Songs with a great message

#onlinesongsuggestions #thecreativechoirleader

These are the first two new songs I taught my choirs when we started online as a result of social distancing measures.

🎧 Count on Me – recorded by Bruno Mars, written by Bruno Mars, Ari Levine and Phillip Lawrence – arr. Janet Day This song is a simple, happy tune, which we sang in 2 parts. It’s a song about friendship in times of trouble, and reminds our community to look out for each other. We liked the Elvis style opening ‘Uh-huh’ and using our fingers to count 1-2-3 and 4-3-2 in the chorus, to each other on the camera. I particularly like the line “If you’re tossing and you’re turning and you just can’t fall asleep, I’ll sing a song, beside you” How many singers listen to their choir leader singing those teach tracks with their earphones, in the middle of the night?

🎧 Something Inside So Strong – by Labi Siffre – arr. Mark De-Lisser Sing Out! Series Book 2. This song is about resilience and finding strength from within. There is a lot of unison singing which makes it great for online choir but is also powerful in it’s message. We had not sung this song prior to lockdown. So my hope, is that my singers will remember it for the shared history we created, singing together in those first few weeks, finding our strength in our community and relying on each other: “Just look them in the eye and say: we’re gonna do it anyway”

Have you sung these songs? How do they make you feel?