Children’s rockabilly duo The Roughhousers are back again with more distinguishable and entertaining zaniness! Grey DeLisle and Eddie Clendening’s newest single, “Toenail Soup,” continues the pattern of their previous releases by offering adults a splendid selection of songs for their kids with enough variety and musicality to keep all parties sane and satisfied. Plus, the themes pack meanings and messages well-fitting for the modern children’s music scene. Starting with “Princess Mike,” gender boundaries are broken down in a palatable way without pushing the envelope too far. “Azucar” packs all the sweetness of youth dessert cravings in an artful way that even parents can get on board with to sing and dance along. “Monkey Butt” hails as the ultimate bathtime anthem for kids and adults alike. Now, “Toenail Soup” is here, as The Roughhousers have yet another fun and surprisingly age-inclusive story to tell.
The best comparisons for what to expect from The Roughhousers’ “Toenail Soup” are some of Johnny Cash’s renowned works of musical storytelling. Those are some big shoes to fill, but without a doubt, the one thing these artists have in common is their mastery of conveying a comprehensive tale through song. In this case, the story is about a questionable concoction that dad whipped up for supper while mom was away. With many inedible ingredients that dare not be recited, the song breaks down this recipe for disaster and the events that followed when mom finally returns home. The attention to detail in these lyrics, backed by a lively, unbelievably catchy instrumental, is guaranteed to keep anyone’s interest piqued from beginning to end.
“Toenail Soup” yields the perfect balance of kid-friendly animation with the cheerful, animated personalities of The Roughhousers. DeLisle and Clendening perform this song in a bright,’ 50s-designed kitchen with an enormous brewing pot of the track’s title food in its center. However, the duo has company in this video: a mini green-tinted DeLisle contributes to the story from within the soup. “Toenail Soup” proves that The Roughhousers’ streak of delivering bar-setting children’s hits for adults is still alive and going strong.
