Sing a Song of Safety, a Singable Picture Book

Posted by: Sing Books with Emily on: March 15, 2011

• In: Art of Singing a Song | Artist Interview | Expert Info - First Hand | Sing Along Tracks | Singable Book Title | Singable Picture Book Video | Song History | Vocal Tracks
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Last year, my husband’s sister gave me the wonderful Singable Picture Book “Sing a Song of Safety” and said that when she was young, she played these songs on the piano.

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Sing a Song of Safety
Words by Irving Caesar
Music by Gerald Marks
Illustrated by Mike and Joyce MacDonald (Published by Henry N. Abrams, NYC, 1989)

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Sing a Song of Safety
Words by Irving Caesar
Music by Gerald Marks
Illustrated by Rosie O’Neill (Original Publication in 1937 )

My mother was right when she told me I would regret giving up piano lessons, because, though I can make my way around a sheet of music (in that I can mostly follow along with what is before me), I can’t read music well enough to sit down and hammer out a tune.

The book is full of the printed music for these songs so I didn’t know what they sounded like and could not find a recording….until a couple days ago.  I was researching “Capitol Record-Reader” (Singable Picture Books put out by Capitol Records in the 1950′s which included stories, great color illustrations and 78 vinyl records) and found a few wonderful blogs and websites that has posted digital versions fo these vintage recordings online. 

And one of the sites, www.kiddierecords.com, offered a recording of “Sing A Song of Safety.”

To download the digital recording of the vinyl record, click on this link:
http://www.kiddierecords.com/2007/index.htm
“Songs of Safety” is listed under “Week 14.”
You can download the songs and images of the record sleeve art.

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Album cover, sleeve art, “Songs of Safety”

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Album information, backside, “Songs of Safety”

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Album label, “Songs of Safety”

A terrific bio for Irving Caesar on a website devoted to his work:
http://www.irvingcaesar.com/

Irving Caesar’s entry in the Song Writer’s Hall of Fame:
http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/bio/C56

Gerald Marks wrote the music for the songs in “Sing a Song of Safety,” a bio:
http://www.jazzbiographies.com/Biography.aspx?ID=76

Also by Irving Caesar:

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Sing a Song of Friendship
Words and Music by Irving Caesar
Musical Arrangements by Leo Russoto
Illustrated by Albert Barbelle

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Sing a Song of Health
Words and Music by Irving Caesar
Musical Arrangements by Sidney Green

A funny anecdote from Irving Caesar about writing one of these songs:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmArL2ABWUk

More interviews with Irving Caesar about songwriting, Part 1:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRKALMOMCO4

More interviews with Irving Caesar about songwriting, Part 2:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbdIv0ttbSA

Gerald Marks wrote the music.  Here is Ian Whitcomb’s 3 part interview with Gerald Marks:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF9eAUL4qfY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEMQWgFSLpg

www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4C07uIg0fA

Thank You Aunt Anne!

Tags: Gerald Marks, Irving Caesar