Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
Spring Snow
When the forecast called for snow this weekend, I laughed it off. After all, it’s spring…right? It rained all day long on Saturday, and by late evening the temperature had dropped considerably. Maybe the weatherman was right after all?
Sure enough, when I woke up early on Sunday morning, I looked outside to see approximately four inches of snow covering the ground. So in honor of Illinois’ freak spring snowfall, I’d like to share my snowy day song (one that I thought I wouldn’t have to think about for at least eight more months).
Snowflakes, snowflakes, float to the ground.
Here they come without a sound.
Big and small, down they fall,
It’s a snowy, snowy day.
See the ground, all covered in white,
Can you feel the cold air’s bite?
Making snowmen, snow angels too,
Snow is falling, yes it’s true.
Snowflakes, snowflakes, float to the ground.
Here they come without a sound.
Big and small, down they fall,
It’s a snowy, snowy day.
Make a snowball with your hands,
Toss it up and see where it lands.
Soft and powdery, white as glue,
Snow is falling, yes it’s true.
Luckily, most of the snow has melted and the high today is 60 degrees. My spring break starts next Monday, so I’m crossing my fingers in the hopes that this weekend was meant to balance out a perfect week of sunshine and 70 degree temps. I have other weather songs, ones about warm weather and fun in the sun, that I’d really like to get to. Have a great Monday, everyone :)
Friday Fave: My Piano
Can I tell you a story? It’s about a girl and her piano. The piano came long before the girl did…it belonged to her mother, and what a prized posession it was. The piano was the centerpiece of the living room, and a source of endless entertainment for the girl even when she was very little. When she turned five, her mother asked her if she’d like to take piano lessons. Of course she said yes, and so she began her first of many, many years learning to play.
The girl had lots of different piano teachers. First a whole slew at the music store in the mall, then a nun named Sister James Marie throughout junior high and high school. But while her teachers changed, she came home and practiced on that same piano. She didn’t practice as much as she should have, but she did the best she could. After all, she was a very busy girl.
When the girl’s mother turned 40, her family threw her a surprise party. But the biggest surprise was a baby grand piano, which sat front and center in the living room. The old piano still had a spot in that room, but it was mostly ignored. When the girl’s parents moved to a new house, the big shiny one had it’s own room upstairs while the old piano was relegated to the basement. There it stayed for several years, collecting dust.
By now, the girl was all grown up. She and her husband bought a new house, which had a room perfect for her teaching studio. All it needed was a piano. So all the men in the girl’s family got together and rescued that old piano from the basement, lugging it up a flight of stairs, out the door, onto a truck, and finally into the room where it will live from now on.
And that is the story of this girl and her piano. It’s amazing to me that the very same instrument I once banged on as a toddler will be used to teach countless other children how to play. I love my piano.
The New Digs
I’ve talked about it enough, so I thought it would only be fair to share with you – my lovely readers – the place where I’ll be doing most of my composing, recording, and blogging. I still have some work left to do (I’m waiting on an area rug and there are pictures to be hung) but here are just a few snapshots to give you an idea of what’s going on in my office/studio.
I promise, I don’t usually blog in the dark…
The piano I’ve played since childhood.
Oh, just brushing up on my Mozart.
Daydreaming about Broadway shows in New York City.
Deciding which instrument I feel like playing.
Bookshelf # 1, organized by category.
Bookshelf # 2
Bookshelf # 3 (and Tink!)
A couple of accomplishments, waiting for wall space :)
So there you have it: a sneak peak into my new favorite spot. I have a feeling I’ll be spending most of my time in this room, and that is okay by me! I have yet to reveal the best parts, so stay tuned…
Eat Your Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Growing up, I despised breakfast. I didn’t like eating in the morning, and I could hardly stand most breakfast foods. It wasn’t until high school that I willingly ate breakfast, which usually consisted of a granola bar and Capri Sun during my first-hour latin class. Now I’ll eat just about any breakfast food (though I am very particular about my eggs), and it is a required meal if I want to have a productive morning.
I know I wasn’t the only kid in the world who wasn’t a breakfast eater. You probably know a few, yourself…or maybe a kid who doesn’t like to eat lunch or dinner. Children can be very picky when it comes to mealtime, which is what today’s song is all about.
Eat you breakfast lunch and dinner.
And you’re sure to be a winner.
These three meals keep your body strong,
Morning, noon, and night – the whole day long.
Breakfast comes first, it’s how we start the day.
Have it before school or goin’ outside to play.
Eggs and bacon, pancakes too,
Orange juice and milk are good for you.
Breakfast is the first meal of the day.
Lunch comes next, it gives us energy.
For learning, or running, or climbing up a tree.
A sandwich, crackers with some cheese.
And a juice box if you please,
Lunch is the second meal of the day.
Dinner is last, it’s what we eat at night.
When our day is through, let’s have a bite
Of chicken and a vegetable,
Dessert if you are not too full,
Dinner is the third meal of the day.
Eat you breakfast lunch and dinner.
And you’re sure to be a winner.
These three meals keep your body strong,
Morning, noon, and night – the whole day long.
You can always replace the foods I included with whatever your child likes to eat – it’s okay if it doesn’t rhyme! Speaking of breakfast, lunch and dinner, I need to plan my grocery list for the rest of the week. Have a great Tuesday!
Friday Fave: The First Day of Spring!
I must start this Friday post with an apology – I’ve been a bad blogger this week :( But I promise I have a good excuse; I have been moving all week, and that has used up almost all of my energy. Actually, there’s no “almost” about it…I am completely drained, both mentally and physically. But today is a very important day, and I just couldn’t stay away any longer.
SPRING!! Raise your hand if you have been counting down the days until its arrival (my hand is high in the air). Even though it’s pretty chilly outside this morning, the sun is shining and the promise of consistent warm weather is palpable. Most exciting of all is that I finally get to sing my “spring” song, which goes like this:
Winter’s gone away,
Spring is in the air!
Winter’s gone away,
Spring is in the air!
Winter’s gone away,
Spring is in the air!
Winter’s gone, let’s go outside, it is spring!
Flowers start to grow,
Spring is in the air!
Flowers start to grow,
Spring is in the air!
Flowers start to grow,
Spring is in the air!
Flowers grow, no more snow, it is spring!
Warm and sunny days,
Spring is in the air!
Warm and sunny days,
Spring is in the air!
Warm and sunny days,
Spring is in the air!
Warm days, sun’s rays, spring is here!
In more moving news (I know, you’re probably sick of hearing about it by now), we spent our first night in the new house last night! Most of the boxes are unpacked, and our new furniture will be arriving today along with direcTV. It is finally beginning to feel like our home. I will try to post some pictures this weekend, so until then, happy Friday and happy Spring!
Cleaning Up
Good morning! It’s Monday, but hey, we’ll make the best of it :) I had a wonderful trip to Chicago – the parade was packed with people but the weather and the atmosphere definitely made it worthwhile. It was so nice to spend time with our friends, and my husband’s awards banquet was super fun as usual. We returned last night, and after a whirlwind weekend it was a little difficult getting back into the groove.
Today’s song is another new one, and this time we’re singing about cleaning up. I know this is certainly not most kids’ favorite activity, but a song can make just about anything reasonably enjoyable. I wrote this song so that you can add verses to cater to the specific clean-up task being tackled. I included just a couple sample verses (picking up toys and clearing away dishes) but feel free to make changes as needed.
Clean up time, clean up time,
Lend a hand and sing this rhyme.
Clean up time, so do your part,
Ready, get set, now start!
Clean up your toys, put ‘em away.
Put ‘em away, oh put ‘em away.
Put ‘em away, where they belong,
Cleaning up is the name of this song.
CHORUS
Clear away your dishes, take ‘em away,
Take ‘em away, oh take ‘em away.
Take ‘em away, where they belong,
Cleaning up is the name of this song.
Clean up time, clean up time,
You lent a hand and sang this rhyme,.
Clean up time, your part is done,
Cleaning up can be such fun.
Do you know any other clean-up songs? They come in so handy for my students when it’s time to put away instruments or other materials used in music therapy sessions.
Friday Fave: My New House!
Okay, okay…I know this is not music-related, but it’s hard to think about much else right now! After our closing yesterday (which went very smoothly), we went straight to our new house and began unloading box after box of stuff. I finally got to open all of our wedding gifts and put them away in the kitchen, and it was so much fun! A little overwhelming, but luckily we had the help of our wonderful parents.
Today the painters are coming to repaint all of the bedrooms and my new office, and then next week we are getting a brand-new kitchen floor. Next Saturday, all of our new furniture will be delivered and we will finish moving our stuff in, and we will spend the first night in our new house! I can’t wait.
As for this weekend, Zach and I are taking off for a fun trip to Chicago, where we will meet up with friends, go to the St. Patty’s Day parade, and attend his company’s annual awards banquet. It should be a blast. I hope you all have a great weekend, and see you back here on Monday!
Jermaine
There’s a student at Hope named Jermaine. Jermaine is probably the most enthusiastic student I see all week, both at school and in private practice. In fact, his clapping was so enthusiastic that his teachers asked him to tap his knees instead, so that his peers weren’t distracted during music therapy.
Jermaine absolutely loves music, and over the last two years I have made him countless CDs of my songs. He knows all of them by heart, and will often request the songs by name. Today he asked me to sing the song “I Will be Your Friend”, which I hadn’t sung or even thought about in months and months. But another student echoed his request, so I began singing the song. I got through the first verse, and then completely blanked on the second verse. Jermaine was there to save the day – he took over as lead singer, and belted out the second and third verses.
When the song was through, Jermaine raised his hand. I called on him. “Yes, Jermaine. Do you have a question?” (He will often ask me questions in between songs.) He replied, “Miss Rachel, you encourage my heart every time you sing.”
Actually, it’s the other way around…do I really need to explain why I love my job?
Ten Little Shamrocks
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, so today I thought we’d count shamrocks. If you’re a regular here at Listen & Learn, you should be very familiar with this tune by now. But if you’re new, welcome! Won’t take you long to catch on to this simple tune. It’s counting time, so off we go:
Counting time, it’s counting time,
So let’s all sing this simple rhyme.
Ten little shamrocks in a row,
Now let’s count them nice and slow.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Again!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
How many shamrocks?
Ten little shamrocks.
All lined up in a row.
My husband and I will be in Chicago over the weekend for his company’s awards banquet, which means we’ll also be able to catch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It should be a fun day! In the meantime, this is quite a busy week and I have lots to do, so goodbye for now :)
Boys and Girls: We’re All Equal
Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? Well I didn’t, until a teacher brought it to my attention at the end of February. I did a little research, and discovered that Women’s History Month traces its roots back to the first International Women’s Day, which was celebrated in 1911. In 1981, Congress passed a resolution making Women’s History Week a national holiday.
So that is the background for today’s tune, “Boys and Girls”. I wanted to write a song that conveyed the general message of Women’s History Month yet could still be understood by my students. “Boys and Girls” teaches that we all have equal rights, and that we can do many of the same things.
If you’re a boy, or you’re a girl,
Then you should know that we’re all equal.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, for both me and you.
Girls can wear pants, boys can too.
Boys can wear hats, girls can too.
Girls can wear sandals, boys can too.
Boys can wear sneakers, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.
Girls can be teachers, boys can too.
Boys can be pilots, girls can too.
Girls can be doctors, boys can too.
Boys can be nurses, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.
Girls can go to school, boys can too.
Boys can go to work, girls can too.
Girls can cast a vote, boys can too.
Boys can cook dinner, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.
If you’re a boy, or you’re a girl,
Then you should know that we’re all equal.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, for both me and you.
Maybe next year I’ll write a song that goes a little bit more in depth with this topic. Another song to check out is Sufferin’ Til Suffrage (a School House Rock favorite). Enjoy, and happy Women’s History Month!