My early school memories of singing start with ones that have already been mentioned i.e. Stephen Foster, as well as Erie Canal, and My Granfather's Clock. From junior high, I remember

Up, up with people.
You meet 'em wherever you go.
Up, up with people.
They're the best kind of folks you know.
If more people were for people all people everywhere
There'd be a lot less people to worry about and a lot more people who cared. And..

I could say life was just a bowl of jello
And appear more intelligent and smart
But I'm stuck like a dope with a thing called hope
And I can't get it out of my heart
Not this heart.

High school brought Bach's Te Deum, which I actually can still remember all the words to! I really enjoyed our choir singing that. College brought P.D.Q. Bach's "My bonnie lass she smelleth", which I also remember the words to, I will admit less nobly.

As a weekly volunteer to my children's grade school classes, I hope I brought memorable songs to the kids. Some of their favorites were Raffi's Down By the Bay, On Top of Spaghetti, There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea, Crawdad Hole, and Ruth Pelham's We're All a Family Under One Sky. Last week when waiting in the car to pick up my son from Speech Club, a few kids walked past the car. A girl shouted out "Hi Chris' Mom!" and a boy said, "Hey! You sang songs with us in first grade!" I was so touched.

Songs are like the best gift!

Rose