A clip of a baby playing with a bell, from a child-development film produced by Dr. Arnold Gesell in 1945. Gesell’s work plays an important part in this story.

Songs In The Key Of Baby

Pondering the unusual association serious electronic composers had with children’s music in the 1960s — especially Raymond Scott.

It may be the greatest song that most people have heard but are completely unaware has a name.

You’ve most assuredly heard it thousands of times — most likely as a child watching the Cartoon Network or Boomerang, especially during toons well into their vintage.

I promise you, you have heard this song before.

It is called “Powerhouse,” and it is by a composer named Raymond Scott. Despite the Looney Tunes pedigree, Scott is arguably one of the most important composers of the 20th century — in part because of his ambitious experimentation, which took on an electronic timbre with age.

I’d like to talk a little more about how Scott, along with a fellow traveler of his, found themselves making music for children — in Scott’s case, babies. Really.