6 replies to this topic

[Nicola Call]

Help! I am having a little case of writer's block! I need suggestions of well-known train songs or songs with a train-ish rhythm.

What I'm actually trying to do is write a song called 'The Feelings Train' where children join the train when they reach a verse that matches how they feel. If that makes any sense to anyone! I'm just stuck for the actual song to base it on.

Ideas anyone? I'm going thinking about it and even dreaming about train songs, but when I wake up, they've gone.

[Linda McDowell]

There is Down by the Station Nichola if you know that! And what about the Runaway Train? One of our children has been singing that all this week!
Linda

[Helen]

Hi Nicola,
There is a train song I used to use:
One red engine puffing down the track.
Two red engines puffing puffing back.

Two red engines puffing down the track.
Three red engines puffing puffing back.

Three...
Four.....

etc.
We had one child being the first engine, then "collecting" other children who tagged on the back at the appropriate part of the song. Good for talking about addition.

The words are traditional, but Veronika Clark set them to music in "Music Through Topics" (CUP 1990)

[Nicola Call]

Thanks for the suggestions! It worked to the tune of 'Runaway Train'!

Look out for it when the Can-Do books come out, but it will be a bit of a wait I"m afraid.....

Must get back to work..........

Anyone know much about Rap? I'm working on one about feelings right now, but rap is certainly not my forte. :D :D :D

[Linda McDowell]

I had a feeling that one might work Nichola. I was making up verses myself afterwards and thinking that it could be sung at different tempos for the different emotions!
Linda

[Nicola Call]

Yep, Linda, you're right. It works really well! I could visualise children joining the slow sad train or the fast, excited one as I wrote it, and now I keep gettign it on the brain!

Now, if I could only master Rap as easily.

[JacquieL]

What about 'She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes!'
He'll be feeling very happy/sad/upset/ miserable/ lonely/ etc.