Environmental Songbooks

We need to start singing again! 

Gretchen Sleicher points out, “Singing together helps us experience in the body our connection to each other and the planet, summons our collective courage, enlivens us and inspires us to play our part in creating a life-sustaining society.”

Here are some resources to get started singing again!

• Earth and Spirit Songbook compiled and edited by Jim Scott. A resource for educators, song leaders, church musicians and anyone who celebrates our amazing planet, the Earth and Spirit Songbook provides entertaining, educational songs of ecology, world humanity and peace. this website includes a list of the songs on book 1 and a list of songs to be published in a future edition. The songs represent a variety of spiritual traditions and are not intended to proselytize for any particular religious perspective The music not only teaches about the earth but makes a collective musical statement by many musicians who have made ecology and peace a part of their artistic work.
• Songs of Nature
  28 Songs to Sing for Enjoyment and Education
  by Vern Crawford
  Songwriter’s Notes:
  “These songs of Nature – songs of bird and tree, moon and stars, and the four seasons – have be been written as a labor of love. Over the years, as naturalist and philosopher, I found a need for nature songs, but I could not find enough that I liked. So, drawing upon the natural features of my own bioregion (Southern Oregon), I began to compose original songs for personal use. I hope you will find them educational and inspirational, fostering a deep appreciation for nature, everywhere on this beautiful planet.”
  Vern Crawford, 923 Harmony Lane, Ashland, OR 97520 U.S.A.
  (541) 482-4950
• Earth First! Songbook, Earth First Journal, 77 songs, 33 artists, guitar chords – $10
• Folksong in the Classroom – Songs About Ecology
  Volume IX (88-89) includes three newsletter issues with the theme of Ecology. Songs are reproduced with melodies and lyrics illuminating the theme. Background material is provided introducing the topic. Songs in this volume range from “What Have They Done to the Rain?” to “Garbage,” “Who Has Seen The Wind?” and “Sweet Water Rolling,” among others. Includes a feature article on the uses of music in environmental education, and a bibliography and discography on the environment which may be used for an interdisciplinary unit involving science, research, math, social studies, language arts, and the visual and performing arts.
  Available for $15 postpaid from: Folksong in the Classroom, P.O. Box 925, Starbridge, MA 01566.
• For the Beauty of the Earth
  This collection of more than 70 environmental and nature songs by Pete Seeger, Raffi, John Denver, Tom Paxton, Tom Lehrer, Bill Staines, John Gorka, and many others includes easy-to-read leadsheets with chords. There is also a discography of the music in the book, including mailing addresses for record companies to make it easy for you to obtain recordings.
  8 1/2 X 11, 110 pp., spiralbound.
  Available from Night Heron Music.
• The Sierra Club Survival Songbook
  Collected and edited by Jim Morse and Nancy Mathews. Introduction by Pete Seeger. (San Francisco, New York/Sierra Club, [June 1971]), 143 pp, color cover, illus, b/w illustrations by Jos. A. Smith.
  Compilation of 59 songs with words and music, with emphasis on the environment, world’s health, ecology, by 60’s era composers/singer-songwriters, e.g., Don McLean, Pete Seeger, Malvina Reynolds, Joe MacDonald, Tom Lehrer, Jean Ritchie, Eric Andersen, and many others. Although out of print, it is available in used bookstores. Many of the songs listed are featured on our Earth Songs page.
• Mother of Pearl Songbook
  Written by Betsy Keithcart as a companion piece to her audiocassette of the same name, this songbook offers not only the lyrics to the songs, but insight into the stories behind the songs. Sing along to “The Twelve Days of Science,” “What do You Do With a Headless Snake?,” “Sing a Song of LIfe,” or “Tribute to John Muir.” Songbook $15.00, audiocassette $10.00.
  Contact: Betsy Keithcart, 8900 Old Creek Drive, Elk Grove, CA 95758; (916) 421-0242.
• Songs for Earthings: A Green Spirituality Songbook
  Compiled and edited by Julie Forest Middleton. Includes 430 songs, chants, and quotes for every occasion: holidays, Earth songs, celebrations, Goddess songs, Earth/Air/Fire/Water songs, songs for sadness and joy, prayer and praise. The five sections featured include: Elements; Prayers and Praise; Circles and Cycles; I and Thou, Changing. It even contains a section on teaching yourself to read music.
  Songbook Price: $22.00 + $4.00 shipping/handling.
  Contact: Emerald Earth Publishing, P.O. Box 1946, Sebastopol, CA 95473
• Sing Another Earth Song for Me, Mister!
  16 Songs about the natural world and our place in it.
  Compiled by Dave Orleans, 999 Sherbrook Circle, Somerdale, NJ 08083 (609) 768-1598 (day); (609) 435-4229 (eve); e-mail: orleans@nothinbut.net
  Dave also has numerous other fantastic resources for environmental music, including a booklet, earthsinging: Using Music in Environmental Education and a list of nearly 2,000 environmental songs and other “earthsinging” resources. Contact Dave for current pricing.
• Jerry Silverman, Songs of the Great Outdoors
  Subtitle: Favorite Songs for Camping, Hiking, Boating, Biking, Backpacking and Skiiing
  with Chordal Accompaniment
  and
• Earth and Nature Songs
  Mel Bay Publications, Inc.,
  #4 Industrial Drive
  Pacific, MO 63069-0066
• We Like Kids! Songs For The Earth by Bill Harley Bill also has a song about John Muir’s “Stickeen.”
• In Tune with All Species and Rot N’ Roll songbooks by Stan Slaughter
  Includes “Little Blue Ball,” “Habitat,” “The Landfill Blues”, “The Six Leg Boogey”, “Prairie”, “Dance up a Storm”, “The Frog and The Flea”, “Little Blue Ball”, “Salmon Circle”, “The Crocodilians”, and “Pretty Paper.” Songbook includes piano notation, guitar chords and an educational discussion for each song. Illustrations by Sylvia Hein. 31 pages, $10 each. “In Tune” cassette tape and songbook set $18.00.
• Songs for kids from Eco-Justice Camp – Summer camp songs and ecology songs. Sheet music includes melody and guitar chords.

The Power of Song
by Bev Grant

At first you might not sing on key.
Before you know it you will learn to sing
In H-A-R-M-O-N-Y
Everybody’s got the power

Like the seed that grows to flower
Open up and sing along
Together singing feel the power.
That’s the power of song.

You can climb mountains
You can swim the rivers flowing wide
You can heal the pain of loss and loneliness
That’s hurting deep inside

You can fight injustice
You can sing for peace around the world
With music in the air
You can travel anywhere with the power of song