A Halloween song I wrote for the wee ones, featuring the "Family Band" of backup singers!  
(All my other songs with a chorus are me, myself, and my storytime character voices -- this one actually includes all my boys!)


LYRICS:

Every year at Halloween, my teacher and my friends
All talk about some scary fun. But for me it never ends.
There’s witches, ghosts, and Frankenstein's monster, the wolfman, and some bats…
Vampires don’t even scare me at all, and neither do black cats!
	It doesn’t matter if I’m running all around, or watching my TV.
	There’s a spooky, spooky skeleton — and it lives inside of me!

CHORUS:	Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		And it lives inside of me.
		Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		Yes, it lives inside of me.

You might see zombies walking the streets, or going to trick-or-treat
But a spooky, spooky skeleton is really pretty neat.
It followed me to school one day just like Mary’s baby sheep.
It lays right down with me in my bed every night when I go to sleep.
	It doesn’t matter if I’m rolling on the ground, or playing hide and seek.
	There’s a spooky, spooky skeleton — and it lives inside of me!

CHORUS:	Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		And it lives inside of me.
		Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		Yes, it lives inside of me.

I felt it there on Christmas Day, it was there on Valentine’s too.
It came on our family vacation, all the way in Timbuktu.
I think that I’ll get used to it when I jump or sing or play.
My skeleton is here with me, each and every day.
	It doesn’t matter if I’m not making a sound, or if I howl and scream.
	There’s a spooky, spooky skeleton — and it lives inside of me!

CHORUS:   	Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		And it lives inside of me.
		Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		Yes, it lives inside of me.
		Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		And it lives inside of me.
		Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
		Yes, it lives inside of me!
[BOO!]



Copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, 2013.  All rights reserved.

www.MsKatsMusic.com

SpookySpookySkeleton

A new twist on Turkey In the Straw, just in time for Thanksgiving!  Some Turducken for your family table!  I'm not playing any of my "real" instruments this song, just some objects from around the house, a D-tuned acoustic guitar to serve as a bass, and a dulcimer that serves more as a household decoration than any functional purpose.  ;)


LYRICS:

Well, my grammy's come for dinner and my pappy's comin' too.
I know I gotta feed 'em, so I know just what I'll do:
I'll just go and catch a turkey, and it shouldn't be too hard
'Cause I live on a farm, and they're right out in the yard.

Chicken dinner, hey hey hey
Chicken dinner on Thanksgiving Day
So I went to grab the chicken
And just my luck
I saw my chicken dinner jump and hide inside a duck.


Well, my grammy's come for dinner and my pappy's comin' too.
I know I gotta feed 'em, so I know just what I'll do:
I'll just go and catch a duck, and it shouldn't be too hard
'Cause I live on a farm, and they're right out in the yard.

Duck for dinner, hey hey hey
Duck for dinner on Thanksgiving Day
I thought he wasn't lookin' 
But he musta been perky
I saw my duck dinner jump and hide inside a turkey.


Well, my grammy's come for dinner and my pappy's comin' too.
I know I gotta feed 'em, so I know just what I'll do:
I'll just go and catch a turkey, and it shouldn't be too hard
'Cause I live on a farm, and they're right out in the yard.

Turkey for dinner, hey hey hey
Turkey for dinner on Thanksgiving Day
So I caught that turkey 
And I stuck him in the oven
And when he come out he had turned into TURDUCKEN!

(whistle)

Repeat:  Turkey for dinner, hey hey hey...


(Alt:  So you get yourself a duck and use a chicken for the stuffin', 
          And you stuff it in a turkey, and you stuff it in the oven!)


Copyright 2013, Ms. Kat's Music.  All rights reserved.

www.MsKatsMusic.com

Turducken

A Christmas song for my preschool friends in the warmer climates -- because it's hard to sing carols about a winter wonderland if you've never experienced it!


LYRICS:

We don't get no snow down south for Christmas,
	Or really any other time of year.
	It's warm here every day,
	And I've never seen a sleigh,
	But we still know how to spread Christmas cheer.


Let it snow!  Let it snow!
That is what they say.
Y'all go out and build a snowman
Each and every day.
Then you freeze gettin' Christmas trees,
Snowdrifts up your legs --
While we're all out out in shorts
Hanging Christmas balls on the Texas sage.


	We don't get no snow down south for Christmas,
	Or really any other time of year.
	It's warm here every day,
	And I've never seen a sleigh,
	But we still know how to spread Christmas cheer.


They say it might freeze on Wednesday,
So mama took me to the store.
'Cause all I've got is a hoodie --
I've never owned a coat before.
We found the last one in the far back corner
Behind the flip-flops shipped here by the loads.
Look! There's a flurry!
Better get home in a hurry!
'Cause they're closing all the roads.


	We don't get no snow down south for Christmas,
	Or really any other time of year.
	It's warm here every day,
	And I've never seen a sleigh,
	But we still know how to spread Christmas cheer.


My cousin mailed me a snowball.
It got here as water instead.
So I dumped it out in the backyard,
Made a mud-ball, 
And threw it at my brother's head.


	We don't get no snow down south for Christmas,
	Or really any other time of year.
	It's warm here every day,
	And I've never seen a sleigh,
	But we still know how to spread Christmas cheer.


You better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not pout, I'm telling you why:
We don't get no snow down south for Christmas!

He's makin' a list, checkin' it twice,
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice:
We don't get no snow down south for Christmas!


	We don't get no snow down south for Christmas,
	Or really any other time of year.
	It's warm here every day,
	And I've never seen a sleigh,
	But we still know how to spread Christmas cheer!

	We don't get no snow down south for Christmas,
	Or really any other time of year.
	It's warm here every day,
	And I've never seen a sleigh,
	But we still know how to spread Christmas cheer!



Copyright Ms. Kat's Music, 2013.  All Rights Reserved.

www.MsKatsMusic.com

No Snow Down South (feat. the "No Snow" Chorus)

The song that begins each class -- they never tire of it, particularly the racing bit.  I'm not sure I can say the same for the teachers.  ;)


LYRICS:

Well... there are are bunch of names.  The names always change, but the kids are always thrilled to hear their own.  And then there's meowing.  Except sometimes it's barking.  Or chirping.  Or roaring.  (Insert children protesting here.)

And then all the cats jump into race cars and speed away...

It makes sense in context.  Just go and hit "play."  :) 


Copyright Ms. Kat's Music and Movement, 2014.  All rights reserved.

Hello Song (Racing Cats!)

By request... Happy 64th Birthday to Dan!

When Im 64

I promised you all a REAL MARCHING BAND!
We were going to record the best song in the land!
But...
The french horns are flaky,
Trombone lost his slide,
The cymbals all crashed,
The flutes need a ride.
Snare overslept,
The bass drum got broke,
the oboe's too squeaky,
Euphonium's a joke.
The tuba's too heavy,
The sax couldn't make it,
The trumpets got sick --
I'll just have to fake it!

Not a single instrument was harmed -- or played -- in the making of this song!

I have had many, many classes sidetracked because I've made the mistake of commenting on a preschooler's footwear.  Did you know that EVERY kid has new shoes, always?  Regardless of how worn and hole-y they are, a three year old will insist that they JUST got them.

Although, while typing this I realized there are shoes I've had for 10 years or more, so by comparison....  Hmmm.

No instruments were harmed -- or even used -- in the production of this song.  With the exception of hand-claps, every noise was produced vocally, and without electronic enhancement.


Copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Show Me Your Shoes

Finally!  A professionally recorded version of Turducken, to accompany my *book* of the same name!  Finishing illustrations and formatting now, be sure to watch for publishing news.  

Music: Turkey in the Straw (parody)
Lyrics copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Turducken 2016 -- (Unmastered)

This song straddles the line between children's music and music for grown-ups.  The story is true... but probably a little advanced for the typical preschooler.  True, not many songs have both the words "exorbitant" and "Bah-joom!"

Inspired by the storm that blew through the Old Settlers Music Festival on Saturday of 2015.  

And no, that's totally a real trumpet.  Not a mouth trumpet that sounds like a chicken saying "bra."


Copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, LLC 2015. All rights reserved.

LYRICS:

The Ballad of Soggy Poncho

All gather 'round and I'll tell you a tale
Of the big music show where it started to hail
Just a little bit east of us, not on our heads
Lucky for us or we might have been “Eeek!”

We stood in the field as the light started to fade
We refused to go inside because we'd all paid
An exorbitant amount (that means a LOT!) of coin 
To see the minstrel show...
And the wind, it started to blow...

It came slow at first, in drips and in drops
The puddles went “plip!” and the puddles went “plop!”
And we giggled a bit as we put on our plastic ponchos.

[And I-I-I-want to stay dry
So I put on my plastic poncho.]

We all stood around in the mud and the muck
Because if we tried to walk then the ground seemed to suck
The boots right off our feet leaving us in wet socks
And the crowd filled the sinkholes with cardboard and rocks

The clouds rolling in now, and we're pressing together
As if standing in clumps would protect us from weather
There's nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide
Our plastic shirts make it all humid inside
We squeak when rub and we dance in our soggy ponchos

[And I-I-I want to stay dry,
So I put on my soggy poncho]

We all stayed quite dry at least down to our legs
Looking like a convention of clear garbage bags
And we swayed side to side – Watching, waiting to see
If the band we all loved would continue to be

Coming out on the stage, but then a “Ba-ZSHOOM!”
And the forked lightning struck, and the thundering boom 
As the sky opened up more black now than gray
And the soundguys all scrambled to “Save the PA!”
As the crowd gaped and cowered all wearing our soggy ponchos.

[And I-I-I want to stay dry,
So I put on my soggy poncho]

instrumental

[And I-I-I want to stay dry,
So I put on my soggy poncho] x 3 to end

The Ballad of Soggy Poncho 2017 -- with mouth trumpet

Ms. Kat's Music is proud to host the first ever "Preschool of Honk!TX" at the 2017 Honk!TX music festival in Austin, TX.

Bring your babies out on Saturday morning (4/1) for a special baby-friendly noisemaking session, and then watch everybody else make noise for the remainder of the weekend! Parade and revue are on Sunday (4/2)!

Copyright Ms. Kats Music & Movement, LLC. 2017

LYRICS:

Baby, Let's HONK!*

There's something big and noisy out in the streets
It's shiny and brassy with real big beats
I wonder what it is? Let's go out and see...

Gonna HONK! HONK! HONK! Honk! on a trumpet:
If you've gotta booty baby let me see you bump it
Come on pretty baby, won't you Honk! with me?

CHORUS: Let me hear you say HONK! one time (HONK!)
Let me hear you say HONK! two times (HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! three times (HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! four times (HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Let's dance - - - - - Now freeze!

They come from New York City, Seattle, and Austin
Rio de Janeiro, Australia, and Boston
I wonder who they are? Let's go out and see...

Gonna HONK! HONK! HONK! Honk! on a tuba:
With a wop-bob-a-loo-bop a-bop-bobba-looba
Come on pretty baby, won't you Honk! with me?

CHORUS: Let me hear you say HONK! one time (HONK!)
Let me hear you say HONK! two times (HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! three times (HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! four times (HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Let's dance - - - - - Now freeze!

That band over there looks like it's from Vancouver,
Or New Orleans, or Chicago, or maybe from Denver?
I wonder who they are? Let's go out and see...

Gonna HONK! HONK! HONK! Honk! a trombone:
While you sliiiide to the siiiide and make it your own –
Come on pretty baby, won't you Honk! with me?

CHORUS: Let me hear you say HONK! one time (HONK!)
Let me hear you say HONK! two times (HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! three times (HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! four times (HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Let's dance - - - - - Now freeze!

I hear the marching moving and it's starting to fade
Away down the street – maybe it's a parade?
I wonder what it is? Let's go out and see...

Honk! on your horns or Honk! on your saxes
(You know the best players come from right here in Texas!)
Come on pretty baby, won't you Honk! with me?

CHORUS: Let me hear you say HONK! one time (HONK!)
Let me hear you say HONK! two times (HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! three times (HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! four times (HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Let's dance - - - - - Now freeze!

Let's stomp and jump and follow along
And turn this one into a community song
Cause we know what it is! Come on out and see...

Gonna HONK! HONK! HONK! Honk! On the drums:
The biggest and the baddest and as loud as it comes
Come on pretty baby, won't you Honk! with me?

CHORUS: Let me hear you say HONK! one time (HONK!)
Let me hear you say HONK! two times (HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! three times (HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Now HONK! four times (HONK! HONK! HONK! HONK!)
Let's dance - - - - - Now freeze!

Baby, Let's HONK!

Re-released from "Coyote Studio" demo 2017

Based on a true story shared with me at the Kerrville Folk Festival, June 2014. Lyrics and music Copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, LLC, 2014. All Rights Reserved.

LYRICS:

Naughty Muddy Baby Bodhi (and the Doggie Door)

I've got a friend, his name is Quin.
He's got golden hair and golden skin.
Yesterday he went outside to play –
Bet he could stay outside all day.

Baby brother follows everywhere he goes,
Tries to keep up, but he's way too slow.
Baby's name is Bodhi, and he's small but stout –
They were having fun playing and then Mama came out...

...And she called:
“Bodhi... Bodhi... Bodhi... Bodhi!”

“Quin, where's Bodhi?”
“I don't know – he was here just a minute ago.”
We found muddy hand and kneeprints on the patio,
Leading right up to the doggie door.

Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Went in the doggie door! (x2)

Muddy hands and knees on Mama's kitchen floor,
Naughty muddy baby Bodhi in the doggie door!

I've got a friend, his name is Quin.
He's got golden hair and golden skin.
He grabbed the hose and he started to spray,
He raked and shoveled all the grass away.

The backyard looked like there'd been a flood,
And Quin and Bodhi looked like piggies in the mud!
Daddy came a-runnin' 'cause he heard a shout –
Came around to see what all the yelling's about...

...It was Mama, calling:
“Bodhi... Bodhi... Bodhi... Bodhi!”

“Daddy, where's Bodhi?”
“He was playing with Quin.”
“No, he didn't follow when Quin came in!”
We saw muddy hand and kneeprints on the kitchen floor,
Leading right up to the doggie door.

Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Went in the doggie door! (x2)

Muddy hand and kneeprints on the kitchen floor,
Naughty muddy baby Bodhi in the doggie door!

I've got a friend, his name is Quin.
He saw the baby's tracks and he followed them in.
The prints went down to the end of the hall,
And a little brown hand on the bedroom wall.

A dirty, sleepy bundle in the middle of the bed –
Quin thought he was so cute, and this is what he said...

...He said
“Bodhi... Bodhi... Bodhi... Bodhi!”

Bodhi's sleeping in his crib and he's all curled up,
(What do you think, guys? Should we wake him up?)

Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Naughty, muddy baby Bodhi!
Went in the doggie door! (x4)

Muddy hands and knees on Mama's kitchen floor,
Naughty muddy baby Bodhi in the doggie door!

Naughty Muddy Baby Bodhi

Re-released from "Coyote Studio" demo 2017.

There aren't many songs about Groundhogs. With yet another holiday fast approaching -- gotta get them all! -- I decided to remedy that by combining lyrics about groundhogs with the song I will always associate with Groundhog Day. (Hi, Bill Murray!)

I provided all instrumentation and vocals on this recording; guitar, flute, organ, tambourine, bass, drums, glockenspiel.


LYRICS:

When is the Spring? We don't know
Won't find out until the groundhog shows
Well, I don't know, but I've been told
That if he hides, there's six more weeks of cold

Chorus:
When is Spring?
Ask the groundhog,
Ask the groundhog!

His name is Punxsutawney Phil
And he lives in a hole up on a hill
If he comes out and sees the sun,
then he'll run in and hide from everyone

[repeat chorus]

Bridge:
We'll have flowers in the spring
And all the fun that warm weather brings
Phil's head pops up... out of the ground
But if he gets scared, he won't stick around

Cloudy days have colder air, but
If there's no shadow, Phil will not get scared
Cloudy days aren't always fun, but
If there's no shadow, winter's almost done

Chorus:
When is Spring?
Ask the groundhog,
Ask the groundhog!

I want to go out and play
I want 65 degree days
I want to go climb a tree
I want you to hike with me
I want to play on the slide
I want to go for a bike ride
I'm bored inside, I wanna know
When the spring is coming, so...

Ask the... ground.. hog!

Copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, LLC, 2013. All rights reserved.

www.MsKatsMusic.com

Ask the Groundhog

Ask The Groundhog

A Halloween song I wrote for the wee ones, featuring the "Brotherton Family Band" of backup singers!  The re-release of this song has been long delayed... the original had my then-three-year-old singing along, and was too precious to replace!

LYRICS:

Every year at Halloween, my teacher and my friends
All talk about some scary fun. But for me it never ends.
There’s witches, ghosts, and Frankenstein's monster, the wolfman, and some bats.
Vampires don’t even scare me at all, and neither do black cats!
It doesn’t matter if I’m running all around, or watching my TV.
There’s a spooky, spooky skeleton — and it lives inside of me!

CHORUS: 
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
And it lives inside of me.
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
Yes, it lives inside of me.

You might see zombies walking the streets, when you go to trick-or-treat.
There's a spooky, spooky skeleton inside all their meat. (Eww!)
It followed me to school one day just like Mary’s baby sheep.
It lays right down with me in my bed every night when I go to sleep.
It doesn’t matter if I’m rolling on the ground, or playing hide and seek.
There’s a spooky, spooky skeleton — and it lives inside of me!

CHORUS: 
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
And it lives inside of me.
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
Yes, it lives inside of me.

I felt it there on Christmas Day, it was there on Valentine’s too.
It came on our family vacation, all the way in Timbuktu.
I think that I’ll get used to it when I jump or sing or play.
My skeleton is here with me, each and every day.
It doesn’t matter if I’m not making a sound, 
Or if I howl and scream.
There’s a spooky, spooky skeleton — and it lives inside of me!

CHORUS: 
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
And it lives inside of me.
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
Yes, it lives inside of me.
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
And it lives inside of me.
Spooky [SKELETON!] Spooky [SKELETON!]
Yes, it lives inside of me!
[BOO!]

Copyright Ms. Kat's Music & Movement, 2013. All rights reserved.

www.MsKatsMusic.com

Spooky, Spooky Skeleton

Spooky, Spooky Skeleton  (2018)

Once upon a bedtime, a student asked his mama to "Sing like Ms. Kat."   She asked "What would you like me to sing about?" 

His eyes darted around the room, and he replied, "The fan."

She told me this story, and I wrote this song.  It was lost for a while, but I've found a demo I recorded.  I hope you like it.

I'm Your Biggest Fan

I've been writing a song a week.  It keeps me busy, and makes my unemployment bearable.  I've been following the Reddit song-a-week format, and have a friend and former bandmate holding me accountable.

Since we crank these out every week, the recordings are imperfect... but maybe that's a part of their charm?

This week's theme was Christmas.  And hopefully I *never* get the opportunity to write a pandemic Xmas song again!

LYRICS:
Covid Time is here
It's been here all year
It's Christmas time, I hope you'll find
Better luck next year

Virus in the air
You don't want to share
So I must ask you to wear a mask
To show the world you care

Package at your door
You'd better be sure
To bring it in, Or else you'll need
To replace it in a store

Stuck at home we've been
You can't see your friends
Another walk around the block
And then around again.

Covid Time is here
     (Covid-19)
It's been here all year
     (You don't want it)
It's Christmas time, I hope you'll find
     (2020)
Better luck next year
     (Suuuuuuuucks!)

Copyright 2020, Ms. Kat’s Music & Movement, LLC. 
All rights reserved.
BMI: 550747948

Wk 4 Xmas -- Covid Time

Introducing the fundamentals of melody, rhythm, tempo, and dynamics to an enthusiastic and very wiggly bunch, ages 2 – 5.

Ms. Kat is a very active member of the Austin music scene, playing classical flute in the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, electric guitar and flute with her "grown-up" bands, helping coordinate the Texas Community Music Festival, and then writing and recording original children's songs!

Ms. Kat leads musical explorations with very small children in preschools, private daycares, in-home neighborhood playgroups, and public classes with the City of Austin Parks & Rec!

Visit www.MsKatsMusic.com for details.

Ms. Kats Music & Movement

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