(Off Her) Rocker

In the waning days of our long, hot, strange summer, Maddie seems to be possessed by the spirit of Jimi Hendrix. No longer satisfied with sweet-faced renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," our Madeleine has discovered rock and roll. She announced that she was going to give a concert. ("Not a big one. A little one," she said, holding her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.) It took Mom a few renditions of Maddie's original single, "Rock it Down," to remember that we had a means of recording it, probably because I was so busy trying to figure out whether there was any way we accidentally let her watch "School of Rock." The visible panty lines -- in Maddie's case, visible over the waistband of her skirt -- give her first music video an extra edgy look. Apologies for the shaky camera work -- recording and laughing are not always compatible.

Just as Elton John announced he will never again perform his Diana tribute version of "Candle in the Wind," Maddie also issued a performance embargo on "Rock it Down" on the grounds that it really isn't funny. Fortunately for her public (and her parents, who are still hoping one of their children will support them in their old age), Maddie wasn't done songwriting. Her new single, "A Rocket Landed on the Roof Last Night," with sister Lauren on keyboards, is about to drop. Below, an exclusive preview:*

* We discovered this morning that most of "A Rocket Landed on the Roof ..." is borrowed from an episode of Between the Lions. I can't decide whether to feel regret or relief that Maddie did not actually come up with the lyrics herself. The arrangement, however, is undoubtedly her own.