Songs for
a better world S-Z
Sailing
down my golden river
Simple
gifts
Sing
for the climate / Do it now
Somewhere
there’s a forest
Swim on, swim on ***
The best things in life are
free
The Earth is our Mother
The
family of man
The
garden song
The moon
shines bright
The
river is flowing
The
sun is in my heart
The
world turned upside down ****
This pretty planet
Tiritomba
What do we plant when we plant
a tree?
What have they done to the
rain?
Where have the seals gone?
Last updated: 4/5/2021
2:11 PM
The songs below are compiled, adapted and
illustrated by Dany Rosevear
*** Original songs
by Dany Rosevear
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To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊
To watch the
author sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved
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Sailing
down my golden river 🔊 One for us oldies in appreciation
life’s journey. Somehow it also in tune with an
acceptance of the mood of our present circumstances. Composed by the wonderful Pete Seeger. |
Sailing down my golden river,
Sun and water all my own,
Yet I was never alone.
Sun and water, old life givers,
I'll have them where e'er I
roam,
And I was not far from home.
Sunlight glancing on the water,
Life and death are all my own,
Yet I was never alone.
Life to raise my sons and
daughters,
Golden sparkles in the foam,
And I was not far from home.
Sailing down this winding
highway,
Travelers from near and far,
Yet I was never alone.
Exploring all the little
by-ways,
Sighting all the distant stars,
And I was not far from home.
Simple gifts O Composed by Joseph Brockett in 1848
it was written as a dance song: http://www.americanmusicpreservation.com/JosephBrackettSimpleGifts.htm I first came across this song in the 1960s; the delightful tune became a very familiar one in school assemblies as ‘Lord of the dance’ by Sidney Carter. I added it to my class music collection from a BBC Publication ‘Singing Together’ Spring 1974 to where it was described as an American ‘Shaker’ song; I have omitted the second verse as it was not in the original version. |
'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down
where you ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in
the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love
and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be
ashamed.
To turn, turn, will be our
delight,
'Till by turning, turning we
come round right.
Sing for the climate / Do it now 🔊 A powerful anthem for a changing
world. Composed by Nic Balthazar and Stef Kamil Carlens for the Belgian Climate Coalition and sung in 180 town squares in Sept 2012. The music is the traditional Italian activist song ‘Bella Ciao’. |
We need to wake up, we need to
wise up,
We need to open our eyes and do
it
Now! Now! Now!
We need to build a better
future,
And we need to start right now!
We're on a planet that has a
problem,
We've got to solve it, get
involved and do it
Now! Now! Now!
We need to build a better
future,
And we need to start right now!
Make it greener, make it
cleaner,
Make it last, make it fast and
do it
Now! Now! Now!
We need to build a better
future,
And we need to start right now!
No point in waiting or
hesitating,
We must get wise, take no more
lies and do it
Now! Now! Now!
We need to build a better
future,
And we need to start right now!
Somewhere there's a
forest 🔊 We
all need our moments of peace and fresh air. This
song was written by Susan Stevens and appears in the ‘Our chalet songbook’
published in 1974 and then ABC schools ‘Sing!’ 1995. |
Somewhere there's a
forest, Where you can stand
and dream, And walk alone beside
the waters Of a forest stream. Chorus Where quietness and
peace of mind, Are waiting there for
you to find, So leave the noisy
world behind, For just a little
while. Somewhere there's a
seashore, Where the wind is
blowing free, And wheeling seagulls
call above, The music of the sea. Chorus Somewhere there's a
hillside, Where you can climb at
dawn, And wonder at the
sunrise, As another day is
born. Chorus. |
Swim on, swim on 🔊 A wish for our world's waters. What are you
doing to help keep our oceans fit for the future? A song to encourage a
discussion of how we, in our small way, can make a difference to the survival
of the creatures and species we love. |
Swim, swim through the waters, Little fish of the sea, Through the clear, salty waters, Swim on merrily. With no more pollution And no microbeads, Swim on, swim on, So wild and so free. Plough on through the oceans, Great whales of the sea, May your journeys be long And your passage be free, From waters polluted With the plastic bags gone, Plough on, plough on, Sing your beautiful songs. It’s the future we are spoiling For our natural world, With plastic, noise and garbage That will never grow old. Please think what you are doing, Keep our water’s alive, Think on, think on, So our oceans can thrive. |
The best things
in life are free 🔊 Appreciate what we have and make the most of our natural world. Written for the 1927 musical ‘Good News’ with lyrics by Buddy DeSylva
and Lew Brown and music by Ray Henderson. There was a revival of the song in
the 1950s by a number of well known singers. Find
out more. |
The Moon belongs to
ev'ryone, The best things in
life are free. The stars belong to
ev'ryone, They gleam there for
you and me. The flowers in spring, The robins that sing, The sunbeams that
shine, They're yours, they're
mine! And love can come to
ev’ryone, The best things in
life are free. The stars in the sky The Moon on high They're great because
they're free. |
The
Earth is our Mother 🔊 A song for Earth Day. “The earth is
not just our environment. The earth is our mother.” so said the Dalai Lama.
This song was inspired by the 1854 speech of Chief Seattle of the Suquamish
tribe, it is ‘a tribute to the seamless web of spirituality, life, and land.’ |
The earth is our mother, We must take care of her. The earth is our mother, We must take care of her. Chorus Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan. Hey yana, ho yana, hey yan yan. Her sacred ground we walk upon, With every step we take. Her sacred ground we walk upon, With every step we take. Chorus The earth is our mother, She will take care of us. The earth is our mother, She will take care of us. Chorus |
The family of
man 🔊 A song for our times - together we can make a difference. Words and music by Karl Dallas. This song from ‘Come and Praise’ BBC radio for schools, was very
popular in assemblies all the years I taught and always sung with much gusto.
The second verse resonates very personally as my larger family is
spread around the world including Perth and Paris! I have very gently tweaked some of the less contemporary words and replaced them with more inclusive language; deleting ‘coolie’ and culling ‘men’! Though the ‘man’ of the title of course refers to ‘mankind’. I love ‘The miner in the Rhondda’ / but if you
wish to be more up to date sing ‘The miner in Wyoming’ as most coal is
produced there. Apparently the songwriter sings it differently each time so I would
imagine this version is an acceptable one! See discussion at: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/676786-Song-hymn-The-Family-of-Man-I-belong-to-a
|
I belong to a family,
the biggest on the earth; Ten thousand every day
are coming to birth. Our name isn't Davis,
or Groves, or Jones, It's a name everyone
can be glad we own: Chorus: It’s the family of
man, keeps growing, The family of man,
keeps sowing The seeds of a new
life every day. I've got a sister in
Perth, a brother in Paree, The whole wide world
is mum and dad to me. Wherever you go you
will find my kin, Whatever the creed or
colour of skin: The miner in the
Rhondda, the builder in Beijing, Those across the ocean
who plough, reap and spin, They've got a life and
others to share it, So let's bridge the
oceans and declare it: Now some people say
the world is a terrible place, But it's just as good
or bad as the human race; Dirt and misery or
health and joy, We can build or we can
destroy: |
The
garden song / Inch by inch, row by
row 🔊 A song for the growing season
written by David Mallet. It has been sung by Pete Seeger and John Denver
among others. |
Inch by inch, row by row, Gonna make this garden grow. All it takes is a rake and a hoe And a piece of fertile ground. Inch by inch, row by row, Someone bless these seeds I sow, Someone warm them from below, 'Til the rain comes tumbling down. Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones, We are made of dreams and bones, Feel the need to grow my own, for the time is
close at hand. Grain for grain, sun and rain, We are part of Nature's chain, Tune my body and my brain to the music from the
land. CHORUS Plant your rows straight and long, Temper them with prayer and song, Mother Earth will make you strong, if you give her
love and care. Old crow watching hungrily, From his perch in yonder tree, In my garden I'm as free, as that feathered thief
up there. CHORUS Just found this extra verse! Brothers, sisters all around This is where our garden’s found. Side by side we work the ground to help these seedlings grow. Water them with love and care, Trust the promise that we share. Keep them healthy and prepare for our first fruit to show. |
The moon shines
bright 🔊 We have
but one life so make the most of it! The traditional hymn is rather sombre
and funereal, based on the brevity of our lives. This version arranged by
Dany Rosevear leans towards the hopeful and optimistic aspects of our journey
through life for a younger audience. There are many different tunes used for
this hymn – this one is as heard from Keith Kendrick’s singing. |
Oh, the moon shines
bright and the stars give a light, Just a little before
the day, The voice of love, it
calls on all of us, And bids us awake and
arise. Awake, awake, good
people all, Awake for the wonders
fly, And you shall behold
the dawning of the day, When you wake and open
your eyes. In yonder garden green
doth grow, As green as any leaf, So cherish, love and
teach your children well, To do good to all
those they meet. Oh the life of a man
‘tis but a span, It flourishes like a
flower, As tender as the heart
into which you are born, So treasure your every
hour. My song it is done, I
must be gone, I can stay no longer
here; Blessings to you all,
both great and small, And wishing you
another good year! |
The river is
flowing 🔊 The source of this song was probably a
chant written in the 1970s by Sun Bear, a member of the Chippewa Tribe. He
was born in the White Earth Reservation in the North of the United States on
31 August 1926 and died on 19 June 1992 at the age of 66 in Spokane,
Washington. Additional verses have been added over the years and you can find
several interpretations of the melody. Find more at: http://www.soulrebels.com/beth/riverflowing.html
and http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=7568.
I have adapted the words of the final
verse to lament a changing world and hope for the future of our children. In German ‘der fluss
der will fließen’ |
The river is flowing,
flowing and growing, The river is flowing,
back to the sea. Mother Earth carry me,
your child I will always be, Mother Earth carry me,
back to the sea. The moon she is
waiting, waxing and waning, The moon she is
waiting, for us to be free. Sister Moon watch over
me, your child I will always be, Sister Moon watch over
me, until we are free! The sun he is shining,
brightly he’s shining, The sun he is shining,
lighting our way. Father Sun shine over
me, your child I will always be, Father Sun shine over
me, until we can see! The earth she is
changing, her waters are rising, The earth she is
changing, her waters are tears. Mother Earth, carry
me, your child I will always be, Mother Earth carry me,
down through the years. |
The sun is in my heart 🔊 A song of hope
to lift the spirits. Adapted, on a
sunny day, from a poem by A.C. Harwood. Adaptation and music by Dany
Rosevear. Sitting
outside one afternoon in the sunshine, reading and in social isolation,
inspired this version. On the other side of the garden fence Corvid 19 haunts
the world but despite such a sad and difficult situation for so many, many
people there are still some positive things to inspire us and lift our
spirits; music being one of them. |
It warms me with its
power, And wakens, wakens,
life and love, In bird and beast and
flower, In bird and beast and
flower. The stars above my
head, Are shining in my mind, Like music, music of
this world, We leave our cares
behind, We leave our cares
behind. The earth is where I tread, Let my feet be honest
and true, And mindful, mindful,
where I step, In every deed I do, In every deed I do, Then I must thankful
be, If those on earth that
dwell, With kindness, care,
and thoughtfulness, Greet every person
well, Greet every person well. And we must thankful
be, As one on earth we
dwell, To know, to know and
love this world, And wish all creatures
well, And wish all creatures
well. |
The world turned upside down 🔊 A strange song
inspired by a very odd year. For those who
have entered yet another ‘lockdown’. While I was
doing my morning excercises someone on the radio described 2020 as ‘the year
the world turned upside down’ and hence this song was born. Celestial bodies,
including the moon and the stars, somehow seemed to gain more significance in
our troubled and socially isolated lives. Words and
music by Dany Rosevear. |
The
moon, the moon shone big and bright, As
the world turned upside down; The
stars, the stars put out their lights And
the sun began to frown. Chorus: Hey,
fiddle-dee-day, There’s
mischief on its way! Hey,
fiddle-dee-night, Hold
on tight! Hold on tight! The
birds and bees and tiny fleas, Danced
in time together; The
badger pranced then fled to France. To
escape the wild, wild weather. Chorus And
then before the Springtime came Oh,
the darkest days arrived, Back
to their holes ran mice and moles To
stay safe and snug inside. And
then along came Summer time, Sweet
flowers bloomed so fair; The
schoolbells rang, the children sang, They
found their friends, played games again, They
climbed the trees with careless ease, The
sun it smiled and watched beguiled, Hope
and joy had filled the air! Chorus Hey,
fiddle-dee-day, There’s
good times on the way, Hey,
fiddle-dee-night, Hold
on tight! Hold on tight! The
moon it laughed for down below Mother
Earth sighed happily! And
every creature, every child Found
the world as it should be! Hey,
fiddle-dee-dee, Come
dance away with me, Hey,
fiddle-dee-fum, |
This pretty planet 🔊 This wonderful song by Tom Chapin
is more usually sung as a round. It is also sung as a lullaby. This amazing song went round the entire world
when it was one of the songs used to wake up the astronauts, including John
Glen, on the Discovery 7 space shuttle! 1.Make a
ball with hands, roll forearms round each other. 2. Make flower round face,
arms make waves, hands together as in prayer. 3. Lift arms up and outwards,
as in first line. 4. Hands to cheek, hold arms, Lift arms up and outwards. |
This pretty planet, spinning through space, Your garden, your harbour, your holy place. Golden sun going down, Gentle blue giant spin us around. All through the night, Safe ‘til the morning light. |
Tiritomba 🔊 An Italian folk song and a cheerful song of the open air. It is also a
popular camp song and I became familiar with it at an International work camp
in Turkey when I was a young student in the 1960s. The English words here are by Fred Rendell. |
Far above us, far above
the sun is shining, As we climb the
mountain pathway. High above us, high
above the sun is shining, As it warms us on its
way. Chorus: Tiritomba, Tiritomba,
It’s the open air for you and me, Tiritomba, Tiritomba, Now
at last we can be free! In the clear sky we
can see the eagle soaring; As he scans the hill
below him. On his broad wings we
could fly away for ever; And never have to
rest. Chorus Far away there we can
see the river flowing, With the hills and trees
beside it. It will cool us as we
rest beside the waters, On our journey to the
west. Chorus |
What do we plant when we plant a
tree? 🔊 Inspired by a poem written
by Henry Abbey. Music and second verse by Dany Rosevear. ‘A child who kneels to
plant a tree rises richer from the ground.’ Theresa Stevens ‘He that plants trees loves other besides himself.’
Find more quotes here. |
What do we plant, when we plant a tree? A thousand things that we daily see; We plant the ship, which will cross the sea. We plant the house for both you and me. We plant the shade, from the hot sun free; We plant all these, when we plant a tree. As those who plant kindness gather up love, So those who plant trees cleanse the air up above; And shelter the wildlife of our natural world, And give us wellbeing and a future unspoiled; Simply walk in the wood and think deep my dear
child, We plant all this, when we plant a tree. |
What have they done to the rain? 🔊 A song composed by Malvina
Reynolds in 1962 and still relevant today. It was written for the protest movement
against nuclear testing in the atmosphere and its subsequent fallout; it had
a particular resonance in the wake of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
at the end of WW2. We should take heed of the
mistakes made in the past and ensure that
we do better to give our world a safe future and to keep the air clean
for those of us who live there. Malvina Reynolds has written many other thoughtful
songs. Another from my 1960s
notebook. |
Just a little rain falling all around, The grass lifts its head to the heavenly sound, Just a little rain, just a little rain, What have they done to the rain? Just a little boy standing in the rain, The gentle rain that falls for years. And the grass is gone and the boy disappears, And rain keeps falling like helpless tears, And what have they done to the rain? Just a little breeze out of the sky, The leaves nod their head as the breeze blows by, Just a little breeze with some smoke in its eye, What have they done to the rain? |
Where have the seals gone? 🔊 A song written in the 1980s
but still very pertinent today. Seal population in the past
declined as they were killed in huge numbers for their blubber, meat and
pelts. Despite laws to protect them this continues to be an issue and
furthermore climate change is now leading to high pup mortality in the
Arctic. There is hope for some creatures in danger such as
the beaver as it is once again returned to its natural habitat. If there is
hope for their survival there will be hope for us all as an integral part of
the natural world. Words and melody by Brian Fitzgerald. |
Where have the seals gone? Where are the whales? That once used our waters before there were sails? Where are the emus that once used to roam The fields and the forests we’ve turned into home? CHORUS They’ve all gone a-way as the sun turns to rain. I live here and wonder will they ever Come again, come again, come again? Where have the seals gone? Where are the whales? That once used our waters before there were sails? Where are the people who lived here before And how is it, tell me, they’re not here any more? |
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