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husband, and I were becoming somewhat frantic.

That’s when our niece sighed and said, “Oh, Liam. Please stop crying. Don’t make me play that song again.”

Her comment puzzled us.

“What song?” I asked. She explained that during a particularly challenging midnight session a few nights before, she’d discovered that one specific song had an almost magical effect on her fussy baby. This one tune would reliably turn off the waterworks.

I looked down at the Lima Bean, who continued to cry, kind of losing his breath.

“What are you waiting for? Play the song!” I said with some urgency, expecting maybe a lullaby or some classical piano music.

Our niece picked up her phone, navigated to Apple Music, and placed it on the sofa cushion beside her. As the opening notes filled the room, she got a pained expression on her face and began singing to her tiny baby boy.

“I know you wanted me to stay, but I can’t ignore the crazy visions of me in LA…” Even though I’m approaching the big 6-0, I immediately recognized the somewhat irreverent pop song—Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.” I started laughing, but our niece looked mortified to be serenading her infant son with what is essentially a song about a young woman from Tennessee who moves to Hollywood to dance at what I’m pretty sure is a strip club.

But here’s the thing: it worked. As the song approached the chorus, I looked down at Lima Bean and watched his little eyes moving around like he was listening to the lyrics and pondering their deeper meaning. His crying stopped, replaced by what I can only describe as satisfaction.

We witnessed the song’s miraculous effect five out of six times during our mid-week visit, all three of us singing along to the crazy lyrics. I guess there’s something about that catchy, rebellious chorus—“Pink Pony Club, I’m gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, I’m gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood”— that speaks to little Liam’s soul. Our niece is currently on a mission to find more age-appropriate songs that might have the same soothing effect on him. So far, she hasn’t had any luck. Apparently, Lima Bean’s musical tastes lean toward the theatrical and slightly scandalous. But for now, a few moments of peace and quiet in the household come courtesy of Chappell Roan, and sometimes that’s all a new parent can ask for.