Songs for
a better world A-R
A
jewel in the universe / Hear the stars sing***
Deep
blue sea
Do
you know how many little stars
Good
morning dear Earth
Let
it be
Little
things
Lots
of worms
Mother
Earth
My
roots go down
One
pair of hands
Our
planet is a garden ***
Our poor
planet Earth***
Last updated: 8/11/2019
6:10 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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A jewel in the universe / Hear the stars sing 🔊 Imagine the stars could speak…What
might they say? Our planet is unique in the universe; we need to look after
it! This tune might very well be a
familiar one and is very popular with my eldest grandson who loves to dress
up as Darth Vader. He also helped with the stage management. It is adapted here with apologies
by Dany Rosevear. |
Stars shine, up in the universe, Shining so brightly, in the dark night. Tell me stars, what can you see up there, Out in the universe, all blazing with light? Shooting stars, comets and asteroids, Suns, moons and planets, zoom and spin round. Great black holes, billions of galaxies, The wonderful Milky Way, where Earth can be found. Stars shine, up in the universe Shining so brightly, in the dark night. Tell me stars, what can you see down here, Down on our lovely Earth, our own paradise? Oceans blue, forests and islands green, Ice caps and glaciers, mountains sky high, Volcanos, rivers and waterfalls, A jewel in the universe just teeming with life. Stars shine, up in the universe, Shining so brightly, in the dark night. Tell me stars, what must we do down here, Down on our lovely Earth, to keep it’s delights? Take good care, care of your neighbourhoods, Wasting less water, recycle and mend, Plant a tree, use clean energy, Travel responsibly with family and friends. Little jewel, our jewel in the universe, We’ve now heard the stars sing, twinkle and sing; We’ve listened well, we’ll do what we can to help,
Keeping our Earth home safe, for all living
things, For all living things. Spoken: For you and
me! |
Deep blue sea 🔊 This lullaby is based on John Bell’s
Peace version of the traditional song of the same name which included the
line ‘It was Willie what got drownded’ sung by Odetta and Pete Seeger among
others; we knew it well in the late 1960s. The third verse is written by Dany
Rosevear. |
Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea, Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea, Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea, Now there's peace, in all the land, And o’er the deep blue sea. Sleep my child, you are safe with me, Sleep my child, you are safe with me, Sleep my child, you are safe with me, Now there's peace, in all the land, And o’er the deep blue sea. Feel the love, it is all around, Feel the love, it is all around, Feel the love, it is all around, Now there's peace, in all the land, And o’er the deep blue sea. Moon is high and the sun’s at rest, Stars are twinkling, the night is dressed, Dream, sweet dreams in your downy nest, Now there's peace, in all the land, And o’er the deep blue sea. |
Do you know how many
little stars 🔊 This lullaby was originally a hymn.
I have adapted it to reach a wider audience and to encourage older children
to consider how we can care for the wonders of our world and our place in it. |
Do you know how many little
stars There are, twinkling in the
skies? Do you know how many clouds
above Every day go drifting by? Could we count them, count them
eve’ry one, Would we miss one should it
fall? Yes, we’d miss one should it
fall, Precious little star of the
night. Do you know how many birdies In the sunshine sing each day? Do you know how many fishes In the sparkling water play? Our Earth is here for all living
things, Food and life to each is given, With our love and care they will
flourish there, Precious wonders of our world. Do you know how many children Go to little beds at night, And without a care or sorrow Wake again with morning light? But our parents well, each name
can tell, For us they know, and they love
us so, They’re our best and dearest
friends, Precious little child of the
night. |
Good morning dear Earth 🔊 A greeting song to help children
understand how we are all interconnected and part of a wider entity. Make up
verses to include parts of the natural world around your own setting. 1. Touch ground. 2. Make circle above head with arms. 3. Place one
hand curled on the other. 4. Open hands round face. 5. Cross forefingers and
fly. 6. Cross hands at wrists and fly. 7. Open arms out then cross arms to
chest. |
Good morning dear Earth, Good morning dear Sun, Good morning, dear stones And the flowers every one. Good morning, dear bees, And the birds in the trees, Good morning to you And good morning to me! |
Let it be 🔊 Nature thrives without our help as
long as we don’t bother it. A delightfully thoughtful song by
Malvina Reynolds. |
When you walk in the forest, let it be. There's a flower in the wood, let it be. There's a flower in the wood, and it's innocent and good, By the stone where it stands, let it be. Let it be, let it be, It's so lovely where it is, let it be. Tho you want it for your own, If you take it from its home, It will not be what it was when you loved it Where it stood in the wood. Let it be, let it be, It's so lovely where it is, let it be. It's a thoughtful child, innocent and wild, By the stone, by the reed, Let it bloom, let it seed, let it be. |
Little things O These
words are adapted from a hymn written by Julia Carney in 1845. I have adapted
the second verse. |
Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean And a pleasant land. Little seeds of friendship Sown by little hands, Grow to feed the nations In near and far-off lands. Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Make our earth an Eden, Like the heaven above. And the little moments, Humble though they may be, Make the mighty ages Of eternity. |
Lots of worms O What
would our world do without worms?! A song
with swing by Patty Zeitlin. Wiggle fingers for worms and make up
actions to fit the words; digging with a spade, bending knees and pointing
down etc. Just use the rhythm of the music
and your imagination! |
Well there’s lots of worms way under the ground, Lots of worms that I've never found, But I bet they’re just there a-diggin' around Way under the ground. I dug the biggest hole I ever did dig. The biggest hole, it sure was big! And then I got to the bottom, you know what I found, Way under the ground? I found a worm to go on a fishing pole Way down there in that deep dark hole. But I left him alone ‘cause he liked his own home Way under the ground. I found a bumpety bug with big black dots, Three pairs of legs and twenty two spots. But I left him alone ‘cause he liked his own home Way under the ground. I found an old sow bug curled up in a ball, He didn't move from there at all. But I left him alone ‘cause he liked his own home Way under the ground. |
My
roots go down 🔊 Words and music by Sarah Pirtle, © 1979 and 1989. You will find many other delightful versions of this song on the internet as Sarah has encouraged others to make up verses meaningful to their own lives. You will also notice differing interpretations of the music. Sarah has recently created a site
where people can hear and download sixty of her two hundred songs for free: http://sarahpirtle.com/hope-sings/heart-of-the-world.htm
Move with imagination; the video will give you some ideas! |
My roots go down, down to the earth, My roots go down, down to the earth, My roots go down, down to the earth, My roots go down! I am a pine tree on the mountainside, I am a pine tree on the mountainside, I am a pine tree on the mountainside, My roots go down! I am a tiny stream trickling down, I am a tiny stream trickling down, I am a tiny stream trickling down, My roots go down! I am a willow in a raging storm, I am a willow in a raging storm, I am a willow in a raging storm, My roots go down! I am a waterfall skipping home… I am the river rushing to the sea…. I am an ocean wild and free… We are the
voice of every living thing… |
One pair of hands 🔊
Together
we can make a difference. This
song is based on Pete Seeger’s ‘One man’s hands’; other words of protest for
good causes have been attached to this wonderful song over many years. It
was Marilyn and Paul Wilson’s version written with Wren choirs in Devon that
caught my imagination. The words for young children here are written by Dany
and Alan Rosevear and the music adapted and arranged by myself. Show both hands, shake finger. Wave hands. Chorus: Show hands, point to self. Use imagination for the others ‘til I revisit this site!! Too busy. 😊 |
One pair of hands can’t
stop the climate changing, Two pairs of hands
can’t stop the storms from raging; Chorus: But if two and two and
many make a million, Then we can change the
world, Then we can surely
change the world. One pair of hands
can’t stop the ice caps melting, Two pairs of hands
can’t stop sea waters rising; One pair of hands
can’t stop fatburgers growing, Two pairs of hands
can’t keep clean water flowing; One pair of hands
can’t stop our cars polluting, Two pairs of hands
can’t stop waste accumulating; One pair of hands
can’t keep the the whales a-spouting; Two pairs of hands
can’t keep us all from shouting; If two and two and
many make a million, Then we can change the
world, Then we can surely
change the world. Then we can surely change
the world. |
Our planet is a garden 🔊
Everyone making small changes can make a big difference. Written by Dany Rosevear as a request from a preschool for a song
about climate change. We are never too young to consider what we can do to
make a difference to the future of our home called Earth. 2 Line 1. Sweep out hands, cross hands at
wrists and flap. 2. One hand on top of the other with thumbs out, make hands
dip and dive. Point to others and self. 3. Shape a ball, put hands to heart.
4. Throw out hands. Chorus: Wag finger. Stamp three times and hold nose. Beat
fists three times. Verse 2. Hold arms and shiver, prowl,
forefingers to mouth, shake elbows, hands to head with fingers outstretched
then as before. Verse 3. Make hands and arms into trees,
hand to ears, scratch armpits, wave arm for trunk then as before. |
All across our lovely
world the little birdies fly, The fishes swim, the
dolphins leap and so do you and I. Our planet is a garden
needing tender love and care, And if we all make changes
we can make it fit to share. No more dirty air and
water, No more dirty air and
water, No more dirty air and
water, Our lovely world needs
everyone, To help and fix it
quick! All across our icy
lands the polar bears can roam, The walruses, the penguins
and the reindeer have a home. Our planet is a garden
needing tender love and care, And if we all make
changes we can make it fit to share. No more dirty air and
water, No more dirty air and
water, No more dirty air and
water, Our lovely world needs
everyone, To help and fix it
quick! All across our wooded
lands the jungle creatures call, Monkeys screech, and
elephants, oh, how we love them all. Our planet is a garden
needing tender love and care, And if we all make
changes we can make it fit to share. No more dirty air and
water, No more dirty air and
water, No more dirty air and
water, Our lovely world needs
everyone, To help and fix it
quick! |
Our poor planet Earth 🔊 Little things that we do can make a difference to the health of our
precious world. Another song written by Dany Rosevear as a request from a preschool
for a song about climate change. The tune might be familiar to young children
as ‘Miss Polly had a dolly’. Encourage children to add their own ideas for
making our world a healthier place to live. NASA has a great site for kids
to learn more about the environment and ways that they can help effect
change. Verse 1. Wipe tears. Throw out hands. Tap wrist
put fist under chin. Knock three times on forehead. 2. Rock arms. Stretch arms above head.
Hands to heart, twist tap. Clean teeth, turn tap. 3. Waggle then shake finger. Put up one
finger at a time. Shake finger. Use thumb and forefinger to indicate little. 4. Throw out hands. Mime switching off
light and cyling. Dig. Show one then two trees with arm and outstretched
fingers. Throw out arms, point outwards then to self. 5. Hands to cheek. Rock arms, then as
before. |
Our poor planet Earth
is getting sick, sick, sick, How can we save her
quick, quick, quick? It’s time to put on
our thinking caps, And knock on our
noddles with a rat-a-tat-tat! Poor planet Earth
says, “Please take care of me! Wake up now to save my
land and seas. Show me your love each
time you use a tap, And when you clean
your teeth turn it off like that! Remember your toilet
is not a bin, Think three p’s: just
paper, pee and poo go in; Recycle waste and
don’t buy tat, Use far less plastic,
little things like that.” Tell us planet Earth,
what else should we do? “You could switch off
the lights, walk or bike to school, Grow your own fruit
and veg, plant a tree (or two), You’re doing it for
ev’ryone, not just you and me.” Poor planet Earth is
very, very old, She needs looking
after so we are told, It’s time to put on
our thinking caps, And knock on our
noddles with a rat-a-tat-tat! |
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