The Power of Music

 Last week I had a great experience, and it was a great reminder of the Power of Music.

 I went out to the San Francisco area to visit my amazing daughter (and her amazing husband), and we went on a San Francisco Love Tour.

Yes, that's my daughter and I standing by our tour bus. It was quite the adventure riding in this delightfully painted "hippie van" Volkswagen Bus! We rode around the city of San Francisco, learning about the culture, and reminiscing about the hippies of the 60s and the Summer of Love,

Yes, that's the back of my head riding "shotgun!"

While we were in the "hippie van" we listened to music of the 60s.  

Now this blog post will change from a story about my tour to a reminder of the power of music and its connection with memory with learners.

The classic San Francisco pose, but next to a "hippie van."

I hate to give away my age, but all that music I heard in that hippie van was music I grew up with. Most of it I hadn't heard in close to 50 years, yet I remembered pretty much every single word!

 

Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and a member of the Grateful Dead in the famous Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco

This was a great reminder of the power of music and its connection to memory! Here are a few examples of how I've used that power in the classroom to help the kiddos remember important information. I've taken simple songs (in the public domain, of course, to avoid copyright laws!) I've changed the words to something I want them to remember, and voila! We have a learning experience! It's fun to sing these songs during morning meeting, or between lessons. If you build a collection of learning songs, make a book for the children to read during reading time. (If you work with little ones, you'll be hearing them sing, even if it's "silent reading!")

I use this one around Earth Day.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Song 

I use this one around Day 100.

100 Days Smarter Song

 This one can be used any time of year!

Seven Continents Song for Learning About Our World

When I worked with older children, they made up their own songs as part of research projects. I had to caution them to use simple tunes rather than the popular songs they wanted to use, but they appreciated the simple tunes once they got going. 

Here's a great list of children's songs in the Public Domain to choose from! Best Known Public Domain Children's Songs.

A Good "Ugly" Cry! It's good for you!

I'm sure you've all had one of those good, ugly cries.  The cleansing kind. The kind that makes you feel FREE when you're done.

Some benefits of crying:

• Crying releases toxins.
• Crying improves vision.
• Crying improves your mood.
• Crying aids sleep.
• Crying relieves stress.
• Crying dulls pain.
• Crying boosts communication.

Sometimes I know I need to cry, but the tears just won't come. If I need to trigger the tears, music will usually help me out. 

For some, it's a good book, a romantic movie, or sharing thoughts with friends. 

 

Those often work for me. 

But mostly, it's music.

In particular, Broadway music. Many of my readers know my "other" love (besides teaching) is theatre, and I've performed in hundreds of shows. Broadway music touches me.

As I'm sure many teachers are in need of a "good cry" these days. I've been thinking a whole lot about children and their emotions. There are a whole lot of sad and scary feelings out there, and it concerns me. How do you teach about Lockdowns and Active Shooter Drills while holding onto your own emotions as well as those of the children? 

I've been in need of a good cry for a few weeks now.

Finally, I saw this video, and the floodgates were opened!

This is called "Found/ Tonight". It's performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hanson), both Broadway legends. These two musicals are both Tony award winners, and the performers are incredible. Most of the songs in Hamilton bring tears to my eyes, but The Story of Tonight is pretty amazing, as is You Will be Found from Dear Evan Hanson. The combination of both bring me a strength I didn't know I had. Hence, floodgates are opened!

This song from Pippin is one I used to sing (and still do) with good friends from college. I particularly like this version of Corner of the Sky, since it's sung by the original Pippin, John Rubenstein, whom I've actually met! (In 1990, he saw me perform in A Chorus Line!)  Sorry, there are no visuals with this one!

We're back to Hamilton. As I mentioned above, many songs from this musical make me cry. This one is when Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) meet their respective children.  

 

Speaking of children, (That seems to be a common theme in many of these Broadway songs that make me cry.) Far From the Home I Love is song by Hodel when she is leaving her home and family for a man she loves. Not a dry eye in the house after this one! This song is particularly poignant, since I played Golde in a production about 8 years ago, and my daughter played the role of Hodel, singing this beautiful song.

 

 

The story of a friendship. For Good is such a strong, sweet song from Wicked. I'm sorry I couldn't find a video with the amazing Idina Menzel, but at least I have Kristen Chenowith! The line, "you'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart" gets me going every time! 

I played the role of Lady Thiang in The King and I back in 2001. My daughter was only 8, and this was her first musical ever. My dad was my motivation for Something Wonderful. I still think of him whenever I hear it. This video is performed by one of my very favorite Broadway performers, Lea Salonga. This video transitions into Being Alive from Company. Being Alive sums up many of my thoughts on relationships.

What I Did for Love from A Chorus Line answers the question "What are you going to do when you can't dance anymore." I think the beauty of this song is that everyone can have a strong connection to it. Just fill in the word of your choice... "What are you going to do when you can't ___________ anymore?"

For a real deep cry, ask "What are you going to do when you can't teach anymore?"

I was in a production of A Chorus Line back in 1990. (I was also teaching 1st grade at the time.) The show ran for 6 weeks, 4 shows a week, and I cried onstage every night when we performed this song.

Rent is a pretty amazing show. I wasn't in this one, but I did perform Seasons of Love with a group in a Christmas Concert. (Fun alto part!) But seriously, it's the context of the song in the show that brings me to tears every time!

 

Les Miserables has several songs that are tear jerkers to me, but once I heard this song in the context of the armed service, I lost it, and do every time I hear Bring Him Home.

 

This has been a guaranteed tear-jerker for me since the early 90s when I saw Miss Saigon in London. (Yes, this is another show with a lot of tear-jerkers. The storyline pretty much rips out your soul!) I Swear I'd Give My Life for You is a sweet moment of love for a child in the middle of the hell that was Vietnam. This was years before I had a child, but I knew I would love my child like this.

 

This last video is a little "treat." This isn't going to be bringing on any "ugly" cry like most of these others do for me. But it's a sweet, sentimental tear.

I hope you don't mind that this video isn't quite the quality of the others, but I do happen to be in it! I'm Lucy... in the blue dress.) This is the final song (Happiness) from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, from a production I did in 2007. I assure you, these people can sing a whole lot better than it sounds in this video, particularly that guy playing Charlie Brown!

I hope it brings you a little Happiness!

 

Want a little more about the "good" kind of cry? 

Try this post: Sometimes You Just Have to Cry!

What makes you cry... in a good way?