 2

This 2006 CD has more composers than the original, which we'll get to later, and some of the tracks are pretty soothing, but, like the next CD, others don't really have the "bedtime" feel, in my opinion, like Waldszenen.

Lullaby Collection

This is one of two CDs released by Scholastic as part of the Playful Discoveries collection (which I remember was a part of Earlymoments), and is the inferior of them. I know I'm certainly one for calming music, and, this CD chose 4 perfect songs for winding down, though the odd one out is Piano Sonata no. 120 since I don't think it's soothing enough.

Classical Collection

This is the other Playful Discoveries CD, and is the superior one out of the two. However, I have nothing much to say about this release from Scholastic, it's just that it's a perfect mix between upbeat and calm songs and they chose the perfect ones.

Naptime Melodies

Nothing much to say about this one, it's like a 2009 version of another CD we'll get to later on in this list, but, still, the tracks are, as the title suggests, perfect for naptime, nighttime, or relaxation for when you're having a rough time.

Baby Santa

Last Christmas CD, I promise. As the title suggests, this is the audio version of the 2000 video, Baby Santa's Music Box, which was also the company's only Christmas video release, except the CD has more tracks.

(Boo-ing)

Hey, it's true, and, thus, this is probably my favorite out of the Christmas CDs. I especially like the usage of tracks from non-Christmassy releases that I'd say are perfect for the holiday season or wintertime. The world music (no relation) versions of the tracks heard previously are pretty spot on, even if I don't listen to them either that much or at all, especially the reggae "Joy to the World" and the Caribbean "Twelve Days of Christmas."

Classical Animals

This CD was released alongside the Baby Dolittle duology, Neighborhood Animals and World Animals (and the accompanying discovery cards), in 2001, so, before the mouse (and I don't mean Misty or Violet) came on the scene. Both videos have nice pieces which made it here, and I especially like that they included tracks not in the videos but should have been, but there's a piece called "Jack's Music Shop" (after Jack Moss, who sang "Deep Blue Sea" and the original "I Know My Shapes" in Baby Newton?) which is just kids laughing. Whose idea was it to include THAT in a classical music CD?

Traveling Melodies

We're at the really good ones, now, folks! Traveling Melodies is a CD that's full of really great tracks, despite almost all of them being from previous CDs or videos. Speaking of videos, this CD is like On the Go, released the same year in 2005, except I'd say this one is even better. From the Bartered Bride overture to the Language Nursery lullaby, Traveling Melodies has songs that are perfect for any kind of trip - car, train, plane, you name it - it's even there in the cover art!

Baby Noah

Like Baby Santa and World Music, this CD is a tie-in to a video of the same name but with more tracks, even ones from other videos, like Baby Beethoven. What I like about the Baby Noah CD is that they give the classical music pieces titles I think are perfect, and you can actually picture the scenarios described while you're listening. I'd say it's probably even better than the video. Go check it out if you have a chance!

Baby Galileo

What I like about the CD version of the 2003 video it was released alongside is that it has two different sections - "the day sky suite" for songs that suit the sunny sky and "the night sky suite" for songs that suit a starry night, and almost all the tracks in this one are pretty chill and relaxing.

Onto the negatives. What puzzles me about this release is that the Blue Danube Waltz is with the night songs, shouldn't it be with the day ones since it better suits daylight? If I made this album, I'd have my favorite classical music piece (even if I don't listen to it as much as others) and Nocturne in Eb No. 2, which is at the end of the video version when it's night and everything is winding down, better suits the nighttime sky, swap places.

Wake Up and Goodnight

This CD is like Baby Galileo (the CD, not the video), except I'd say IT's even better, and will say they chose the perfect songs for each time of day - upbeat songs for the daytime and calming songs for the night.

Baby Vivaldi

This CD was released in 2002 alongside Baby Newton, and did you know that it was going to get a video that year about the seasons (so was Newton going to have different composers?), except, after Julie left, Disney gave us "Baby Monet" instead. Unlike other post-Baby MacDonald Disney videos, I'm fond of Baby Monet since it was my first Baby Einstein video (and my first piece of kids' media in general), but if we did end up getting the Baby Vivaldi video, it'd be just as good (god, I really need to do a ranking videos post, I'll tell you when).

Anyways, back to the CD.

I put Baby Vivaldi here since I don't really listen to its tracks, except for maybe the second movement of "Autumn" even when it's not said season. Despite mainly featuring tracks heard in Baby Newton and/or Monet as well as ones heard in neither, I also like how they included Double Trumpet Concerto in C from Neighborhood Animals, which was also in another release we'll get to later, since that was also a Vivaldi track.

Music Box Orchestra

Music Box Orchestra reuses tracks from previous releases, and all of them are pretty good. What I also like about this CD is that they have some Mozart songs from Baby Mozart followed by some Bach songs from Baby Bach, Beethoven songs from Baby Beethoven, and then four tracks from three other composers, going out quietly with Chopin's "Nocturne" from Baby Galileo. If you ask me, that's a genius way to do a Baby Einstein CD!

Playtime Classics

Along with another CD we'll get to later, Playtime Classics was released by Huggies in 2001 and features pieces from the Baby Mozart and Bach CDs and the then-upcoming Baby Vivaldi, and, boy, despite being the inferior (meaning my least favorite) of the two Huggies releases, did this one choose the perfect tunes, AKA the ones I like to listen to the best (aside from two tracks in the Baby Bach CD which I'd say are the definitive listens)? As I was saying, this CD has pieces from Baby Vivaldi, which I put it under since the latter has tracks, say it with me, guys, I don't really listen to.

Classical Collection

This CD is the superior of the two Huggies releases, and includes tracks from three videos released by then - Baby Van Gogh, Neighborhood Animals, and World Animals. However, unlike Playtime Classics, I don't have much to say about Classical Collection, except this one has a nice array of pieces.

Art Time Classics

This is, like, the CD version of Baby Van Gogh, despite having a different title, and I really like the tracks featured, most of which were heard in the aforementioned video, but it also has those from future titles, too, like World Animals, and CD-exclusives, like. I believe every Baby Einstein fan should listen to this CD, because it's, like, a masterpiece, not to mention the tracks are perfect for listening to when you're working on any type of project (like how I put on YouTube videos for background noise).

Baby Neptune

This is the CD version of the video of the same name it was released alongside, and includes tracks from that as well as those not heard in it but were perfect. That's the reason it's one of the best, along with the fact that I listen to it (well, the Hello Enstein Studios re-release on the Apple Music app on my Yo Gabba Gabba! iPhone) on the way to Cape Charles each August (formerly June or July, but changed to by the end of vacation, for some reason). Even if you're mainly a Clark era fan, give this CD a listen, if you will, because it has tracks you'll love.

Baby Mozart

The tracks in this both this release and the video of the same name are really, really nice, no wonder the video is the favorite of so many Baby Einstein fans/enthusiasts. I also feel like the two tracks that weren't in this video should have been in it (though one was in On the Go, which wouldn't be released until seven years later), and I do remember seeing Baby Einstein Red Box Productions (then Mary the Blue Tit Bird) making a video version of the other one using clips from the Baby Mozart vid on her old acconut. The tracks were re-done in 2000, though I prefer the previous version of Papageno's Aria (the "Meet and Greet" part). As for the rest, I haven't listened to them (meaning the 1998 versions) that much.

Baby Bach

Why do I like the CD version of Baby Bach more than the Baby Mozart CD? Well, it's because it has pieces I listen to frequently. I especially like to listen to Flute Sonata in E and Brandenburg Concerto no. 6, which, along with Badinerie, I feel should've been in the Baby Bach video (though they sound more Baby da Vinci-esque and the former was in Baby's First Moves). Two Part Inventions no.1 also wasn't in the video, though I recall Mary the Blue Tit Bird making a video version with the spinning bear toy from Baby Wordsworth. The original version, released after the video but the same year in 1998, had different-sounding versions of the tracks, which I don't have an opinion on, since, I didn't really listen to them.

Bedtime/Lullaby Classics

This CD was originally released in 1999, alongside Baby Shakespeare, the Baby Webster discovery cards, and the Baby Beethoven CD, and initially had tracks from the Baby Mozart, Baby Bach, and Baby Beethoven CDs, though, when Baby MacDonald was released in 2004, it was re-released with the same tracks and two new ones from the aforementioned video. As I said previously in this post, I love, love, LOVE (sorry) calming music and listen to calming Baby Einstein music whenever I have a rough day (I also take meditating baths with the Fanfun YouTube video "Sweet Dreams" on as background noise), and will say that this is the definitive Baby Einstein calming CD, especially since it was the first one released and it also has the best tracks.

Baby Beethoven

Now, as I was saying, the Baby Beethoven CD was released alongside Baby Shakespeare, though, a few months, prior, but three years before its video namesake. You may be asking why it's #1 here, and that's because it's perfect, for all of the tracks in this one are great or spot-on. I do, however, wish the tracks that weren't in any video (like Sonata no. 2) were in videos.

And there you have it, reviews of all 29 "classic" CDs and how I see them - from children's songs overshadowing classical pieces to cozy Christmas collections, calming classics to the best of a single composer. What's your favorite Baby Einstein CD and how do you rank all 29 of them? Let me know in the comments, and I'll see you next time.