A few kazoo solos!
Posted on: November 2, 2011
This girl loves her kazoo! Here area a few of the songs in which a kazoo solo is fun and helpful.
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All God’s Critters
Words and Music by Bill Staines
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, 2009
ISBN 987-0-689-86959-4
When I developed the arrangement for singing “All God’s “All God’s Critters,” I asked that the music repeat the chorus 3 times at the end to make room for a kazoo solo during the second repeat. I’m like a kid in a candy shop getting to kazoo along and the look of delight on faces is so wonderful! Nobody ever really expects a kazoo and a little unexpected whimsy is always good to bring a little joy into someone’s day.
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The Marvelous Toy
Words and Music by Tom Paxton
Illustrated by Steve Cox
The Marvelous Toy comes packaged with a vocal and instrumental CD, so you can sing along and it just happens to be in a perfect sing-along key and exactly matches the book’s lyrics. The track includes an instrumental break, however, and to fill the time, I play the kazoo. It’s so much fun! The kids can bop their heads and tap their knees and I get to do a little kazoo solo improv.
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Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Words by Jimmy Kennedy
Music by John W. Bratton
Illustrated by Alexandra Day
Published by Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, 1983
ISBN 0-439-39622-0
One thing I’ve learned singing to kids is that one must fill empty space. If you don’t keep things moving (literally moving), you are sunk. Teddy Bear’s Picnic is always a favorite song. The music is just so evocative and spooky, all Calliope and carousel, and perfect for its purpose. But the music naturally includes an instrumental break. I tried taking the break out, but alas, the songs misses that music. But fill that break with kazooing and you’ve got yourself a picnic!
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Yellow Submarine (Sing-A-Song Storybook)
Words and Music by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Illustrated by Cathy Holly
Published by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation, Milwaukee, WI, 1993
ISBN 0-7935-1859-8
In the song “Yellow Submarine,” play the kazoo “When the band begins to play!”
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Ask the kids to “kazoo” with you! Kids can make their hand into a fist and “doo doo doo ” or hum into it. They’ll love the chance to participate!
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Related Articles
National Kazoo Day
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/happy-national-kazoo-day-january-28-2011/
OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY: SING BOOKS WITH EMILY, THE CABARET
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/sing-books-with-emily-the-cabaret/
HAPPY NATIONAL KAZOO DAY 2012
