Songs

Children’s / Educational

Sea Turtle Memories

Style – Caribbean/Tropical Voice Type – All

Story – Nancy Schimmel managed to explain the entire DNA adventure of Sea Turtles in this charming breezy song

The baby turtles scramble to the sea Nothing to guide them but genetic memory They swim and swim till they’re babies no more Then their mem’ry takes them to the very same shore

They lay their eggs but they don’t have to stay To watch their babies and show them the way They leave that to the sun and their D – N – A –

Sea Turtle Memories, moonlight on tropical foam The turtles are coming, humming “There’s no place like home,” Sea Turtle Memories, weaving their natural spell You’ve got a soft spot for somewhere Under that hard old shell

Is it the taste of the water or the smell of the air That tells you “No, not here, it’s just over there?” Is it the feel of the current, or something we can’t understand? Sea Turtle Memories Made up of seasons and sand

Arc of the Rainbow

Style – Pop/Rap Voice Type – All

Story – In 1990, Rap music was becoming an actual “genre” in pop culture. Nancy just decided to try her hand at it and Craig Griffeath and I created the music bed for it. We wanted to have a song that really gave people concepts and ideas for what we now call “living green.” I think the lyric is just as relevant now as it was then.

They say the earth is on the skids Sounds like a job for the rainbow kids

Like the arc of the rainbow, Like Noah’s boat We’re gonna pull together We’re gonna stay afloat

One by one and two by two Takes all kinds of kids to make this crew Every color, shape and size We play for keeps and the world’s the prize

Like the arc of the rainbow Like Noah’s boat We’re gonna pull together We’re gonna stay afloat

Our team follows the Rainbow Rule “Plant a tree and we’ll all be cool!” If you’re doin’ that soft drink thing Be sure you break that 6-Pak ring

Like the arc of the rainbow Like Noah’s boat We’re gonna pull together We’re gonna stay afloat

The bag at the store isn’t really free Just say “No” and save a tree When you brush your teeth, remember this rap Take control of your water tap

Like the arc of the rainbow Like Noah’s boat We’re gonna pull together We’re gonna stay afloat (repeat)

Cycles

Style – Bluegrass/Mountain Voice Type – All

Story – These lyrics explaining recycling were ideal for a mountain-style approach and since my ancestors on my mom’s side were Irish from Appalachia, this was a natural way for me do it. Laurie Lewis recorded a perfect rendition of it for us on All In This Together.

What goes up must come down What we drop gonna litter this town But what we throw in the garbage Just gonna fill up the garbage land

Throwing it out is a big mistake The world is made of give and take Stash that bottle when you’re through Watch it come back something new

It goes farther than a bicycle Holds up better than a tricycle Gonna run this country on a recycle Makin’ the wheels go round

Summer, fall, winter, spring Cycles are in everything Paper and aluminum Heading back where they come from

It goes farther than a bicycle Holds up better than a tricycle Gonna run this country on a recycle Makin’ the wheels go round

Up and down, to and fro That’s what makes the engine go Bring it in, don’t throw it out Grass and trees gonna jump and shout

It goes farther than a bicycle Holds up better than a tricycle Gonna run this country on a recycle Makin’ the wheels go round

Eating Up The Forest

Style – Jazz with Brazilian Feel Voice Type – All

Story – This lyric outlines precisely why the Rain Forest is being destroyed at an ever-increasing rate of speed – greed! It was the first of many songs Nancy Schimmel and I have written together.

We’re eating up the forest when we eat that burger thing We’re eating up the monkeys and the little frogs that sing We’re eating up the ocelot, the orchid and the snake This meal would give Godzilla a monster bellyache

Hold the ketchup, hold the meat I’ll find myself another treat Because a mile or so of jungle Is a bit too much to eat

They’re cutting down the forest to let the cattle graze But the rainstorms in the tropics wash the naked soil away And what is left with bake and harden in the burning sun It’s turning trees to desert puts the burger in the bun

Hold the ketchup, hold the meat I’ll find myself another treat Because a mile or so of jungle Is a bit too much to eat

The banks put up the money to cut the forest down The owners take the profits and they spend it in the town They do not hear the eagle’s cry or see the parrot’s flash It’s clear to me they can not see the forest for the cash

Hold the ketchup, hold the meat I’ll find myself another treat Because a mile or so of jungle Is a bit too much to eat A bit too much to eat, oh yeah A bit too much to eat Yeah!

Fancy Face Waltz

Style – Waltz Voice Type – All

Story – This song was meant to discourage the use of all kinds of products that are actually still being tested on animals although no longer in the huge numbers as they were when we wrote this song. Lab animals are far from a thing of the past!

When I want a fancy face to wear with velveteen and lace I use the kind of make-up that suits me to a T I try the stores until I find the make-up that’s the kinder kind The kind that’s kind to rabbits and to me The kind that’s

Kind to rabbits and kind to me Kind to rabbits, kind to me

To make sure that it’s safe They try the make-up in a bunny’s eyes They don’t want us to know Because it hurts, as you’d expect There’s other tests that they can do So I make sure and so will you That our make-ups not just fun to use It’s double-checked, so that it’s

Kind to rabbits and kind to me Kind to rabbits, kind to me

It isn’t just the fancy stuff That makes a bunny’s life so tough It’s toothpaste and detergent It’s cleanser and shampoo But when your hair and face are clean It needn’t mean that you are mean ‘Cause you can use the kind that lets the love shine through The kind that’s

Kind to rabbits and kind to you Kind to rabbits, kind to you

Head First and Belly Down

Style – Music Hall/Show Tune Voice Type – All

Story – A real-life scientist who was studying why river otters play so much, organizing sliding games, etc., wrote a magazine article about the subject. This song is my imagining what she was thinking about.

I work in a laboratory, I study the otters each day I'm stuck when I come to one story, The myst'ry of why otters play As a scientist I look for reasons for certain behavioral traits Could it be just for fun that you play in the sun? I've even seen you race (spoken: Now why is that?)

You go (Chorus) Head first and belly down And then you slide into the water You go head first and belly down And then you slide 'cuz you're an otter.

You don't have to go to school each day You stay at home and play And you look so cute when you're covered with clay And you go (Chorus)

You're Mother Nature's acrobat, The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll You make me laugh so hard, I feel it deep in my soul, when you go (Chorus)

You're antics are amazing and your whiskers mesmerize As a big top clown, you should get the first prize When you go (Chorus)

Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do Do do do do do do do do do do do

And then you slide (Into the water, 'cuz you're an otter) And then you slide (Into the water, 'cuz you're an otter) And then you slide (Into the water, cuz you're an otter) And then you slide

You're otterly adorable I love to watch you play Would you be so kind as to show me the way, The way you go

Head first and belly down And then you slide into the water You go head first and belly down And then you slide 'cuz you're an otter You go head first and belly down And then slide-----And slide!

Just Like We Do

Style – Folk Song Voice Type – All

Story – The charming song is about the common behavioral traits that we share with all creatures great and small. Most of all, we “pull against our chains” in the quest to be free.

When a chick is sleepy it snuggles in its nest And its mama tucks it in like mine does when I need to rest

Cats like to stretch just like we do Monkeys like to scratch just like we do

They have their little pleasures they also feel their pains and they pull against their chains just like we do Pull against their chains, they pull against their chains and they pull against their chains, just like we do

Rats like run just like we do Pigs lie in the sun just like we do

Rabbits like their food, just like we do Dogs try to be good just like we do

All In This Together

Style – Jazz/Folk Voice Type – All

Story – The world is full of fascinating creatures and this song points out our differences with a reminder that no matter how different we are, we are still in this life together and each of us matters in our own way.

A frog is smaller than I am Even smaller is the flea But they’ve got more bounce to the ounce than I Though I’ve got lots of energy A snail is slower than I am A tree is slower still A rock is slowest till I come along and give it a boost downhill

We’re all in this together Though we are in different ways It matters to each one of us If one of us goes or stays

A cheetah is faster than I am And the wings of a hummingbird But I can go to Kenya in my mind Fast as you can say the word A woodpecker’s better at pecking And storing food in a tree I keep mine in a cookie jar And I’m good at being me

We’re all in this together Though we are in different ways It matters to each one of us If one of us goes or stays

An elephant’s bigger than I am A whale is biggest of all But when I help to protect them I feel great and I stand up tall An elephant remembers And a whale has a deep-sea song And if we remember we’re in this together It makes the whole world strong

Wolf Party

Style – Rock ‘n Roll Voice Type – All

Story – It turns out that when learning to howl, baby wolves often fall over backwards! Nancy thought this was very funny and we ended up with this terrific song.

I wanna go to a party and howl at the moon 'Cause howlin' in really hip I wanna learn to howl like the big kids howl But all I can do is "yip" I wanna go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo I wanna go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo

I hear my mommy and my daddy sing And it sounds so long and cool I throw back my head and land flat on my back And you know I feel like a fool I wanna go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo I wanna go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo

When my mom and dad howl You'd think it's a pack 'Cause they get the intervals right And the overtones sound like wolves enough To fill up the Arctic night I wanna go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo I wanna go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo

Well, I went to a party with all of my friends And we sang till the break of day I fell on my back, but everyone did And that made me feel O-kay Now I can go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo I can go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo

If you want to howl, just take a deep breath Close your eyes and throw your head back You don't need a moon, don't need to stay on tune You can howl like one of the pack Yeah, you can go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo Yeah, you can go aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo, aw-oo