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 Charlie
Williams, Noiseguy
Sound impressionist
Author and kid’s comedian; performing at
schools, libraries, festivals and conferences around the
world.
contact:
charlie@noiseguy.com
website:
www.noiseguy.com
How Singing Enhances My Work:
"Music is a great way to quickly connect with audience
members. If it is a song parents know, they can immediately
relate. Kids respond to singing on an emotional level too-
even if you are not a professional singer! (which I am NOT!!
But practice makes perfect!)
The
One Thing I want You to Know
"ANY word can be a song cue. When driving with your kids
and you all see a stop sign, you can sing it! “Stop! In the
name of love! Before you break my car!” etc etc! Use music
as a fun word play game. How many songs can you sing with
the word “love” in them?
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1. Bill
Grogan's Goat
About the Song: A multi-sensory experience, teaches
body parts, rhyming
Personal Comment: With a little fine tuning (like we
have to do with a lot of fairy tales!) this can be a cute
little animal song! It appeals to kids on two levels,
musically and as a story. Just have fun with this! How
children respond, why it’s fun. This is what will make
people want to use this song!
You can use sound effects in the song to animate the action.
Do your best imitation of a billy goat! Make a chomping
sound when the goat eats the shirts. Use a train whistle to
mimic the train, and of course coughing sounds when the goat
signals the train to stop.
2. Bear Hunt
About the Song: Mix it up a bit, rather than do the hand
sounds, use your vocals!
Personal Comment: Make the noises of swishing through
grass and stomping through the forest. It introduces a whole
other skill set to children (and often times parents!)
3. Five Little Ducks
About the Song: This song has a sing-able melody and is
easy to learn. And let’s face it- making a quack sound is a
lotta fun.
Personal Comment: Use your funny voices. If you are
like me (and I know I am) maybe you are nervous about
singing in public. I get around this by singing in a
character voice. I sing “Five Little Ducks” like General
Patton. Clearly, the kids don’t know who he is, but it’s one
of the voices I can do- and the last voice you’d picture
singing “but the one little duck with the feather on his
back…”
4.
Here We Go Loopty Loo
About the Song: I like this song because it has
nonsense words in it. “Here we go Loopty Loo! Here we go
loopty Li!” I think it’s good therapy for adults to stop
making so much sense. (all on a Saturday night!)
Personal Comment: I like to add cultural references
to songs, just for my own amusement. If I am having fun,
listeners will too. When I get to the end of “Saturday
Night” I sing the chorus from that 70’s "Bay City Rollers"
song. "S-s-s Saturday niii-iight! S- A- T- UR- D- A- Y
....NIGHT!" Most kids won't get it, but when one yells out
"My Dad plays that song!" it always makes me smile.
5.
Greasy Grimy
Gopher Guts
About the Song: Famous at campgrounds across the USA,
this song embraces all the gross stuff parents find taboo.
Obviously for older kids, it is a professional way to keep
kids singing as they get older. (Which apparently all kids
do)
Personal Comment: Since this is a rebellious song,
meant to gross out adults, the best way to “perform” it is
with disgust… like you are reading a horrible menu. But the
gag is the final song lyric. You should sing “and me without
a spoon!!” or “wonder what’s for dessert!” or some other
improv, one-upped statement. Then you will be accepted into
the tribe of fourth grade boys.
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