Singin’ the Blues

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Singin' the Blues

Singin' the Blues is one of 12 songs from the award winning song collection "Blue Skies and Pirates" Click the link to see more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 111-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy! 

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

The song collection - Blue Skies and Pirates (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) audio tracks are available for download or physical CD on this website.

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Singin’ the Blues

Traditionally, blues songs are often “hurting” songs. Adults who sing in this genre sing about losing their girlfriend, their truck, and their dog (which always seems to have run away for some reason). It is often raining, someone is in jail, and “Momma” often shows up as a character in the sad story that is being told.

Children enjoy singing the scoops and slides and experiencing the feel of a blues song. However, most of the lyrics are not age-appropriate! I decided to write a song from the perspective of a child. There are events in the day of a child that cause a child concern or grief. Anyone who has taken their bike out for a spin and ended up sailing over the handlebars and skinning their knees (and hands, face and many other body parts as well!) will know that this is surely a reason to “sing the blues”. Chewing bubble gum can be great fun. Learning to blow bubbles is a skill that many children are motivated to master. Along with blowing those bubbles comes the inevitable collapse of the bubble resulting in a face that becomes a sticky mess. In the third verse, even though their dog has not run away, the singer is too young to own a pickup truck and nobody sends them any mail, so they are still “singin’ the blues”. 

When we recorded this song for our Donna & Andy CD, Blue Skies and Pirates, we hired some very fine blues players from Halifax, Nova Scotia. They played our track with the same style and nuances one would hear played by any blues band playing for adults in any bar in the city. The authentic feel of the song is delightful, and children love the opportunity to sing along and air their grievances while singin’ the blues!

Singin' the Blues is also available in the 

 - Royal Conservatory of Music Voice Series, 2019 Edition: Repertoire 6, List B : 20^th - and 21^st - Century Repertoire