“One Third Down” Celebration and Giveaway!

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"One Third Down" Celebration and Giveaway

How is it possible that 2012 is a third of the way over already!? This year has flown by…probably because I have been so busy writing and recording all the songs you see pictured above!

To celebrate the first third of what has already proven to be a great year, I’m giving away the MP3 + lead sheet + instrumental track for every song I’ve released so far in 2012. That’s 18 albums (pictured below) valued at a total of $54.

All you have to do to enter? Just purchase ANY download from Listen & Learn Music, whether it’s a $1 song, $3 album, or $10 collection. Your email address will automatically be entered in a drawing, and the winner will be chosen randomly on Wednesday, May 9. Oh, and if I’m feeling particularly generous on that day, perhaps there will be 2 or 3 :)

That means you have between now and May 8 to be entered in the drawing. So if you’re in need of some new tunes, now is the time and here’s where to get them:

http://listenandlearn.bandcamp.com/

http://timetosinghello.bandcamp.com/

I hope the first four months of 2012 have been as good to you as they have to me! And here’s to eight more, filled with — what else? — lots and lots of music!

Costumes on Parade

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

I still remember the costume parades from preschool and elementary school, and my mom even has pictures! I love the idea of using this song to accompany such a parade – it would be so easy to substitute the costumes I used for those that the students are actually wearing.

And even if you aren’t having a parade, you can still sing the song; just ask the students to suggest the costumes to be included. They could even draw pictures of them as an art project!

Come one and all,
Big and small,
Gather ‘round for the parade.
We’re dressing up,
On Halloween,
So many costumes to be seen!

Costumes on parade,
Ghosts and witches walking by,
Mummies, vampires, Frankenstein,
And Batman, me oh my!

CHORUS

Costumes on parade,
Clowns and cats are walking by,
Princesses and firemen,
And Elvis, me oh my!

CHORUS

Costumes on parade,
Frogs and monkeys walking by,
Hannah Montana and Harry Potter,
And ninjas, me oh my!

CHORUS

All the Candy I’ll Eat

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

When I was a kid, the best part of Halloween was coming home from trick-or-treating, dumping my bag of candy on the floor, and taking inventory of all the goodies. My brother and I would sort out our candy and make trades, and then I usually proceeded to eat way more candy than one should ever consume in a single sitting.

Well, apparently Tip Top Tom and I had a lot in common as children, because this is what he had to say:

This is a simple idea that can bring lots of cheer. Counting candy! As a kid that was one of my favorite activities on Halloween.

His simple idea just happens to be winning song topic #2! It didn’t take me long to come up with a song based on it; in fact, I had to leave out a couple verses. I could feel my sweet tooth aching as I sang this:

I just got home,
It’s Halloween night.
My costume gave my neighbors a fright.
But it did the trick, because I got a treat,
Just look at all the candy I’ll eat.

Ba-doop-a doo,
I see some Snickers bars,
Butterfinger, Hershey’s and Mars.
So much chocolate, what’ll I do?
I guess I’m gonna share with you!

CHORUS

Ba-doop-a-doo,
I see some lollipops,
Gummi bears and lemon drops.
So much sweet stuff, what I’ll do?
I guess I’m gonna share with you!

CHORUS

Ba-doop-a-doo,
I see a toothbrush there,
And a lot of toothpaste to share.
I think I’ll need it and so will you,
After all the candy we’ll chew!

CHORUS

Two Pumpkins in a Patch

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Happy Monday to all of you lovely people! Today is the last day to enter the Halloween song topic contest, so I am hoping you’ll do so if you haven’t already. And just because I couldn’t wait any longer, I’ve already chosen one of the three winners…so congrats to Emily! This is what she had to say:

Hi Rachel! I stumbled onto your blog and really enjoy it! I think a cute song topic would be the life of a pumpkin in the patch that gets to be a jack-o-lantern! My daughter’s birthday is Halloween, so I didn’t think much of it till she came along. Now I get excited because that’s when my “punkin” came into the world!

I absolutely loved her idea and ended up writing the song shortly after I received her entry. She will be receiving a custom Listen & Learn CD, and you can too! Just leave a comment or send an email describing your idea for a creative Halloween song topic (kid-friendly, of course).

And now, without further ado, here is the song that came of Emily’s great idea. It’s called “Patrick & Polly Pumpkin” and I hope you like it!

Patrick and Polly were a pumpkin pair,
In the patch sitting side by side.
Together they grew from tiny sprouts until
They were big and round and wide.

“I wonder who is going to pick us?”
Patrick and Polly would say.
As they watched the people in the pumpkin patch
And hoped it’d be their turn someday.

Patrick and Polly were the very same size,
With skin of orange so bright,
Alone they sat while all their friends got picked
And taken out of sight.

CHORUS

Patrick and Polly were the last ones left
Two pumpkins in an empty patch.
When along came a boy and a girl
Looking for a perfect match.

Patrick and Polly got picked right up
By the children, laughing with glee,
“We found the best little pumpkins in the world,” they said.
“One for you and one for me.”

“I’m so happy they picked us!”
Patrick and Polly would say.
As they sat on the porch, talking happily.
Side by side on Halloween day.

Several of my students went pumpkin-picking this weekend, which of course made me think of Patrick and Polly, sitting in the patch hoping to be chosen :) Now get busy thinking of your own song topic, and share it with me ASAP!

Yummy Summer

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

Back in July, I held a contest over at Listen & Learn Plus! which involved subscribers coming up with topics for fun summer songs. The second winner is Rebecca, and this was her idea:

“There are so many foods that seem to be best eaten in the summer at picnics, cookouts, and pool parties. What about a song dedicated to summer munchies?”

Rebecca won a Custom CD for her topic idea. This is the song I’ve come up with using her great suggestions. Hope you like it!

In the summer, there’s so much yummy food to eat.
For breakfast, lunch and dinner or a tasty treat.
When the weather is warm, my belly is full
The only thing that’s empty is the plate or bowl!

Watermelon, the fruit that’s green and pink,
Is best when eaten over the sink.
Because it’s juicy and sticky, and oh so sweet,
Watermelon is a yummy summer treat.

CHORUS

Salad is green and made of lettuce, it’s true.
A healthy food to eat for lunch, and you
Can top it with chicken or cheese, and then
The dressing comes last so go on and pour it in.

CHORUS

Corn on the cob is yellow with a crunch,
It’s my favorite vegetable of the bunch.
Cook it on the grill and season it, too.
Corn on the cob is a food that’s good for you.

CHORUS

Ice cream comes in every color you see,
One scoop for you, and one for me.
Eat it for a snack when the sun is hot,
Oh my, my, I like ice cream a whole lot.