Songs for a better world D-G

Deep blue sea

Do you know how many little stars

Dotty doodles

Earth we thank thee

Earth’s gift

Every little bird

Everybody smiles in the same language

Feel the wind blow

Free as a bird

Get ready for fun

Glad that I live am I

Glad to see you and welcome

Good morning dear Earth

Green lanes

Last updated: 8/14/2023 8:02 AM

The songs below are compiled and adapted by Dany Rosevear

*** Original songs by Dany Rosevear

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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,

Now there's peace, in all the land,

And o’er the deep blue sea.

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,

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.

Dotty doodles 🔊

Follow your creative imagination.

A friend brought to my attention that September 15^th-ish is ‘International Dot Day’ formed to celebrate creativity, boost confidence and encourage collaboration.

Read the inspiration for ‘International Dot Day’ "The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6henYcm9wfo

Having written the song ‘Step by step’ Step by step - get up and go, one step is just the first step in all that you do - YouTube recently about physical effort and its application to other tasks that require perseverance and overcoming difficulties, I realized this form could be easily adapted to compose a song about artistic enjoyment and endeavour. Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

One dot, two dots, three dots, four,

Five dots, six dots, seven and more.

Make a little dot, be brave and true,

What will you do next? Well, it’s up to you!

One line, two lines, three lines, four,

Five lines, six lines, seven and more.

Squiggle them around, let them walk or run,

Paint, finger, crayon? You can use each one!

One smudge, two smudges, three smudges, four,

Five smudges, six smudges, seven and more.

Dab them here and there, make an animal zoo,

It might be very messy! But such fun to do.

Dot, smudge or line, just make your mark,

Follow your feelings and listen to the lark;

Free up your mind, swoop high, swoop low,

Keep art close to your heart, wherever you might go!

Earth we thank thee 🔊

Giving thanks in of the Earth's bounty.

Written by Rebecca Weston in 1890; how the world has changed since then.

Earth, we thank thee for the night,

And for the pleasant morning light;

For rest and food and loving care,

And all that makes the day so fair.

Help us to do the things we should,

To be to others kind and good;

In all we do, in work or play,

To grow more loving every day.

Earth’s gift 🔊

Treat our Earth as kindly as she treats us.

We have a duty of care to our wonderful Earth as she has given so much to the life that lives there.

Make two lists, what Earth gives us in order to live healthy and worthwhile lives and what we need to do to make sure this continues to happen, not just for us but for other flora and fauna in our natural world as our lives are so intricately intertwined.

We’ve gotta wake up, up, up,

And look all around, round, round,

The world is a-changing,

Hear the warning bells sound, sound, sound.

The Earth she treats us with kindness,

The Earth she treats us with care,

Makes sure we have all the things we need:

Fresh water, food and clean air.

So we’re gonna step up, up, up,

Not let our world down, down, down,

We’ll treat the Earth kindly,

Lightly tread on its ground, ground, ground.

Yes, we’ll treat the Earth with great kindness,

We’ll treat the Earth with great care,

To show how we love her gift to us,

A home so wondrous and rare,

A home so precious and fair,

This loving home we all share.

Every little bird 🔊

Heed the call of the wild.

All creatures, great and small, have the same basic needs: shelter, air to breathe, food and water and these the Earth provides. But it is us and only us, the human beings, that can ensure that these resources continue to be available to life on our planet and who can maintain nature’s natural balance to ensure the survival of life as we know it.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Every little bird needs a home to live in,

A hedge or tree will do;

A place that is safe, a place to rest,

Just like me and you!

Chorus:

Hear the birds of the air sing a song and a prayer,

“Help our world to thrive and grow;

Be caring my child, heed the call of the wild,

Love and cherish this one Earth we know!”

Every little bird needs the air to roam in,

Rain or shine will do;

Air that is safe, air that’s clean,

Just like me and you! Chorus

Every little bird needs to drink fresh water,

A pond or stream will do;

Water that is safe, water that’s clean,

Just like me and you! Chorus

Every little bird needs food to live on,

A snail or worm will do;

Food that is safe, food that’s fresh,

Just like me and you! Chorus

Everybody smiles in the same language 🔊

We can all do it! There are so many reasons to smile, the main one being the connection we form with those around us, it brings us together and is an effective way to communicate.

It is also a mood booster, contagious and good for our health and well being.

Words and music by Carmino Ravosa.

1. Throw out one hand. Ring eyes with thumbs fingers and look around. 2. Shake finger. Point to penny in palm and throw out arms. As before.

Everybody smiles in the same language -

Wherever you may be.

Everybody smiles in the same language -

Just look and you will see.

Smiling doesn’t cost you one penny.

You can give them free ‘cause you got so many.

Everybody smiles in the same language -

Wherever you may be.

Feel the wind blow 🔊

Treasure our wonderful world.

We need to ensure we don’t lose the earthly treasures bequeathed to us in our life time. We must use our senses to appreciate the natural gifts of our beautiful world and consider how they might be preserved for those that come after to enjoy.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Put your finger to your lips, close your eyes,

Feel the wind blow and listen to it sigh.

Put your finger to your lips, close your eyes,

Hear the rain fall, pit-pitter-pitter-pat it cries.

Chorus:

Under the sun where the waterfalls run,

So much grace and beauty lie,

Under the sun when our wandering’s done

We’ll ask, “Why oh, why, oh why?”

Put your finger to your lips, close your eyes,

Feel the grass grow as barefoot you walk by.

Put your finger to your lips, close your eyes,

Hear the birds sing, sweet songs of love they cry.

Touch an oak leaf, touch a tree, touch the world,

Feel them tremble as we pass along their way,

Hear the creatures of the earth, sky and sea,

Whisper softly, “Tread lightly every day.

Think of us, child, and then go on your way.”

Follow the path of kindness 🔊

The way to go! A kind smile, word or deed can make such a difference in our busy and often unthinking world. Take a moment to wonder what might be done to make others happy, it will make you feel good too.

I originally wrote this song for the New Year but felt it had something to say about how we should behave all the year round with our friends, family and other folk we meet.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Follow the path of kindness,

Be honest, be wise and be true;

Follow that path with love in your heart,

Be thoughtful, be caring, be you.

Sail down sunlit streams to follow your dreams,

For life will be good if you do.

As we go on our way with a smile we will say,

“Dear friends come along with us too,

“Dear friends come along with us too!”

Alternative verse:

Sing in each New Year with gladness and cheer,

Sing “Happy New Year to you!”

Free as a bird 🔊

We are invariably woken by a dawn chorus in the small city where we live; our garden is always full of many kinds of birds which I watch with delight first thing in the morning while doing my morning excercizes. In the early evening at this time of year we watch swifts dipping and diving on the thermals catching flying insects; birds on the wing, the epitome of grace and freedom.

dreams_of_freedom_fiction_and_human_rights_teacher_notes_0.pdf (amnesty.org.uk)

I began to write this song with the above in mind the week before Salman Rushie was cruelly attacked when talking about his writings; naturally this event fed into a change of approach about our own need for freedom in a world where it can never be taken for granted.

There’s a little bird up high,

Sailing through the summer sky,

Free as the wind and the rain;

If misfortune stilled its wings

Only one song would it sing.

It would cry, “Freedom! Precious freedom!

I dream of freedom once again!” X2

Like that little bird up high,

We need to spread our wings and fly,

Free as the wind and the rain;

For the heart grows full of love

When we soar up there above

Chorus:

To sing out, To sing out, “Freedom! Precious freedom!

Truth, hope and freedom, our soul’s refrain!”

We sing out, “Freedom! Precious freedom!

Truth, hope and freedom’s our soul’s refrain!”

Free to talk to those in need,

Free to write and free to read,

Free as the wind and the rain;

Free to gather, free to pray,

Free to sing and dance and play.

Chorus

Free to come and free to go,

Free to learn and free to know,

Free as the wind and the rain;

Free to make friends easily

However different we may be

Chorus

Get ready for fun 🔊

Come together, it’s time for a celebration.

A song for those special happy days when you just want to keep dancing. I saw a little lad skip into school very recently, it was Christmas week and he knew it was likely to be a good day.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Verse 1. Clap hands to the beat. Smile, with thumbs point to selves. 2. Knock knees, wiggle toes, wiggle hips. Make up dance. 3. Continue dancing, place hands across heart, throw out hands and beckon.

We’ve got a skip in our feet,

We’ve got a clap in our hands,

We’ve got a smile on our face,

Meet the happiest kids in the land!

We’ve got a knock in our knees,

We’ve got a tickle in our toes,

We’ve got a wiggle in our hips,

Join the dance where anything goes!

We’ve got sweet love in our heart,

We’ve got our family and friends,

Come in and get ready for fun,

It’s birthday time once again!

It’s Christmas time once again / Thanksgiving again! / Diwali time once again! /

It’s Hanukkah time once again! etc.

Glad that I live am I 🔊

Spring is coming, time to appreciate the outdoor life and the natural world surrounding us.

It is often the simple things in life that give us pleasure. A cheerful, optimistic community song that was sung regularly in primary assemblies when I was teaching.

Words by Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935), music by Geoffrey Shaw. https://hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk/g/glad-that-i-live-am-i

Glad that I live am I;

That the sky is blue;

Glad for the country lanes

And the fall of dew.

After the sun the rain,

After the rain the sun;

This is the way of life,

Till the work be done.

All that we need to do,

Be we low or high,

Is to see that we grow,

Nearer the sky.

Glad to see you and welcome 🔊

A welcome for those arriving from places near and far.

As a young child, (my father was a pilot in the RAF) I moved from one school to another quite often, including spell in Malaya, no boarding school for me! For a young child it was exciting to discover new places and make new friends. Luckily I was always made to feel welcome in my new surroundings.

This song can be easily adapted for different settings: ‘to our library / your new school / term / year today’.

This song might be familiar to some as is it an offshoot from a lullaby I wrote recently to welcome a new baby.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Chorus

Glad to see you and welcome, to our wonderful world!

To our beautiful big family,

Glad to see you and welcome, for here you will find,

New friends and company.

We’ll care each other, be thoughtful and kind,

Share all our worries, what’s yours is mine.

Together we’ll travel, together go far,

We’ll reach for the morning star! Chorus

Whatever your language, whatever your creed,

Smile at each other and help those in need.

Together we’ll travel, together go far,

We’ll reach for the morning star! Chorus

Come out in our garden where seeds of love grow,

Where sunshine and wonder make the rainbow road glow.

Together we’ll travel, together go far,

We’ll reach for the morning star!

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!

Green lanes 🔊

A yearning for the outdoors and a simpler, quieter life.

Spring is coming, time to appreciate the outdoor life and the natural world surrounding us This is one for my husband, an amateur historian, who has done considerable rearch on the ancient ways.

Could be used as a leavers song.

Words and music by Judith Bush. From ‘The Jolly Herring’ published I 1980 by A&C Black. Music arranged by Dany Rosevear.

Follow the old green lanes,

As the crow flies so will I.

See how the grey stone walls

Climb the fell and try to touch the sky.

Farms and cottages,

Clinging to the hillside,

Far below us and in another world.

Travel the ancient ways

With only the sheep to watch you.

See how the water tumbles

Down the fell and disappears from view.

Come travel with me,

If the spirit moves you

Time’s an illusion, so leave it far behind.

Follow the old green lanes,

As the crow flies so will I.

See how the grey stone walls

Climb the fell and try to touch the sky.

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