School Songs
One of Steve's favorite jobs is writing songs with children. When he goes to schools as an Artist in Residence, Steve teaches children of all ages how to write songs — and in the process writes one with them. Here are some of the songs Steve and the kids have written in the past few years. You can listen to or download the songs for free!
Click here to watch the video and listen to "We Don't Do That Here."
Click here to watch the video and listen to "We Don't Do That Here."
| Title | Writer | Links | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side by Side - JAN 2013 | Auten Road Intermediate School | Side by Side - JAN 2013
When I fall you pick me up
And when the going gets tough You can count on me to be there for you everytime We are stronger together From now until together United you and I will be Side by side I was sure I put my sneakers in my locker But when it was time to go to gym somehow they weren’t there I looked in the lost and found, I looked in the library I started to panic wondering where they could be When you came along with some blue and yellow Nikes Said, “Lookin’ for these?” When I fall you pick me up And when the going gets tough You can count on me to be there for you everytime We are stronger together From now until together United you and I will be Side by side Remember the time you fell and broke your arm at the skate park I was the one who called your mom, said come right now And when my favorite dog died you said “It’s hard to say goodbye But it’s ok to cry” When I fall you pick me up And when the going gets tough You can count on me to be there for you everytime We are stronger together From now until together United you and I will be Side by side When I fall you pick me up And when the going gets tough You can count on me to be there for you everytime We are stronger together From now until together United you and I will be Side by side |
Play | Download | |
| Where Friendships Grow - JAN 2013 | Patrick McGaheran School 3rd graders | Where Friendships Grow - JAN 2013
I love my school
People are nice and the teachers are cool Everybody looks out for each other Whatever we do we include one another In class we learn We raise our hands, we don’t talk out of turn And when someone is struggling with science or math Somebody says. “can I help you with that This is a place where friendships grow Where kindness blooms and caring flows Where everyone’s equal and no one’s left out Peace and respect is what we’re all about This is a place don’t ya know Where friendships grow At recess We jump rope and tell jokes and give compliments And when we play pickle, knock out or four square No one gets hurt ‘cause we always play fair This is a place where friendships grow Where kindness blooms and caring flows Where everyone’s equal and no one’s left out Peace and respect is what we’re all about This is a place don’t ya know Where friendships grow I wish the whole world Was just like PMG That everyone could learn to live In harmony This is a place where friendships grow Where kindness blooms and caring flows Where everyone’s equal and no one’s left out Peace and respect is what we’re all about This is a place don’t ya know Where friendships grow Where friendships grow Where friendships grow |
Play | Download | |
| We Can, We Will - JAN 2013 | JD Smith 6th, 7th, and 8th graders | Play | Download | ||
| Tikkun Olam - JAN 2013 | Congregation Kehilat Shalom Religious School | Tikkun Olam - JAN 2013
Ti ti tikkun olam
Do a good deed for somebody Imagine what the world could become If everyone did tikkun olam There was this girl in my school Some kids decided that she wasn’t cool They teased her, they taunted, said she didn’t belong They asked me to join them, I said “No. This is wrong. You’re being hurtful. Try being helpful Have you ever heard of . . . “ Ti ti tikkun olam Do a good deed for somebody Imagine what the world could become If everyone did tikkun olam There was this hurricane It brought devastation and so much pain There were houses to rebuild and people to feed And I said, “What can I do to help those in need?” It was so hurtful, time to be helpful Ti ti tikkun olam Do a good deed for somebody Imagine what the world could become If everyone did tikkun olam We’re a kehilat k’dosha Like sisters and brothers we look out for each other We help one another Ti ti tikkun olam Do a good deed for somebody Imagine what the world could become If everyone did tikkun olam |
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| Let's Talk About It - JAN 2013 | PS 16: Staten Island, New York | Let's Talk About It - JAN 2013
I heard a rumor that you said
I was whack at kickball That’s you’ve been talkin' smack behind my back What’s up with that? I always thought that your were my friend Loyal to the end When I needed someone to depend on It was you So say the rumors aren’t true If they are tell me what'd I do I will listen to you if you listen to me It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong There’s no problem too big if we can forgive We can find a way to get along There’s only one thing to do Working it out takes two Let’s talk about it Let's talk about it Yesterday when we were playing You were show boating And when your team won you were gloating Laughing in our face I was jealous, I was angry I told people you were a phony baloney I’m sorry I didn’t mean it I will listen to you if you listen to me It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong There’s no problem too big if we can forgive We can find a way to get along There’s only one thing to do Working it out takes two Let’s talk about it Let's talk about it Talk talk talk talk talk about it Talk talk talk talk talk about it I will listen to you if you listen to me It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong There’s no problem too big if we can forgive We can find a way to get along There’s only one thing to do Working it out takes two Let’s talk about it Let’s talk about it |
Play | Download | |
| Kind Words - JAN 2013 | 3rd graders | Play | Download | ||
| Friends Forever - JAN 2013 | PS 14: Staten Island, New York | Friends Forever - JAN 2013
Don’t hurt my feelings and I won’t hurt yours
We can rise up together I have your back and you have mine We can be friends forever With your help I can fly I can accomplish anything I try Because I know you’ll be there Cheering me on showing you care Don’t hurt my feelings and I won’t hurt yours We can rise up together I have your back and you have mine We can be friends forever We play tag we play basketball I’m pretty fast, you score a lot, you’re tall And we always treat each other with respect ‘Cause when you give it that’s what you get Don’t hurt my feelings and I won’t hurt yours We can rise up together I have your back and you have mine We can be friends forever Don’t hurt my feelings and I won’t hurt yours We can rise up together I have your back and you have mine We can be friends forever |
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| Never Give Up - JAN 2013 | Betsy Ross Elementary 3rd graders: NJ | Never Give Up - JAN 2013
At my school
We start every morning with a meeting Where every single person gets a greeting We plant kindness seeds And in our classrooms We learn history writing spelling and geography Work with graphs and shapes to make math less a mystery And we love to read We inspire each other to have creative thoughts We respect one another Here at Betsy Ross We never give up Heads held high We’re all about what we believe in No matter how much life challenges us We keep goin’ If we can dream it we can do it We have fun working hard That’s al there is to it We never give up We never give up We never give up Homework, let’s just say it isn’t always easy But it’s easier if I’m not watching TV So I can concentrate Every Friday we sharpen our pencils for a spelling test We dig down deep and always try to do our best We usually do great When one of us is thinkin’ there’s no way to make it fly Someone else comes over says all you have to do is try |
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| Love Me as I Am - JAN 2013 | Monaco 6th, 7th & 8th grades: Las Vegas, NV | Love Me as I Am - JAN 2013
Last week I was walking down the hallway of my school
Someone came up and said, “You’re a fool. You’re a freak, you’re a nerd, you’re a goody two-shoes Your sneakers are ugly just like you” And I said, “Who are you to treat me that way?” I said, “I don’t care what you think.” but what I wanted to say is Love me as I am Don’t judge me for what I believe in We’re all beautifully diifferent, all perfectly great We all deserve kindness, there’s no room for hate Love me love me love me Love me as I am I walked away thinking I used to be just like him It me against the world with no way for me to win I was mean I was cruel I was hurting inside I took in out on people ‘til I realized We’re put on this planet to help one another To respect and appreciate each other Love me as I am Don’t judge me for what I believe in We’re all beautifully diifferent, all perfectly great We all deserve kindness, there’s no room for hate Love me love me love me Love me as I am Love me love me love me Love me as I am Love me love me love me Love me as I am |
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| Fill a Bucket - JAN 2013 | George Washington Elementary School: NJ | Fill a Bucket - JAN 2013
Fill a bucket every chance you get
Put someone else first, give a compliment Show people kindness it’s easy to do Help someone out and you’ll feel good too Fill a bucket Fill, fill, fill, fill a bucket I like your Gatorade green t-shirt And that pink flower in your hair really works. You’re really nice You’re super smart You always show your enormous heart Like when my best friend moved away And you said, “Do you want to play?” You put a smile on my face that day Fill a bucket every chance you get Put someone else first, give a compliment Show people kindness it’s easy to do Help someone out and you’ll feel good too Fill a bucket Fill, fill, fill, fill a bucket ONe time I lost my favorite teddy bear It was like it had vanished into thin air I found the bear under a thousand other toys Things that could be loved by other girls and boys So my mom and I went down to the public park in tow We donated those toys; made some smiles out of frowns Fill a bucket every chance you get Put someone else first, give a compliment Show people kindness it’s easy to do Help someone out and you’ll feel good too Fill a bucket Fill, fill, fill, fill a bucket Be polite, pleasant, considerate, cheerful Always show your heart of gold Fill a bucket every chance you get Put someone else first, give a compliment Show people kindness it’s easy to do Help someone out and you’ll feel good too Fill a bucket Fill, fill, fill, fill a bucket |
Play | Download | |
