Christian Anthro Records

By Andibi - February 28, 2022

Dixie Dean, assisted by Auntie Myra. Songs and Stories for Children, Zondervan Records, c. 1965.

Hi Guys!

A big part of my job as Editor at Hybrid involves finding anthro stuff that maybe you've never heard of before! I'm talking about the offbeat stuff, the unexpected stuff! Well, I stumbled into some seriously uncharted territory when I entered the curious world of Christian children's records!

Now I'm not here to bash anybody's religion or to look down my nose at the well-meaning musicians, singers, and producers of these records. They were just trying to capture the kids' imaginations. All they wanted to do was to put girls and boys on the right path in life! My goal here is to check out some fun anthro that is maybe --let's face it-- just a little weird.

Take, for example, Dixie Dean's Songs and Stories for Children from right around 1965. Looks pretty cheerful and the songs are all Sunday-school classics. But I gotta ask: how does an anthropomorphic accordion get by? Does someone have to come along and play him? Does the music come out of his mouth, or from somewhere else?

Marcy Tigner, Marcy Sings Nursery Rhymes. Word Records, 1967.

Here's something that's a little more tame. It's a "Little Marcy" album, Marcy Sings Nursery Rhymes, by Marcy Tigner. At first glance, this looks like a picture of a woman surrounded by toys. But as it turns out, Little Marcy (that's the doll) is one of those living puppet things that seem to have been super popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Think Howdy-Doody or Rootie Kazootie and you've got the idea.

Anyhow, Little Marcy sings in a high-pitched squeaky voice. I have a hard time listening to her, but I guess she was a real hit with kids. From 1961 to the early 1980s, she showed up in a ton of different records. Several of them, like this one, featured anthro content! At least I think it's anthro. We're getting into some philosophically deep water when we've got a puppet who is supposed to be alive, surrounded by polite toy animals wearing hats and ribbons. Are the animals alive too? Are they anthro? I'm gonna just assume they are!

Marcy Tigner, Walking in the Sunshine with Little Marcy. Singcord, 1973.

Here's another Little Marcy record, Walking in the Sunshine with Little Marcy, from 1973. This time it's pretty clear that the characters are anthro. But not just any anthro. These are anthropomorphic vegetables. You'd think this notion would be an absolute one-off, but the truth is that talking produce is not unique in Christian children's programming. If you've heard of Veggie Tales then you know what I mean.

Marcy Tigner, Little Marcy Visits Smokey Bear. Word Records, 1969.

Little Marcy shows up again in what has to be the most mind-bending mashup of all time! Yes, your eyes are not lying to you -- that's Smokey the Bear out in the woods having lunch with a puppet as a horde of hungry skunks looks on. Little Marcy Visits Smokey Bear is all about teaching kids respect for the environment and fire safety. Those are not bad things and I bet if you listen to this album, you won't soon forget them!

Jimmie Ruth, Jimmie Ruth and Rusty, "Special Occasions:" Songs and Stories for Children. Singcord Recordings, 1977.

"Rusty," seems to have been a boy version of Little Marcy. He wasn't quite as popular, but even so, there are still three or four albums with Little Rusty's name on them! There's not any obvious anthro here, but I'm showing this to you so I can ask the all-important question: are "living puppets" themselves anthro? It's another philosophical quagmire, for sure! If you think you know the answer, go ahead and tell it to me in the comments below!