November 2007: Tell Me a Story

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Here’s what’s in this month’s newsletter (click a chapter title to go straight to that chapter):
I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner
November Songwriting Challenge
November Poll: Storytime


I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner

Congratulations to Sophie, age 6...Sophie wrote a hit song!

It's called "The Storm" and you can view the lyrics at the I Wrote a Hit Song! webpage. I think you'll like it! Please stop by and leave a comment for Sophie to let her know how much you enjoyed her song!


November Songwriting Challenge: Tell Me a Story

In a way, all songs tell a story. They describe a feeling, or a scene, or something that happened. Some songs, however, tell you a story straight from the beginning all the way through to the end.

Like the song "Gum Tree Canoe." This song was written by S. S. Steele in 1847 (160 years ago!) It tells the story of two slaves, Joseph and Julia, who were forced to pick cotton all day long but found a way to escape from slavery.

The song tells us the whole story.

First, it introduces the CHARACTERS and the PLACE.

Then, it tells us the STORY of how they met, how they worked in the cotton fields all day, and how their favorite thing to do was row in the Gum Tree Canoe. Then, the song tells us how they finally escaped by hooking their canoe onto a tall ship that was sailing by!

Here are some of the lyrics (You can listen to the first two verses of this song on my new album by clicking here. Just scroll down to the list of songs, and hit the Play button next to Gum Tree Canoe):

On the Tombigbee River so bright I was born
In a hut made of husks of the tall yellow corn
It was there I first met with my Joseph so true
And he'd row me around in his gum tree canoe

CHORUS: Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

All day in the field the soft cotton I'd hoe
I'd think of my Joseph and sing as I go
I'll catch him a bird with a wing of true blue
And at night we will row in our gum tree canoe

CHORUS: Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

One day the old river took us so far away
That we couldn't get back, so we thought we'd just stay
We spied a tall ship with a flag of true blue
And she took us in tow in our gum tree canoe

CHORUS: Sing row away row o'er the water so blue
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

November Songwriting Challenge:
Can you write a story song?

Here are some things to think about:

1. PLACE: Where does your story take place?
   
2. CHARACTERS: Who is the story about?
   
3. STORY: What happens to the characters in the beginning? How about the middle? And in the end?
4. CHORUS: This is where your story really shines...what is the MAIN IDEA? What is the main idea in Gum Tree Canoe? Row away, row o'er the water so blue/Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe.

I hope you'll have fun writing a story song. If you'd like to enter your song in the I Wrote a Hit Song! contest, you can read the rules here.

November Poll: Storytime
If you can't see the poll, just click here.