I’d love to say that I like every song I use in a therapy session or class, but that’s not the case. A perfect example is the song “Tingalayo,” which is a Caribbean folk song. I first learned it in my undergraduate years for my autoharp proficiency, and I remember thinking at the time, “Who would want to sing a song about a silly donkey. Do kids really like this?” At that time, I really disliked the song. Then, one of my clients discovered it and developed a strong liking of it. Next, it showed up in my Music Together training, and then again on this semester’s Music Together’s Tambourine Collection. So I figured it wasn’t going away and I had to learn to like it — or at least have less of a dislike of it.

As with other songs, I’ve forced myself to look at them in different ways in order for me to best serve my clients. I couldn’t let my personal bias or dislike for a song get in the way of my work.  I’ve tried a different presentation of songs to keep it fresh, adding new verses and different techniques to make it playful. But I’ve found that the best technique is to really make it fun for myself and that enthusiasm just seems to take over. Often, just one idea is the spark. Then, the client or the class has another idea, and I have the means to challenge them — to keep building on these ideas to come to a mutually more-advanced place with a song or improvisation.

It’s really not the song, I’ve learned, but my enthusiasm for the song. Kids can always see right through you, and if you are “trying” to put on a happy face, but are not genuine, they will know!

This morning, as I walked into my first class of the day, the students were jumping up and down, asking to sing “Tingalayo.” I didn’t even have my guitar out yet, and they were already on the second verse! The same thing happened in the next class, too. It’s now one of my favorite songs because the energy in the room is tangible each time we sing it!