Always the Singing                        by Alison Burns

There are twists and turns in every life

In the wide roads that lead you from here

But the threads that bind the journey together

Are the songs that weave through the years

And its always the singing and it always the song

In the whole wide world it’s where I belong

From my heart to my soul from my feet to my tongue

It’s always the singing it’s always the song!

There are friends I’ve known for all of my life

And songs that remind me of them

And I hold them all so deep in my heart

Cos I know that love grows in song

So fill up your glasses and raise them up high

And remember the years that have gone

And all of the songs that remind me of friends

Raise your glasses – the toast is to song!

Audio from Ali Burns’ teaching book

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Ba di di

E Marabini

E marabini kwenze njani, marabini so mthatha

Ngi som  mci na lo mtwana, Ngo binene a ka na ba zali

Audio from 2008 Sing for Water

Top learning part

Mid learning part

Bottom learning part

SOME CURRENT SONG WORDS

Nkosi sikelela l’Africa

Nkosi sikelel' I’Afrika maluphakamis' u

phondo lwayo.

Yizwa Imithandazo yethu, Nkosi sikelela,

Thina lusapho lwayo.

Woza Moya (sikelela Nkosi sikelela)  x2

Woza Moya, oyingcwele

Nkosi sikelela

Thina lusapho lwayo

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Thank you Lord             Gospel/Judith Silver

Thank you Lord, I want to thank you Lord.

Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord.

You’ve been so good, Oh yes..

You’ve sheltered me...

You brought me here...

Audio from Judith Silver

Tebe Poem

Phonetic pronunciation

Ti-bye pie-om

Ti-bye bla-go-slo-vim

Ti-bye bla-go-da-reem

Go-spo-di.

Ee mal-im-tee-sya Bo-je-nash

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Shona Malanga

Here is a link to a friends website with her singing the parts.  This song is half way down on the left column

Hail Smiling morn

Hail smiling morn,

That tips the hills with gold.

At whose rosy fingers open wide the gates of heaven.

Who the gay face of nature doth unfold.

At whose bright presence, darkness flies away.  Hail.

Complete

Top

Bottom

Stormy Nights          Jane Wells

Stormy nights, the walls crumbling, the rain glowing as it falls.

Wind blowing, the water running down drains, big tall gates rumbling together so fast,

getting loud and fierce on stormy nights.

Feeling the ground is cracking, getting so hot,

have to jump up and down.

Trees roughly swaying, it is so dark on stormy nights.

Top part

Bottom part

Parts together

Spring Rain                Jane Wells

Then spring rain, telling a tale as they go, straw cape umbrella.

Spring rain, under shelter your soft whispers, soft whispers.

Sudden shower spring rain, telling a tale a man lives here, smoke through the wall.

And the mosquitos buzz whenever honeysuckle petals fall.

Spring rain, and soaking on the roof a child’s rag bag.

Top part

Bottom part

Parts together

Shen Kha Venakhi

Shen khar ve-na-khi, akh-lad a-qva-ve-bu-li,

nor-chi, ke-ti-li, e-dems shi-na-ne-rgu-li,

da ta-vit tvi-si mze khar da ga-brts'qin ve bu-li

You are a vineyard, just blossoming

A fresh young sapling in Eden

You are the sun, shining everywhere

Top

Middle

Bottom

Going to the West

You say you will not go with me,

you turn your eyes away.

You say you will not follow me,

no matter what I say.

I'm going to the West.

In this fair land I'll stay no more,

here labour is in vain.

I'll leave the mountains of my youth,

and seek the fertile plain.

I'm going to the West.

Three years have passed since we first met,

since you became my bride.

Now I must journey far away,

without you by my side.

I'm going to the West.

I'll leave you here, in the land you love,

that seems so bright and fair

Where fragrant flowers blooming

and music fills the air.

I'm going to the West.

Top

Middle

Bottom

Let it Go                            Michael Leunig, arr Teresa Verney

Let it go, let it out, let it all unravel.

Let it free and it can be, a path on which to travel.

See above, see below, see how love surrounds you,

See the sky where you can fly, and keep your friends around you.

Top part                                           Complete

Tune

Bottom                                Dancers should all learn the tune

May the Road

May the road rise with you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

May the rain fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May love hold you,

In the hollow of her hand.

Top part

Middle part

Bottom part

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Full

For help with making a CD of audio clips see here

Just for tonight                by Alison Burns

Just for tonight lets close the door,

And forget about the world and all it’s madness.

Just for tonight lets close the door and sleep

Epo I tai tai e       trad Maori

Epo I tai tai e

Epo I tai tai e

Epo I tai tai e I tuki tuki

Epo I tukki tukki e

This man fights like a bull  (you can search youtube for ideas!)

Top

Middle

Bottom

Full

DANCE PROJECT SONGS

MEN’S GROUP

Tsmindao Gmerto            Georgian church song

Tsmindao gmerto, tsmindao dzliero,

Tsmindao uk vdavo, shegvitska lechven.

Ndi ne siphonono        from South Africa

Ndi ne si-phonono

Sa se the-kwin

Ndi ne si-phonono sam sa se the kwin

I have a beautiful girl in Durban