Larry Penn “I’m a Little Cookie”

I have to admit—not being hip to the Milwaukee folk music scene, or any folk music scene, or any Milwaukee scene—that I’d never heard of Larry Penn, and the reason I bought this 1983 record is because I saw it in the store (in 2023) and there’s a giant drawing of what looks like a gingerbread man, and the album is called “I’m a Little Cookie.” I mean, how can you resist that? Once I heard it, however, I was in love with the sound, the singing and playing, and the songs, and so it’s been “on repeat” here at the lab to the extent that a few of my neighbors have gotten together to request I “cool it” with the “cookie song.” There is something inherently funny about cookies just because they will cause even the most adult adult to suddenly become five years old. (I admit, if I had a gluten-free windmill cookie on hand, I’d be eating it right now!) As far as I can tell, the title song is about disregarding the flaws in things, I think. My record comes with two two-page inserts (so if you need an extra, let me know) which includes full lyrics—though Larry Penn sings so clearly, you don’t need a lyric sheet. One nice thing, however, as he notes—in a live performance he might accompany the song with an intro, anecdote, or story, so here we get that in written form, and the comments are great bits accompanying the songs. A lot of labor songs, pro-union songs, nice to hear. Me, being a weirdo, find that my favorite songs (as with everything else) are about food, and my favorite on this record is about—at least on the surface—speculating on how a flamingo would taste, cooked “golden brown.” Yikes! Though, he may be (see the notes) referring to “pink flamingos.” Larry Penn passed away in 2014 at the age of 87. It looks like some local folk musicians and old friends of his hold a tribute concert every year and play his songs and no doubt reminisce. The songs on this record are timeless and, I suppose, are growing more timely as time goes on.

3.20.26