Archive for February 26th, 2011
This kids in Mrs. Morgan’s class could just about perform a concert all their own. It is so fun to sing-along with them.
Here’s the song stack from today:
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Both Sides Now
Words and Music by Joni Mitchell
Illustrated by Alan Baker
This is a brand new one for me. It was offered by an online bookseller and arrived just the other day. The pictures are wonderful, the message so beautifully put forward, the words are juicy, and that music takes me back. The words exactly match both Joni Mitchell’s recording as well as Judy Collins’ (although, Ms. Collins does not repeat the last chorus for which there is a lovely page in the book). I got two karaoke tracks one to match the styles each of Ms. Mitchell (very slow with guitar) and Ms. Collins (very “Pippin” sounding with synthesized harpsichord – or is that a clavichord? - and much faster). For today, I chose to sing with the Collins accompaniment since it is more upbeat. The track for Mitchell’s guitar accompaniment is beautiful, but I would have whimpered my way through the whole thing! I never want to sing LIKE the another singer, even if a karaoke track is played to match a particular singer’s style. Even in that context, I believe each singer can make the song her own. It was fun to start a journey with this song singing with this lovely book and fun to introduce an American Folk Standard to a this great group of kids who had never heard the song before.
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Ballad of Valentine
Sing to the Tune of “Oh My Darlin’ Clementine”
Words Adapted by Alison Jackson
Illustrated by Tricia Tusa
“Ballad of Valentine” is another new one to me. My daughter Eloise said, “This book is a song…” And a much better rendition for the “Clementine” tune than the original, which is really a rather depressing story. This one, though, is delightful and has a real nice happy ending.
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Five Green and Speckled Frogs (Sing and Read Storybook)
Traditional Words and Tune
Illustrated by Constanza Basaluzzo
We enjoyed a lot of “newness” today. This book arrived the other day as well. It was a fun find because, when they were pre-schoolers, the kids and I often enjoyed singing this song with Raffi as we drove around town. This one brings back some happy memories, too.
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Sunshine on My Shoulders
Words by John Denver
Music by John Denver, Mike Taylor & Dick Kniss
Illustrated by Christopher Canyon
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New York State of Mind
Words and Music by Billy Joel
Illustrated by IZAK
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Late for School
Words and Music by Steve Martin
Illustrated by C.F. Payne
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A Children’s Treasury of Poems
Words and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by Linda Bleck
This compilation includes:
“How Doth the Little Crocodile” (Words by Lewis Carroll)
“Little Turtle” (Poem by Vachel Lindsay, Traditional Tune)
“The Swing” (Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Traditional Tune)
