I am Remembering
individual author unknown

a simple, potent song which comes from Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village community. 

Arranged, performed + recorded by Britta GreenViolet, 2022.

I Am Remembering (Plum Village)

Mama Coca

I find my joy in the simple things, coming from the earth. 
I find my joy in the sun that shines and the river that sings to me.  

Listen to the wind and listen to the water, hear what they say. 
Singing hey yah hey yah hey yah hey yah hey yah hey yah ho

Let us never forget, never forget to give thanks, 
for the joy we recieve
for the love we recieve
for the joy that we share
for the love that we share

Source: inspired by a Rainbow Song - Artist unknown

I Find My Joy In The Simple Things - Cover

Original song copyright Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter, Jim Molyneux, Kerry Andrew.

This amazing song of grief and hope was inspired by The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane &amp; Jackie Morris. The book began as a response to the removal of everyday nature words - among them "acorn", "bluebell", "kingfisher" and "wren" - from a widely used children’s dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion. But it grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us, as well as a celebration of the creatures and plants with which we share our lives.

Because the original song is so beloved by me and many, I re-imagined a new, quite different arrangement with guitar for Wholehearted Chorus in our 2024 season, Oh Grief, Oh Joy. (Note: this is not a traditional community singing song, as it has loads and loads of words, none of which repeat.)

For more information: https://thebirdsings.com/lost-words-blessing/

The Lost Words Blessing - ALL PARTS

Piccolina Galatina ( Dario )

Calling You Home

Cacaocita la medicina

Pacific Warrior - Susie Ro

Simple Gifts : Amazing Grace

Bele Mama - From Cameroon, in West Africa

This is a great ice-breaker of a song! The perfect opener. It gets your group singing in harmony in a matter of minutes. Possible meaning is "Mama come out and play!" When I first learned this, I learned that it was from the Torres Straight Islands and that it meant "Beautiful Earth." The more research I do, the more I find that it's actually from West Africa and has traveled and traveled far and wide. Enjoy!

This song is in the public domain
Arrangement by Heather Houston

To learn the individual parts to this song, please visit my Public Song Library:
https://heatherhoustonmusic.com/sisters-in-harmony-song-library/

Lyrics:

Bele mama, bele mama ee ay
Bele mama, bele mama ee ay
Bele mama, bele mama, bele mama, bele mama,
Bele mama, bele mama ee eh

Bele Mama - All Parts

If had to be stranded on a desert island with one mantra, this song would be it. This gem of music medicine landed in the voice of my dear friend and singing sister Lyndsey Scott, as she biked around the midwest. It's been changing lives and hearts ever since. 

Original song by Lyndsey Scott, recorded here by Lyndsey Scott and Lisa G. Littlebird. Lisa added the two harmony lines with Lyndsey's support and the arrangement is shared here with her blessing.  Melody and 1 and 2 are identical except for a little echo at the end of the song.

Lyrics, teaching notes and individual part tracks can be found at: http://thebirdsings.com/thewayknows/

The Way Knows the Way by Lyndsey Scott

Susie is a dynamic workshop leader as well as a talented singer-songwriter, voice tutor and composer for choirs. She tours internationally with her popular harmony singing workshops, improvisation weekends, teacher training courses and soulful concerts, sharing her heart-felt music and the joy of singing together in harmony ​wherever she goes.

"Singing together is an advanced technology that brings us, almost instantaneously, out of our heads and into our hearts."

Pacific Warrior - Susie Ro

Susie Ro

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