Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is more than just a day off from school and work.  It’s an opportunity to honor a great man (as I mention in my January song) who did big things, and to observe how far our country has come as a result.

I wish I could say that I have a song for this occasion to share with you, but I don’t (maybe next year).  However, I will send you over to Songs For Teaching, where there are quite a few tunes dedicated to MLK Jr.   Here are just a few worth noting:

How do you teach your students (or children) about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his important work?  Do you do anything special to commemorate this day in your classroom?  If so, I want to hear about it.

Birthday Boy

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Somebody is turning 27 around here, and it’s not me!  My husband, Zach, who is a whopping five months older than me, will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow, and the rest of the family and I will be there right along with him.

Although Zach and I have only been married for a year and a half, I’ve been by his side for six birthdays.  He takes the cake for giving the best gifts (birthday, Christmas, or otherwise) but I always tell him that I’m much easier to buy for than he is!  One of the best gifts he’s ever given me (and there are lots from which to choose) was actually for our wedding, when we we were planning the playlist for the souvenir CD that would be given out to all 250+ guests.

We had already decided that the song I wrote for him on Valentine’s Day, Second Chance Dance, would be included, but what I really wanted was to record a song together for the CD.  After lots and lots of coaxing, he finally caved in.  We reworked the lyrics to the song “Anyone Else But You” (the one Ellen Page and Michael Cera sing at the end of the movie Juno).  Zach isn’t a singer, or musical in any way aside from enjoying it, so I was pretty darn proud of the job he did on this song.  Needless to say, his friends and family were more than surprised when they heard it played during the picture slideshow my parents put together for our rehearsal dinner!

I will always treasure this recording, because it’s most likely the only one I’ll ever have of its kind. I couldn’t be luckier to have such a wonderful, funny, supportive husband – he calls himself my #1 fan, though my mom begs to differ – and I hope his 27th year is his best yet!

The Birthday Song You Haven’t Heard (Part 2)

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

When it comes to ending a music class or music therapy session, I have plenty of goodbye songs from which to choose. But last year for Maggie’s birthday party, I wanted to do something a little different.

So instead of ending the music portion of her party with a goodbye song she already knew, I sang one I wrote especially for her. Thus, the “Birthday Goodbye Song” became a tradition, and I have been using it ever since.

Now it’s time for me to sing my last song.
I’m so glad you came today and sang along.
Thanks so much for joining in and listening too,
I had a wonderful time with all of you!

Music time is over but the party’s just begun,
There’s still so much to do so let’s go have more fun.
Maggie’s turning five so we’re gonna celebrate,
With presents to open and ice cream and cake.

Now it’s time for me to sing my last song.
I’m so glad you came today and sang along.
Thanks so much for joining in and listening too,
I had a wonderful time with all of you!

Short and sweet, because by the time the music portion of a birthday party comes to an end, the birthday girl or boy and guests are getting antsy in anticipation of sugar…lots and lots of sugar. And I don’t mind having a piece of cake and some ice cream, myself!

The Birthday Song You Haven’t Heard (Part 1)

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

Last year I had the pleasure of helping two of my favorite church mice, Maggie and Samantha, celebrate their birthdays. Not only did I lead music time at both girls’ birthday parties, but I also made them special CDs with some of their favorite songs included.

The girls’ mom has asked for birthday CDs again this year, so I decided to take it one step further. I wrote a personalized birthday song which includes both the name and age of my birthday buddy, in this case, Maggie. I combined my new words and melody with the classic “Happy Birthday” song, which resulted in this:

Doot-do-do, do-do-do
Happy birthday, Maggie!
You are turning five years old.
Celebrate yourself today,
And all the fun this year will hold.

Birthday parties, presents to open,
Cake and ice cream too.
Friends and family come together
And it’s all because of you!

CHORUS

It’s your very special day
So do what you want to do.
Laugh and smile, have a ball.
And may your birthday wish come true!

CHORUS

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Maggie,
Happy birthday to you!

This tune starts the CD, letting the birthday girl know that it is her very own special song collection. The rest of the playlist includes both favorites recommended by her parents and other Listen & Learn songs I think she might enjoy. There is also a special birthday goodbye song at the end, which again is personalized. Come back tomorrow to hear it :)