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.

  1. 500 Miles
  2. All Through the Night performed by the Laurie Berkner Band
  3. Amazing Grace performed by Judy Collins
  4. The Name Game: Banana Fo Fanna
  5. Battle Hymn of the Republic performed by US Military Bands
  6. The Battle of New Orleans by Jimmie Driftwood
  7. The Big Rock Candy Mountain performed by Pete Seeger
  8. Blowing in the Wind
  9. Blue Moon of Kentucky performed by Patsy Cline
  10. Bye Bye Blackbird
  11. Danny Boy
  12. Down by the Riverside performed by Sister Rosetta Tharpe
  13. Down to the River to Pray performed by Alison Krauss
  14. Edelweiss performed by Aaron Espe
  15. Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten
  16. Go Tell It On the Mountain performed by James Taylor
  17. Going Home performed by SZABO MUSIC
  18. Greensleeves
  19. Home on the Range
  20. House of the Rising Sun performed by Doc Watson, Richard Watson
  21. I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow performed by the Soggy Bottom Boys
  22. I Saw the Light by Hank Williams, Drifting Cowboys
  23. If I Had a Hammer by Pete Seeger
  24. I’ll Fly Away performed by Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss
  25. I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
  26. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
  27. Jimmy Crack Corn
  28. Keep On the Sunny Side performed by The Whites
  29. Long Black Veil
  30. Morningtown Ride
  31. Nobody’s Fault But Mine performed by Beth Rowley
  32. The Parting Glass
  33. Peace Like a River
  34. Proud Mary
  35. Scarborough Fair/Canticle performed by Simon & Garfunkel
  36. Shady Grove performed by Suzie Bogguss
  37. Shenandoah performed by Celtic Woman
  38. Shenandoah Valley performed by Steep Canyon Rangers
  39. Sing!
  40. Stand By Me
  41. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
  42. Tennessee Waltz
  43. This Land is Your Land
  44. Up on the Roof
  45. Wayfaring Stranger performed by Emmylou Harris
  46. When The Saints Go Marching In
  47. Where Have All the Flowers Gone? Performed by Pete Seeger
  48. Wild Mountain Thyme performed by The Corries
  49. Will the Circle Be Unbroken performed by the Carter Family, Johnny Cash
  50. Will You Love Me Tomorrow
  51. 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