The following post was inspired by Thomas Lane and his blue covered Bible. Thomas was the lead intern at Waters Edge this past summer. I walked into his office and made a joke about him reading Psalty. He had no idea what I was talking about. If you don’t have a fat clue who Psalty is then it’s a sign that you didn’t grow up in church in the 80’s or early 90’s. I started wondering what happened to Psalty and then wrote the following.
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Psalty was a key part of many Christians childhoods. Growing up in church in the 1980’s there is no doubt that Psalty made an appearance at your church. Psalty the singing songbook could relate to kids in every denomination. If you were baptist he represented the Baptist Hymnal. If you were Methodist he represented the Methodist Song Book. If you were Amish he represented the Ausbund. No matter what denomination you were in you could relate to Psalty. Who could forget Psalty’s catch phrase, “Praise the Lord!” Psalty and his beautiful wife Psaltina had three adorable kids, Harmony, Melody, and Rhythm. Oh and don’t forget about their dog Blooper who always hit wrong notes.
Psalty came on the scene in the 1980’s and was an instant hit with Christian kids everywhere. His albums filled Christian’s minivans, complete with their wood trim and Christian fishes on the back, with such joyous songs like “Heaven is A Wonderful Place,” and “The Wa Wa Song.” His personal appearances were the equivalent of a Wiggles Concert for Christian tikes. And then without so much as a goodbye tour Psalty disapeared. What happened you ask? Well, that is a story of Biblical porportions.
In the 1990’s something tragic happened to Psalty. Churches were introduced to contemporary music and dun dun dun…video screens. Before you know it kids had a difficult time relating to a singing song book. He was quickly replaced with something a little more edgy, talking vegetables. The Veggie Tales quickly became the standard for Christian children’s entertainment. Psalty found himself depressed, out of work, and going the way of the prodigal song book. No one heard from Psalty for over ten years.
One day Psalty was depressed and listening to Carmen cassetts when he came up with a brillant idea. It was an idea from God. Psalty could make a come back. This time Psalty would come back better than ever as Psalty the Smart Phone. Now Psalty was hip again. He replaced singable songs with children’s rap. He got a facelift to replace the pages with an electronic screen. Psalty the Smart Phone is now ready to make a comeback in children’s programs all across the country. Psalty’s story is a story of redemption. He is an example of how God is a God of second chances. “Praise the Lord!”
Do you remember Psalty? What other Christian products made up your childhood?
I remember Psalty, though as you can imagine not from my childhood but from my two daughters’ childhood. I also remember Music Machine. As for my childhood, I remember flannelgraph. LOL
Ahh flannelgraph. I had that in Sunday School. It always made the story of Noah’s ark come to life.
I had the Psalty Bible. What I remember most though is Patch The Pirate. I can still remember most of the songs. And just as I was writing this, I remembered another big one was the VHS of Steve Green “Hide Him in Your Heart” watched it daily as a young boy. Still remember all of those songs too.
I haven’t heard of Patch the Pirate. I’ll have to google it.
Wow! Psalty still makes the groove in my home. He is still the best for my children
That’s great. Psalty is awesome.
We didn’t have Psalty in our Brethren assmebly in the UK. In fact, when a Sunday School song was introduced that was sung to the theme tune of ‘Match Of The Day’ it caused a split in the meeting……so yeah, worship wasn’t really a big part of my childhood!
T.C., I’m sorry to hear that. What about today? Do you go to a church where Psalty would be welcomed?
That is rich. Psalty is hilarious. I’m trying my hardest to bring him back into style. At least he is cool around the WEC office.
T. Lane, thanks for inspiring this post.
Never heard of Psalty in my life. Glad my kids won’t either. We do have a Veggie Tale cd I was given as a shower gift, so they will know the words to “The Hairbrush Song”.
Your kids might if I have anything to say about it. They are going to rock out to some Psalty VHS tapes.
What about Mcgee & Me? Loved that little comic figure who would show up and teach Biblical lessons. Or the BBC Chronicles of Narnia?
Christian marketing has made leaps and bounds since the days of my childhood.
Loved McGee and Me! Did you ever watch Friday Night Fire? That was another classic that I used to watch.
Sweet memories of Psalty, but like Bullfrogs and butterflies and a plethora of other special songs and childhood characters, he is like the forgotten toys in Toy Story. He served a noble purpose for children of the 80s, but has been replaced with something, no more noble, just more current. I love the smart phone idea. It would be nice if some special characeters could transition into current culture. My Christian heritage as a child was infrequent church attendance. However, I remember crafts and stories read with no visuals, puppets, or extras. The gospel was still appealing and special.
The last response was from Mim, but while I went to church regularly we never had anything as exciting as Psalty.
Thanks for the comment Mim.
Thanks for the clarification Did.
O.K., I feel a bit left out. I have no idea what you are talking about here. Maybe they should have unfrozen my cryogenic chamber a few years earlier than they did?
Daniel, you need to google it. It will change your life…er…your day.
Matt and I call each other Psalty and Psaltina when we walk to the beach in our blue backpack chairs- Christian kid joke 🙂
Katey, that’s really funny.
Yes! Loved it- we had all the records 🙂
Ahh…records. Now that’s going back.
I wasn’t raised in the Church or in the Gospel, so these characters are new to me. I have heard of Veggie tales. Still not sure what vegetables have to do with the Gospel. Weird.
Me either but they sure are funny.
I grew up on McGee & Me and Adventures in Odyssey. Well, that’s assuming I grew up. The jury’s still out on that one.
Loved McGee and Me. It still comes on one of the Christian channels in my area.
Not Psalty the Smart Phone.
It’s gotta be Psalty the Psmart Phone.
But smartphones don’t actually have “smartphone” in their names. He’d have to have some silly name, like the Psalty Incredible or the iPsalty (hello, Apple legal department!) or the Psalty Galaxy. Except it’d have to be a silly smartphone-like name not currently in use, and it’d have to be vaguely Biblical.
Any ideas?
Some Guy, I love that idea. Wish I would have thought of it before I posted this.
Clever! I like it.
as a lot of other people are saying….McGee & Me, Adventures in Odyssey, and Patch the Pirate….also do you remember Bible Man..yeah.
Bibleman was after my time but I know who he was. He was in Charles in Charge.
haha, never heard of psalty, but he sounds amazing…as a smartphone…with an etrade app.
Or how about a Ten Commandments the 8 bit Nintendo game app?
Oh my GOODNESS! I remember Psalty! We did several kid’s musicals in the late 80’s and maybe early 90’s with this character! Brings back TONS of memories!!
Me too. I loved his music as a kid.
Psalty was awesome – the very reason why I remember Acts 16:31 to this day.
McGee & Me and Adventures in Odyssey… grew up on all that stuff. 🙂
Did you ever see Friday Night Fire? I loved that show.
First John four seven-and-eight! I remember Psalty and the shrinking Christmas song pages, the camping trip and when the triplets were born. Some of the most fantastic worship songs I’ve ever sung were Psalty’s. Loved Music Machine and Bullfrogs and Butterflies. Back when Amy Grant and Michael W Smith were young 🙂
Bullfrogs and Butterflies is a classic!
Wow! That brings back some memories! I was in every Psalty Kids Praise Musical there was! I still burst out every now and then with “Clap de hands, stomp de feet, spread the love of Jesus to everyone you meet!” and can even remember the little dance number we did when singing it.
That was a great song! Loved it!
I don’t remember Psalty very well. But I do remember felt boards. Those were the bomb!
I love being nostalgic more than anything.
I remember Psalty and his clap de hands song. I will never forget the Rocky reference in that one McGee and Me. I loved loved loved Bullfrogs and Butterflies. I know exactly where all of our tapes are and think I might bust them out sometime in the very near future.
Wow, I grew up in a Baptist church and NEVER heard of Psalty and I am totally a child of the 80s…I do however have fond memories of Awanas and being a Sparky..”Sparks to light the world” lol!
i was psalty for halloween one year in the 80s. and i was just talking with a friend the other day about that, too. crazy!
Carmen cassettes will make anyone depressed.
I grew up with Psalty. And loved him! Now my kids love him as well. Veggie Tales can’t even compare. Psalty teaches kids how to love God with all their heart and worship Him. Veggie Tales is ok. But Psalty is AWESOME!
Veggie tales is OK (no fighting words here) I’m not bashing them- they were after my time. However it’s undeniable the difference in material! I’m glad I grew up singing songs like let everything that has breath praise Lord . . . Or I cast all my cares upon you . . . Or marvel not ye must be born again . . . I’m glad psalty taught us those songs and we had more substance than : where is my hairbrush? Where is my hairbrush?
Just sayin . . .
I remember Psalty from way back. I’ve been searching for news since I lost the VHS’s when I was 7 (12 years ago)
I am a 58 year old music teacher in Washington state whose own kids grew up with Psalty and even more, performed in Psalty programs led by . . . . me. I had a wonderful time squeezing into my big blue book and gavotting about while my kids trailed behind through about half a dozen of these productions.
I try to do my part to keep the spirit alive by exposing my elementary students to the lovable guy. In fact we just got done climbing our mountain “one step at a time” for our spring concert while my kids watched, helped and brought my grandkids. Of course, my wonderful wife was right beside me like always. What a blessing and a privilege!
Our daughters grew up watching Psalty videos and singing the songs. I ordered 2 of the original videos (now on DVD) and played them for our two year old granddaughter today. Although Psalty still looks a little weird, she loved them and was singing along! We try to limit her screen time, but if she is going to watch something, it might as well be something that teaches God’s truth.
Psalty teaches scripture verses through song I think that proves its validity where’s as vegi tales hasn’t taught that
There are some great comments here. Psalty is alive (I am married to him, or his alter ego, Ernie Rettino). We have digitized all of the music into CD format, as well as videos into DVDs. We are working on a site where you will be able to download everything you want. Meanwhile, The first Psalty album, “The Kids Praise Album,” and the newest Psalty album, “Faith It! God Loves Me,” are downloadable at iTunes.
On our Faith It album we had Psalty become willing to become a download. That was as current as we could make… at least when that album was recorded in late 2011.
We would love to hear ideas for how to make Psalty more current and available to kids today. Our hearts are to help kids and families love the Lord, grow in the Spirit, and to praise the Lord from their hearts.
Rob – I would love to connect with you. We enjoy your blog.
Debby Kerner Rettino
Debby, It’d be great to connect. Thanks for the comment. Email me any time at rob@nextlevelchurch.net.
God bless you, Debbie and Ernie (or Psaltina and Psalty) for telling kids all over the world about Jesus. I grew up with Kids’ Praise and I’ve bought the complete collection for my children now and they love it. The messagenis true and timeless, and that can never be outdated. Good to know you’re keeping well and I would love to know more about new stuff you’re doing. Once again, the Lord bless you richly, you’ve been a blessing to many lives.
I loved Psalty, still do. I grew up in Nigeria with a passion for Jesus due to the albums that I listened to over and over again. I was just studying my bible now and got to Mark 8:34 and immediately remembered psalty’s “if any man come after me”. I just had to google him and came across it. Feel sooo nostalgic. When i have kids they must listen to psalty too.
Even in Zimbabwe we had video tapes of Psalty and Charity churchmouse . I’m climbing my mountain day by day.
Just wanted to let you know that Ernie and I made a video of an interview with us explaining how we got the idea for Psalty and why we developed him. As your thread shows, God used and is using Psalty all over the world. That is amazing to us and we are so grateful. Here is the youtube link:
http://youtu.be/IE55Iwu-PuQ
Blessings to you – Debby Kerner Rettino
I loved Psalty! I have the VHS tapes from my childhood and just popped one in to show my preschooler. As we’re sitting here, I wondered whatever happened to Psalty and when I Googled it, your article was one that came up. We attended Waters Edge so I recognized your name. I’m hoping the tunes stick with my children like they did with me – I can still remember all the lyrics! Lol
Love this post. Was just googling what ever happened to Psalty. Love the bit about the Carmen tapes. Hey whatever happened to that guy?
Yeah what happened to him .Well reading Psalty improved the spiritual and reading life of my childhood.kids of this generation most definitely need a lot of Psalty in their life
I’m in my early thirties now, but I still remember the goose bumbs those psalty songs gave me as a boy…. i would stay awestruck just watching him and d kids. I wonder where all those kids are now and what they are doing.
I’m a grown ass man now though, and i wish i could have back my innocence of yesteryears. Now i even doubt if the Christian God is the ONLY true God. that is if there is one even……bt i still cherish the memories from this group.
-from Nigeria.
Is this true about Psalty morphing into a smartphone? If so, that would be unfortunate. Instead of adapting Psalty to the modern age of technozombie-ism, why not raise our kids to watch Psalty the singing songbook, and adapt the kids to the olden times of beautiful living books and nature? We have become too tech-centered because we have collectively allowed that to happen. So much for Jesus’ command to be in the world but not a part of the world. Time to go back to the basics.