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19 Jul 03 - 05:44 AM (#986453) Subject: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: GUEST,Kelsie Just got together a group of folks for a series of informal songfests and we've got a lot of folks who are scared of the sound of their own voices! It's been a lot of fun picking out songs that "everyone knows" or can learn fairly easily. But I'm wondering now what others would pick in the same situation. Right now, we're simply building confidence -- songs that can be sung in unison, rounds or call-and-response. Hence folk... Any thoughts or recommendations would be much appreciated -- there's so much out there, I'd like to narrow the field slightly, at least to begin with. No limitations as to style -- I'd like to give folks a flavor for as many kinds of music as I can. It's just more fun that way. (Apologies if I've skipped any protocols -- I've been ghosting the boards for a while, but... *shrugs* Let me know and I'll do better next time.) |
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19 Jul 03 - 06:10 AM (#986457) Subject: RE: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: AllisonA(Animaterra) This is great, Kelsie! What is the age range of your group? How many of them are there? Have you tried some simple rounds? It sounds like your group wouldn't mind starting with "Row, row row, etc." but there are so many wonderful rounds out there. Try: Hey, ho nobody home Music alone shall live Rounds Galore (click here) is a great resource. Songs with a chorus, where you or a more confident singer carry the verses and everyone joins in on the chorus: The Garden Song (inch by inch) All God's Critters got a place in the choir Rise Up Singing is a good resource for your group, too. Another great book is "Sing and Shine On" available from the wonderful song leader Nick Page. Good luck, and keep us posted! I'll post some more songs when I wake up! |
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19 Jul 03 - 02:32 PM (#986645) Subject: RE: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: GUEST,Kelsie Age range -- From seven years old to never-ask-a-lady. Mostly twenty-somethings. 60-40 Female-Male split. Seven who showed last week, and about double that who've expressed interest. Now that I'M not exhausted, we DO have... Cold Haily Windy Night (well, okay, some of these fly over the seven-year old's head, and some of them we sing after she's had enough and gone off to play on the swingset despite that. We're letting Mom call the tone.) Frere Jacques (French and English) My Grandfather's Clock Hole in the Bucket Lusty Young Smith Roll the Old Chariot Along Rose Red The Undaunted Female Waltzing Matilda I've been Working on the Railroad Some gregorian chants (by special request) And yes, we did sing Row Row Row... and the Itsy Bitsy Spider, too! (Seven year olds are great!) The range isn't bad, but it shows some biases, I think. Some of those reflect the group we collected (and the fact that the seven year old was an unexpected blessing) and all of them reflect the simple reality of the number of songs I could locate, transcribe and partially memorize in two weeks. (Ignores the fact that in the process she forgot to transcribe the warm-ups... D'oh!) I'm ultimately wanting to add some barbershop for the men and some ballads for the women, provided everyone gets a chance to sing SOMETHING. And I'm getting a head start on it while we have fun with the songs we DO have, so I never have to spend another two weeks like that again.... |
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19 Jul 03 - 03:10 PM (#986661) Subject: RE: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: Mudlark Good for you, Kelsie...your group sounds like it's off to a good start. Old standards like the following are good in that even if people don't know all the words they are at least vaguely familiar with them: On Top of Old Smoky Frankie and Johnnie BlueTail Fly Swing Low, Swt Chariot Country Roads The Banks of the Ohio Aura Lee (Love me tender tune) Mountain Dew Druken Sailor Summertime Wabash Cannonball All of these are easy to play, involving only a few chords, if anyone is playing a stringed instrument, and all easy to sing, without straining anybody's range. Keep us posted how it goes. Your group members may come up with more tunes also, they know and can sing. |
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19 Jul 03 - 06:58 PM (#986730) Subject: RE: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: Amos Streets of Laredo Red River Valley Haul Away, Joe You Are My Sunshine Green Grow the Lilies, Oh! Greensleeves are a few more of the top of my head that make good starters for young groups. A |
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19 Jul 03 - 08:12 PM (#986775) Subject: RE: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: Little Robyn "There'll be more joy." Wonderful - almost like Kumbaya. |
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19 Jul 03 - 10:55 PM (#986826) Subject: RE: Recommendations: Simple Favorites From: LadyJean Gypsy Rover (You could play the Boiled In Lead version for fun) Old Time Religion, the original or the many versed parody. Three Old Ladies Got Locked in a Lavatory. Barley Mow, Oh Mary Don't Weep The best singing I ever had, was when the Smokey City Folk Festival got rained out, and a bunch of us ducked under the bridge in Point Park, and sang "Hard Times Come Again No More". Try that. |