To learn our A,B,C's we have the "Alphabet Song." For counting, forward and backward, we have "Three Little Indians." For the musical scale we have The Sound of Music's "Do-Re-Mi." When Matthew and Emily were little, I wrote them short, simple songs to help them learn how to spell their names. I decided to preserve them – they are recorded nowhere else – and share them with you here. Perhaps they will inspire you to compose similar "learning aids" for the children in your life.
As the oldest, Matthew's song came first. A seven letter name is a little tricky, so I borrowed the melody from "Three Little Indians," which has exactly the right meter. You may know this song as "One, Two, Three O'Leary." You can play "M-A-T-T-H-E-W" here and follow along using the lead sheet:
Emily's song came next and is entirely original. As with Matthew's, I created a special guitar accompaniment for it. These songs were often a part of our bedtime serenade, a tradition handed down from my father. Play "E-M-I-L-Y" here and sing along:
Ethan, my grandson, is too young to need his own song. I wrote one anyway. Now this is strictly provisional. My son, who is an abler musician than I, will surely step up when the time is right and continue the family tradition by writing his own song for Ethan. In a shameless piece of self-promotion, I snuck my name into the lyrics. You can play "E-T-H-A-N" here and sing along:
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