Kids Incorporated - Music

Music

Music was an integral part of Kids Incorporated, and several songs were included in every episode. The shows musical variety ranged over a number of different genres released from the 1960s onward. While these numbers were usually performed onstage in the context of a concert at The P*lace, they were also occasionally used to illustrate a character's internal monologue or conflict. The vocal responsibilities were shared by all five (or six) singers; every cast member was given an opportunity to perform featured or solo songs throughout the course of the season.

Each episode consisted of one original number and generally four previously recorded songs by recognized artists. Artists and songs covered included "Into The Groove" by Madonna, "Message in a Bottle" by The Police, Paperback Writer by The Beatles, "Gloria" by Laura Branigan, "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty by Nature, "Friday I'm in Love" by The Cure, "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi, "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John, "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" by Wang Chung, "All Fired Up" by Pat Benatar, "Workin' Overtime" by Diana Ross, "The Promise of a New Day" by Paula Abdul, "Pump up the Jam" by Technotronic, "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men, "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston, Mr. Wendal by Arrested Development, Jump Around by House of Pain, Fun, Fun, Fun by The Beach Boys, and "Breakaway" by Tracey Ullman in addition to hundreds of other songs over the entire run. The original songs were written by the hired composers of the show. Depending on the year those composers were Michael Cruz, Andrew R. Powell, Craig Sharmat and others.

Due to the age of both the performers and the target demographic, lyrics with objectionable content were generally edited out of the songs and replaced with more appropriate language. However, occasionally songs were performed as written, slightly objectionable lyrics intact. Examples of uncensored songs that were presented on the series include Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol ("The Storybook House" episode, 1989), Seven Wonders by Fleetwood Mac (1988), Prove Your Love by Taylor Dayne, and Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson (1989).

The large number of songs performed in the series, and the subsequent licensing fees existing therein, present a considerable challenge to releasing Kids Incorporated on DVD or returning it to television. In 2005, for example, a proposal to air Kids Incorporated as part of The Disney Channel's Saturday night teen line-up fell through when Disney officials suggested removing much of the music and replacing it with blooper reels.