AMERICANS MUST PRESERVE CULTURAL SONGS, GROUP SAYS.Byline: Deb Riechmann Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Who hasn't sung ``I've Been Workin' on the Railroad'' or tapped a foot to ``Oh! Susanna''? But what about ``Simple Gifts'' or ``Music Alone Shall Live''? They're all on a list of 42 tunes that a music educators group says Americans must continue singing, humming and strumming to preserve an important part of the national culture. The list, compiled by the Music Educators National Conference MENC: The National Association for Music Education, formerly the Music Educators National Conference, founded in 1907, is an American organization for music educators that provides professional development and advocacy. External links
There are American folk songs, African-American spirituals, a Jewish celebration song, a Japanese folk melody and such favorites as ``She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain,'' ``My Bonnie bon·ny also bon·nie adj. bon·ni·er, bon·ni·est Scots 1. Physically attractive or appealing; pretty. 2. Excellent. Lies Over the Ocean,'' ``If I Had a Hammer'' and ``Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.'' Imagine actress Julie Andrews Dame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE (born Julia Elizabeth Wells[1] on 1 October 1935[2]) is an award-winning English actress, singer, author and cultural icon. singing ``Do-Re-Mi'' in ``The Sound of Music,'' or an Irish tenor belting out ``Danny Boy.'' Both are on the list. ``We have a whole generation that has grown up without singing songs like these - songs that are part of our culture, part of who we are,'' said Will Schmid, president of the 90-year-old group representing 65,000 music educators nationwide. People need to start singing again in neighborhoods, homes, churches, schools, ballparks, Scout troops and summer camps, Schmid said in launching a nationwide ``Get America Singing . . . Again'' campaign. Children at Stevens Elementary School elementary school: see school. in Washington recognized the titles of a dozen or so songs on the list, yet most had trouble singing more than a verse. Some couldn't get through the first line. ``Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-aye,'' sixth-grader Shika Duncan sang as she sat on the school playground. ``Oh - something, something - what a wonderful day.'' Shika and her friends didn't know ``Blue Skies,'' ``Danny Boy'' or ``Down by the Riverside.'' But they quickly broke into a recess rendition of ``Doe, a deer, a female deer . . . '' They said they didn't know ``Frere Jacques.'' ``You know it,'' their music teacher, Sharon Strange, told them. ``But you know it as `Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping, brother John, brother John?' '' Erica Quinlan, a fifth-grader, led her friends in singing several verses of ``Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing,'' yet she conceded that she knew only half of ``The Star-Spangled Banner.'' Ten-year-old Lauren Jackson Lauren Elizabeth Jackson (born 11 May 1981 in Albury, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian professional basketball player. She is often called LJ, Loz, or Lozza. She is a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA, the Australian national team The Opals and, until knew the whole anthem after someone prompted her with the first words
First Words is a Canadian hip hop group, consisting of Halifax beatmaker Jorun, DJ STV and emcees Sean One & Above. : ``Oh! say, can you see . . . '' Janai Marshall, a fifth-grader, says she thinks the list should include singer Bette Midler's ``From a Distance,'' a gospel song called ``His Eye Is on the Sparrow'' and ``Jesus loves the little children - all the children of the world . . . '' Former Education Secretary Bill Bennett
William Richards Bennett, PC, OBC, (born August 18, 1932 in Kelowna, British Columbia) was Premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia 1975–1986. , a rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. fan, refrained from offering his suggested favorites. ``The list looks like a core curriculum of American music,'' Bennett said. ``I would like to hear America singing. We have a lot of honking, cursing and in-your-face behavior, but not enough singing.'' However, Jim DeRogatis James "Jim" DeRogatis (born 1964 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American music critic. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer. He is also the Pop Music Critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. , senior editor of Rolling Stone rolling stone Noun a restless or wandering person magazine, had a few suggestions: ``Fight the Power,'' a rap song by a group called Public Enemy, and ``Smells Like Teen Spirit'' by Nirvana - songs that he says young people enjoy and respect. ``It seems to me that this group is pretty far out of touch with kids today if they think these are songs that will get them energized to sing,'' DeRogatis said. ``If you're going to put a Beatles song on, don't put `Yesterday,' ' he said. ``Kids don't want to sing `Yesterday.' Put on `Revolution.' '' DO YOU KNOW ...? Forty-two songs the Music Educators National Conference says every American should know: ``Amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. Grace'' ``America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)'' ``America the Beautiful'' ``Battle Hymn of the Republic'' ``Blue Skies'' ``Danny Boy'' ``De Colores'' ``Dona Nobis Pacem'' ``Do-Re-Mi'' ``Down by the Riverside'' ``Frere Jacques'' ``Give My Regards to Broadway'' ``God Bless America'' ``God Bless the U.S.A.'' ``Green, Green Grass of Home'' ``Havah Nagilah'' ``He's Got the Whole World in His Hands'' ``Home on the Range'' ``I've Been Working on the Railroad'' ``If I Had a Hammer'' ``Let There Be Peace on Earth'' ``Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing'' ``Michael (Row the Boat Ashore)'' ``Music Alone Shall Live'' ``My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean'' ``Oh Susanna'' ``Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' '' ``Over My Head'' ``Puff the Magic Dragon'' ``Rock-a-My Soul'' ``Sakura'' ``Shalom Chaverim'' ``She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain'' ``Shenandoah'' ``Simple Gifts'' ``Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child'' ``The Star-Spangled Banner'' ``Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'' ``This Land Is Your Land'' ``This Little Light of Mine'' ``Yesterday'' ``Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah'' CAPTION(S): Box, Photo Box: DO YOU KNOW...? (See text) Photo: (Bulldog bulldog, breed of thick-set nonsporting dog developed in the British Isles many centuries ago. It stands from 13 to 15 in. (33–38.1 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 40 to 50 lb (18.1–22.7 kg). editio n only) Erica Quinlan, center, and her elementary school classmates Classmates can refer to either:
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