VOCAL UNION RESOURCES
This website was initially created to provide resources for the Vocal Union project. All materials on the site are freely available to people working in community music and education.
The site is currently hosted by BlueJam Arts.
Songs for Key Stage 3
Most songs on this page are original compositions or arrangements of non-copyright material by Vocal Force and Vocal Union leaders. There are also pieces by associated composers and workshop leaders, and pieces written collaboratively with schools, workshops and music projects. All songs are free to use in an educational and community context. Feedback about strengths and weaknesses, performance ideas and new arrangements is vital, as we want this resource to be a living body of music. Vocal Union strongly encourages the creation and performance of original music and is looking into ways to support and acknowledge this.
Ain't gonna let nobody - traditional arranged by Sharon Durant
Original arrangement of this North American protest song - tune, 3 backing harmonies and optional bassline- very popular.
Easy to teach tune and incorporate backing as appropriate. Acapella or easy chord accompaniment.
mp3 | score | lyrics
Ain't gonna let nobody - new arrangement by Sharon Durant
A hip-hop version with backing track.
demo mp3 with backing track | score
Autumn Leaves are Falling - Karen Lester.
A mellow but gutsy 12-bar blues with optional harmony line. Great fun to learn and easy for young voices to sing.
mp3 | score
A Two Grand Wager - Carol Douglas and Brian Ralston
A fantastic song telling the true story of a wager between a workman and the Director of the Bank of England. Lots of scope for a dramatic performance as part of a play or movement piece.
mp3 | lyrics | backing track
The Blues are Here - Zoe, Megan and Martha, Yr 7 Kirkby Stephen Grammar School
12-bar blues with catchy, easy tune and lyrics. Great warm-up or to create dances to. Harmonies possible.
mp3 | score
Castles in the Sky - Jennifer Ellin
Lovely lyrical verse for head voice, with a catchy, rhythmic chorus which dips below C and can be sung with energy. Composed for BlueJam's performance at Songlines concert, Keswick.
KEY STAGE 2,3
mp3 | score | score (with easy keyboard accompaniment)
Come play my game - Sharon Durant
Upbeat with a great groove. Witty song about playing computer games, going on Bebo etc. Main melody and counter melodies. Worth spending time to learn all the parts - great finale song for a concert.
mp3 | piano backing | score
Dalston Lamp - lovely new folk song by Cumbrian composer Carol Douglas
vocals and fiddle by Carolyn Francis.
mp3 | lyrics
Dial up the Sun - Beccy Owen
Don't Forget To Live - Casey Whittaker
Lovely ballad with harmony by young singer/songwriter. Sung here with Claire Ritson from Bewcastle School, Cumbria.
score
Driving Song - Elizabeth Corney
An up-beat song with funky piano accompaniment
score
Forever Love - Claire Duggan
Cumbrian songwriter Claire recorded this song in Scotland. A lyrical song with folk inflections which will encourage a focussed singing style
mp3 - to be uploaded soon |score
Give it right - Em Whitfield
Soulful upbeat song with 3 parts and piano/guitar chords.
score
Give Us Some Time Out - Carol Douglas
Northern songwriter Carol teamed up with Australian Brian Ralston to record this song. Great opportunities for performance here.
lyrics | mp3 | backing track
I SING: Mouthful (Bex Mather, Katherine Zeserson, Sharon Durant, Dave Camlin)
A versatile and beautiful acapella piece with many parts - useful for adult choirs
mp3 | scores: I Sing 3/4 round | I Sing Full Score | I Sing (short)
Let It Out - Airto Moreira arr. Jilly Jarman
Amazingly popular with groups and soloists from primary up. Here is a 3-part harmony version with vocal bassline and a 2-part riff inspired by the original solo. Buy the original: beatboxing vocals fantastic.
(last track on Life After That)
score | mp3
Living Is Easy - Jilly Jarman
Blues inflected melody with interlocking vocal riffs accompanying it. Can be sung acapella or with jazz accompaniment
score | mp3
Muevete - J Jarman, Y vela-Castro, Warcop school
Written for Vocal Union project 2006-7.
Easy Spanish up-beat song - harmonies, guitar/ piano, few words
score
Old Lady's Lullaby - Carol Douglas
This is a lovely folk-style lament with full backing track
mp3 | lyrics | backing track
On The Golden Sands Of Time - Carol Douglas
A great song to get the whole class or school singing out, or a chance for a soloist to show what they can do. With full backing track.
mp3 | lyrics | backing track
One Voice by Em Whitfield-Brooks
A soulful 5-part same or mixed voice acapella song, especially good for vocal remedies sessions and community choirs
score | mp3 | sage performance
Only You - V.Clarke arranged by Patrick Allen & Edward Milner
Performed by the Flying Pickets. Great song for Key Stage 3 and vocal force sessions
score
Promise - Jilly Jarman
Reggae carol about refugees - we all belong - harmonies, guitar/piano acc.
Version arranged for Beaconside school with lyrics by Jen Ellin - see Precious as a New-born baby.
score in C
Saturday Night - Yr 7 Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, Cumbria
Written out of a call and response game based on a 12-bar blues - girls opposite boys! They made up great dances to go with it.
mp3 | score
Say my Name - Bex Mather
4 part groove - beautiful, soulful piece. Part of a song written by Bex Mather with a regeneration project.
mp3 | mp3 parts | score
Smile and Wave - Roslyn Doak
Written by 15 year old Roslyn as part of her work experience week with BlueJam, and previewed at Penrith Singing Squad - a great song, with a catchy tune, lots of rhythm and insightful lyrics.
score (E) | piano acc (Eb) | piano acc with vocal guide
Sooner Than You Think- Jilly Jarman & Year 4, Montreal CE Primary School, Cleator Moor
A very easy song to sing with a catchy hook - simple to change it and add your own ideas
score | mp3 (Sung here by Penrith National Sing Up Day teachers session)
Spin Round - Kirsten Taylor, Jilly Jarman, Cath Sewell
One of three songs commissioned for the Kendal Brewery's MOTTO project. It uses the words to a Cumbrian folk song and works them into an evocative vocal weave.
score | mp3
Spirit of Christmas - Jilly Jarman
Carol about the kindness of King Wenceslas: single line, folk/shuffle, piano.
See 'I come to the door' for a shortened version - lyrics by Jen Ellin
score | piano accompaniment
Throw Catch - Skura
From East London, South Africa comes this great action song written by a young composer. It has caught on with young people and at Sing Up training sessions as an immediate hit with rhythms, actions and easy optional harmonies.
See version with newly-devised written words by a local school under 'May The Force Be With You'.
score
Toca Las Campanas - (Ring the Bells) Jilly Jarman with Spanish words by Pilar Marchori
Carol written by Jilly Jarman for North Lakes School, Penrith
score | mp3
We Are The Ones - Venice Manley
4 part song with simple lines interweaving. Very strong and effective
score
Welcome - Jilly Jarman, Alison Scott, Gary Newman, Skelton Primary School, Penrith.
Medieval inspired carol - easy to remember and satisfying to sing.
This piece has been arranged by Mary Keith for her adult SSTB choir and performed at Shrewsbury Market Hall. Brilliant!
score
While Shepherds Watched - new SATB setting by Hannah Reid
A fantastic, gospel-tinged four part arrangement of this beautiful carol, with great piano chords.
score | mp3 | alto part | tenor part
Windows - Fiona Clayton
Lyrical single-line melody with beautiful inflections
score
Wind Song - Pete Moser
A beautifully simple piece with 2 note backing. Taught here with demonstration of how to bring in echoes faster or slower. From conference at HotHouse Morecambe 2007
mp3
Wish - Bex Mather & Simon Derbyshire
Fantastic soulful acapella song with catchy tune and multiple backing parts. Easily adapted.
mp3
Sing Up, the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, produced by Youth Music with AMV-BBDO, Faber Music and The Sage Gateshead supported by Government.
Vocal Union is part-funded through Sing Up and is part of its national singing programme.