I used to use "Step by step" as a lullaby. Remember, little kids like repetition, humor, rhythm, drama, and easily singable melodies. If there are too many words for them to sing 'em all, they like to be able to come back with a short, snappy refrain. Whether a song applies to our own historical period may not make much difference to them. They might love Woody's Ya gotta Go Down and Join the Union, Goin' Down the Road, Do Re Mi, I Ain't got no home, or his Union Maids.

Charlie King has written quite a few about our current situation: Buy This American Car, Didn't You Eat on Tuesday?, Mi Re Do, We Just Come to Work Here, Eight Hours, Bring Back the 8 Hour Day, Our Life is More than Our Work, Taft-Hartley.

Kids also like songs that tell stories, so consider So Long, It's been Good to Know Ya, Leon Rosselson's The World Turned Upside Down, etc. Sweet Honey in the Rock do one about the hazards of the modern workplace, and another about how our clothes are mostly made in 3rd world countries.

Utah Phillips does many good songs, from the old IWW songs, by Joe Hill and others, like Preacher and the Slave, which are certainly VERY singable, to his own All Used Up. Si Kahn wrote Aragon Mill, Runaway Shop Song, Steven's Don't Allow..., and Go to Work on Monday.

There's Fred Small's 59 Cents, James Taylor's Millworker, Hazel Dicken's Working Girl Blues, Paxton's I'm changing my name to Chrysler, etc. There are also songs from the depression, and older songs, like Big Rock candy Mountain, Brother Can You spare a dime, Work o' the Weavers, Which Side Are you on, Paddy's Sick Note, Roll the Union On, Banks of Marble, The Man that Waters the Workers Beer, Nobody knows you when you're down and out.

There were also good songs from the Folkscare of the 60's: Ochs There but for Fortune; Satisfied Mind, Tramp on the Street, Malvina Reynolds' We Hate to See them Go.

These should get you started!!!

Mary McCaffrey