Songs to use with year 7

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I usually do a lot of singing with year 7, but am struggling with a couple of classes this year. They have music in English groups and, for these particular groups, it means only a couple of pupils in each class can read song lyrics quick enough to sing along! We've done lots of singing and rhythm games, call and response songs and other things that can be taught by ear, but these classes each have several 'cool' kids who want to do 'proper' songs. Can anyone suggest some songs that might appeal, whilst being suitable to sing? I want to avoid songs where they can all sing the chorus but the verse has no obvious melody! Thanks.
 

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We are doing "How Can I Keep From Singing" in our choir at the moment, and it sounds wonderful, especially as, being a girls' school, the voices are all generally mellow !! Seventh years should create the same effect ! Another one the HoD seems to love is "Seventh Years Can Do It". It's very uplifting but I'm not sure how obtainable the music is - simple, catchy and very cheesey - perfect !! Disney classics always go down well, too !!
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Kelly Butler
5 months ago
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Have a look at the BKA "How can I keep from singing" A fantastic resource with songs of all types for 8-13 yr olds. available from BKA www.britishkodalyacademy.org
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Zoe Greenhalgh
7 months ago
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Look at some of the more tricky songs in the Sing-Up collection. My lot liked "hey Mr Miller" (lyrics are easy). If they have not done "Grease" at primary, they may also take to "Summer Loving". I use rounds and canons a lot with students who don't read well as they are usually pretty easy to get going on.
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jane anderson-brown
7 months ago
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Ditto to Chasing Cars! I'm sick of that song! Umm... All The Small Things - Blink 182. It's actually quite nice when you just do the chords and lyrics. Mercy by Duffy too. That's a popular choice amongst teachers.
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miker
7 months ago
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Thanks for the ideas ... lots of great suggestions!
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AlisonB
7 months ago
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My Year 7 students have really taken to 'I'm Yours' by Jason Mraz and 'Need Somebody' by The Kings of Leon. They are quite simple to play on the guitar whilst I am accompanying them so I can focus more on the singing.
Perez
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Perez Ainsworth
7 months ago
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Ive tried a song called 'Cops and Robbers' with yr7. There are karaoke versions available. It has the group split in two (Cops and Robbers) and each group has their own lyrics to sing. Worked well with my groups. If you want to contact me I can forward the files and powerpoints to you. Otherwise try 'Brick in the wall'. Everyone loves that.
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Simon Duffy
7 months ago
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Thanks for your suggestions, Rupert. You've given me some food for thought. For anyone who's interested, Use Somebody went down well with my special needs Year 7 group - we played the chords on the ukulele and sang the chorus. It's so difficult finding stuff that doesn't have too many words!
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AlisonB
8 months ago
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Thinking back a year or so since I was in a y7 classroom...

'I believe I can Fly' went down well, as did 'You've got a friend' and both got into the assembly repertoire, along with 'Thank you for the Music'. Lin Marsh's Songscape series have quite a few ideas.
'Beautiful' went down well with the girls, and at one time the whole school managed the Black Eyed Peas' 'Where is the love'. along with 'Wind beneah my wings'
There's always Disney, and in fact some of the loudest, and yet fairly controlled singing was to 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot', and the traditional song 'The Titanic' (not the film song).
'This Old Hammer' and 'If I had a Hammer' were also firm favourites.

Hope there's some food for thought here, otherwise, just ignore!
I used Wonderwall too with Keyboards, and also 'Blowing in the Wind'
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Rupert Kirby
8 months ago
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Snap! 7 Nation Army has also been making me batty.
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liz_olner
8 months ago
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Sounds good, Liz! I have banned Chasing Cars this year, since loads of MF groups chose it last year and it drove me crackers! I had thought about Wonderwall and may give that a go.
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AlisonB
8 months ago
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We finish a little early for a 'talent spot' so students can perform to the class. If there's no volunteers or they've chickened out we've sang songs together: Wonderwall and Chasing Cars so far. Wonderwall was in a difficult key for them to the backing track my y12s had made (think they'd changed the key due to lack of capo), but they liked Chasing Cars... enough to perform to the 6th form maths class next door :)
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liz_olner
8 months ago
 
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