Community Song Project
The Mission
To create a comprehensive, consensus-driven collection of traditional songs that will be taught to Crescendo students of all ages and proficiency levels, complete with thorough instructional materials. The primary objective is to support effective instruction and establish a shared body of work that can be performed collaboratively on a monthly basis.
The Jam Session Format
While the Community Song Project at large is an ongoing effort within our studio during lessons, our longer term goal is to host regular “jam sessions” open to the public that are centered around our song collections. Here are a few more details of how that takes place:
- Everyone plays and sings together.
- 99% of songs chosen from Collections below.
- Lyric and chord sheets provided.
- BYO Snacks and age-appropriate beverages.
- Songs led by Crescendo students, young and old.
- All are encouraged to bring their instruments.
- Volume levels must be kept such that unplugged singing by the audience can be heard.
- All skill levels welcome. Really!
The Collections
We have curated the following four lists with some degree of overlap, each of which embodies one of the four types of songs we aim to showcase through this project. All lists are works in progress!
Tiny Songs
Tiny songs are brief, musically simple pieces that offer a limited range of notes, making them enjoyable for novice musicians to play along with an accompaniment.
Mi So
Do Re
Do Re Mi
Children’s Favorites
Children’s favorites are songs that elementary-aged students adore singing, but typically demand intermediate-level instrumentalists to provide accompaniment.
- Crawdad Song
- I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Sing a Song of Sixpence
- Hush Little Baby
- Kookaburra
- A-Tisket A-Tasket
- All the Pretty Little Horses
- Alouette
- Froggy Went a-Courtin’
- Lady Bug Picnic
- Mairzy Doats
- Oh Susanna
- Puff the Magic Dragon
- Shoo-Fly
- The Ants Go Marching
- This Old Man
- I’m a Little Teapot
- Skip to My Lou
Traditionals
Traditional songs refer to a collection of widely recognized and popular songs in the United States, spanning various genres including those from the Great American Songbook, Broadway, jazz, folk, and pop. They are songs that most people are familiar with and can sing at least a portion of.
- 500 Miles
- All Through the Night performed by the Laurie Berkner Band
- Amazing Grace performed by Judy Collins
- The Name Game: Banana Fo Fanna
- Battle Hymn of the Republic performed by US Military Bands
- The Battle of New Orleans by Jimmie Driftwood
- The Big Rock Candy Mountain performed by Pete Seeger
- Blowing in the Wind
- Blue Moon of Kentucky performed by Patsy Cline
- Bye Bye Blackbird
- Danny Boy
- Down by the Riverside performed by Sister Rosetta Tharpe
- Down to the River to Pray performed by Alison Krauss
- Edelweiss performed by Aaron Espe
- Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten
- Go Tell It On the Mountain performed by James Taylor
- Going Home performed by SZABO MUSIC
- Greensleeves
- Home on the Range
- House of the Rising Sun performed by Doc Watson, Richard Watson
- I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow performed by the Soggy Bottom Boys
- I Saw the Light by Hank Williams, Drifting Cowboys
- If I Had a Hammer by Pete Seeger
- I’ll Fly Away performed by Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss
- I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
- I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
- Jimmy Crack Corn
- Keep On the Sunny Side performed by The Whites
- Long Black Veil
- Morningtown Ride
- Nobody’s Fault But Mine performed by Beth Rowley
- The Parting Glass
- Peace Like a River
- Proud Mary
- Scarborough Fair/Canticle performed by Simon & Garfunkel
- Shady Grove performed by Suzie Bogguss
- Shenandoah performed by Celtic Woman
- Shenandoah Valley performed by Steep Canyon Rangers
- Sing!
- Stand By Me
- Swing Low Sweet Chariot
- Tennessee Waltz
- This Land is Your Land
- Up on the Roof
- Wayfaring Stranger performed by Emmylou Harris
- When The Saints Go Marching In
- Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Performed by Pete Seeger
- Wild Mountain Thyme performed by The Corries
- Will the Circle Be Unbroken performed by the Carter Family, Johnny Cash
- Will You Love Me Tomorrow
- You Are My Sunshine performed by Elizabeth Mitchell
Local Standards
Local Standards refer to songs that are widely recognized and frequently performed by musicians in public venues along the Connecticut Shoreline, often to the extent that they can be played and sung from memory.
- Bad Moon Rising
- Let It Be
- Over the Rainbow
- Wagon Wheel
- The Weight