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17 Jul 04 - 12:39 PM (#1227678) Subject: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: GUEST,gofolk@earthlink.net Hi. Someone from FolkDJ suggested I use this resource. I've searched under the following topics and didn't get anywhere. folk songs, (any cultural origin) related to themes of: flying to freedom; taking flight to escape; imagination as an escape from troubles.... This is for a friend who's working on her masters degree in education. She sent the following: I'm working on developing a lesson plan for children ages 8-11 (3-5th grades) related to the African folk tale "THE PEOPLE COULD FLY". (The lesson plan is for a course teaching movement and music to pre-school and grade school kids.) The folk tale is an American Black folktale telling the story of slaves who were "seen" to fly away to freedom - away from the overseers, and from slaves who had lost their ability to fly. "The People Could Fly" is one of the most extraordinary, moving tales in Black folklore.... There are numerous separate accounts of flying Africans and slaves in the Black folktale literature. Such accounts are often combined with tale of slaves disappearing....a detailed fantasy tale of suffering, of magic power exerted against...Master...told and retold by those who had only their imaginations to set them free."** **From THE PEOPLE COULD FLY - American Black Folktales, told by Virginia Hamilton, Alfred Knopf: NY 1985; p. 172-173 Here's what I'm looking to stress in the lesson: folk songs (any cultural origin) related to themes of flying to freedom; taking flight to escape; imagination as an escape from troubles.... Thank you for your help. Ginger Osborne |
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17 Jul 04 - 01:33 PM (#1227721) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: GUEST,Sheila Take a look at "Expressions of Freedom" arranged by Rene Boyer-Alexander, published by Hal Leonard. There are spirituals with background material and lesson and instrument suggestions as well as several musical dramas for presentation. So many of the songs deal with escape and the other questions you pose. Sheila |
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17 Jul 04 - 06:16 PM (#1227865) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: GUEST,Sheila I'll Fly Away is a song that I can also remember from years ago. It was played at my Grandma's funeral. It's about leaving this earthly world and flying home to Glory. "I'll fly away, Oh Glory - I'll fly away; (in the morning) - When I die, Hallelujah, by and by, I'll fly away (I'll fly away)." (by Johnny Cash) |
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19 Jul 04 - 03:38 PM (#1229175) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: Little Robyn Any more? |
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19 Jul 04 - 03:47 PM (#1229187) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: Little Robyn Would Leadbelly's Grey Goose count? And the last time I see'd him, Lawd, lawd, lawd, He was flyin' 'cross the ocean, Lawd, lawd, lawd, With a long string of goslings, Lawd, lawd, lawd, And they all gwine quick-quack, Lawd, lawd, lawd. Robyn |
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19 Jul 04 - 03:52 PM (#1229194) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: Sorcha Try putting @flying in the DT Search Box. |
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20 Jul 04 - 07:30 PM (#1230265) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: GUEST,Ginger/gofolk@earthlink.net Thank you so much everyone for your help. I've sent the replies to my friend and will be checking this thread again when I return from Falcon Ridge. |
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07 Sep 04 - 11:24 PM (#1266506) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: GUEST,Lois_Larry@hotmail.com If you are still looking for songs, check out Flylady.net. This is a site to help people become more organized so they can fly. They are currently compiling a list of songs with the word fly in it. There are thousands of readers nation wide. |
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08 Sep 04 - 09:12 AM (#1266719) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: Charley Noble "I'll Fly Away" is certainly right on the money. Most of the other songs I can think of have more to do with lovers, and the transformation of one into a tiny sparrow or swallow so that he can fly through his love's window (conveniently open, I hope) and nestle on her breast or whatever. Interesting quest. Charley Noble |
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08 Sep 04 - 12:49 PM (#1266878) Subject: RE: Songs for children/The People Could Fly From: Azizi I also love the People Could Fly Book. The Grey Goose is an excellent song choice for this request as it referred to how "indestructableness of enslaved Africans. The traditional view was that when Africans in the Americas died,they flew back to the motherland of Africa. As for other songs about flying: The traditional children's song Little Sally Walker {Waters} contain the word "fly" . I suppose that it relates somewhat to escaping from trouble. Here is Bessie Jones' version that was included in Step It Down, her and Bess Lomax Hawes' book on rhymes from the Georgia Sea Isles. Little Sally Walker sittin in a saucer Cryin and weepin over all she has done. Rise, Sally rise. Wipe out your eyes Fly to the east, Sally Fly to the west, Sally Fly to the very one that you love best. Now Miss Sally won't you jump for joy jump for joy, jump for joy. Now Miss Sally won't you jump for joy And now Miss Sally won't you bow. --- There is also an African American foot stomping cheer performed by girls in the 1980s called Fly Girl. However a "fly girl" is a hip, street wise, self-confident young female who dressed well, among other things. While the cheer doesn't really relate to your request, here is one version from Pittsburgh, PA: Group: Fly Girl 1 Fly Girl 2 Pump it up, Keisha * Just like you do. Soloist #1 My name is Keisha Group What? Soloist #1 and I'm a fly girl. Group What? Soloist #1 It takes a lot of men to rock my world. Cause I can fly like a butterfly Sting like a bee. That's why they call me SEXY. --- Continue from the beginning with the next soloist and repeat until every member of the group has had one turn as soloist. * Substitute the soloist's name or nickname. The "What" is said sarcastically. The entire cheer is performed while the girls {usually 7-12 years} are performing a foot stomping routine that also includes handclapping {their own hands} and, sometimes, body pattin {pattin Juba}. On the word "Sexy" the soloist usually does a hip shaking movement. "Fly like a butterfly etc". is Heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali's "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" saying, used to describe how he would fight George Forman in the 1970 Rumble in the Jungle fight in Kinshasa, Zaire. Muhammad Ali won and George Forman went on to promoting grills and other things. Enjoy! |