Songs of Imaginings

The songs have fun lyrics and singable tunes so are easy to remember. They cover a wide pitch range to naturally extend young voices, and a wide variety of styles – but with a definite musical theatre influence, encouraging brilliantly clear diction as part of developing the skill of storytelling through song.

Lead Sheets (ref. VS027A) are also available for download which you can print out to help the children learn the words and tunes.

Each song has its own self-contained story – stories inspired by children and their imaginations.

• My Face is Made of Onions. We have all been told, You are what you eat, at one time or another. I love cucumber, and I remember my mum always saying I’d have a cucumber tree growing in my tummy if I didn’t stop eating it! This song is a bit of musical fun based on that saying.
• If I Sing : A song about singing, and all the different things we have to remember when learning about music and learning how to sing. It’s a bit more tricksy and challenging for the children – deliberately so!
• The Journey of a Lifetime. I think every kid loves trains at some point or other and this song is all about what it would be like to be a train, steaming through the countryside. When I was little my Grandad took me on a steam train which he called a chugga chugga woo woo. Thanks, Grandad!
• Cakes! Inspired by the conductor of Finchley Children’s Music Group Intermediate Choir, and her particular penchant for the jam tarts from the tuck shop…mmmm. When you’re a grown-up you can eat what you want, when you want, and not be told off!
• I Think I’ll Be A Sailor. A song about a dream of travel on the high seas.
• The Best Excuse. Every teacher, conductor, parent has heard this one before..
• One Day Soon... A final summing up of the wonders of the imagination. We can be anything or anyone we choose to be, one day..

Accompanying CD

The CD is designed to help in rehearsals. There are two rehearsal tracks for each song. They both have the accompaniment played on the piano, and the voice part played on a trumpet to help give clarity to the vocal line and give singers confidence to sing out. The first track for each song is recorded at approximately half speed, except where the tempo is already quite slow. The second track for each song is then played at tempo.

Finally, a performance track for each song of the piano accompaniments played at tempo can be used to accompany your singers in concerts if you do not have a pianist.