Here’s a song for our times. Based on the old melody Polly Wolly Doodle.If you sing the chorus two times you’ll get the required twenty seconds of washing. Wash Your Hands Apple Music With the great Wes Cash on Conga drum. And a corresponding video. Wash Your Hands Chorus Washa washa washa washa Washa wash …
As part of the residency mentioned in my previous post, we’ve now written the words and learned five songs about butterflies. One is Butterfly Wishes by Sarah Pirtle. I’m not including that here. One is adapted from Butterfly Dance by Joanie Calem. The other three are Butterflies, Long Way Down to Mexico, and Changes in …
I wrote this song as part of last year’s crop of kindergarten songs. Tom changed a crucial line to make it work, and in this video he has also made it zipper song with movement. He’s such a master. Today he and I are going into the studio to record some of these songs that …
I am going to finish my recordings made in Tanzania two years ago. It’s one of many things on my list for this fall. Although the version recorded in Tanzania with those fine musicians is quite different, here’s the genesis of the song in an early version, recorded and shot at the CMN round robin …
I’ve written a couple of first day of school songs. Such an important event. I wrote this one with kids from Elvehjem School nearly 20 years ago. It’s in honor of all those kids and teachers returning or starting out! Whether it’s last week next week or today. Here we go…. First Day of …
I was talking with my friend Sandy Byer about aging and legacy, a topic that seems to come up more often these days. We were talking specifically about folk music. For many years Sandy was a singer, songwriter, and storyteller, and I have always found her material as well as her thoughts in the areas …
Jack Pearson was a wonderful singer, musician, songwriter and storyteller. And an all around kind, joyful, generous, funny, and deep human being. Jack died of infection and cancer after a short stay in the hospital. His son Peter wrote amazing blog pieces on his father’s progress and ultimately his death. Jack and I knew each …
In my work I am very fortunate that I get to visit schools around the world. From the dirt floor school in Arusha, Tanzania to the International School of Geneva, which was the very first International School, I see something of the range of what schools offer, where they succeed, and where they struggle. Some …