Our Street Our Song Early Years Project - Sheffield - 'I'm Gonna Be'

Our 4 musicians spent much of their time during Lockdown, creating material for the Our Street Our Song Youtube Channel.  We especially wanted to showcase the original songs written by the children and give them the highest possible production values.  The musicians have welcomed this opportunity for their professional development to try out and master new recording software and video techniques.

This is MARTIN HARWOOD singing one of these original songs written by the children from Acres Hill Primary, Arbourthorne Community Primary, Emmaus Catholic & CofE Primary, Gleadless Primary schools.

Martin writes:  

“This was a very simple song writing exercise for informal work with individual children. It was inspired by the SSELP ‘helicopter story’ creative writing project. I asked, “What do you want to be?” and wrote down their exact answers. I sang them back using the playground “neh neh ni neh neh” melody. If necessary, I kept asking simple questions like “what are you going to do?” “what will you wear?” or just “anything else?” always writing exactly what they said and singing it back to them.

Sometimes the children decorated their song sheets, others performed them in group time, although sadly, as it was made in Lockdown, they couldn’t be on this recording.”

LINE-UP:  

MARTIN HARWOOD - Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin LUKE CARVER GOSS - Accordion, Backing Vocals, Programming MOONY WAINWRIGHT - Mix, Visuals

OUR STREET OUR SONG is a 2-year Early Years Music Project with musicians LUKE CARVER GOSS, MARTIN HARWOOD, MOONY WAINWRIGHT and POLLY IVES working with children in 18 Nurseries across South East Sheffield. Musicians and staff worked with children and families to create their own music and songs using inspiration from their surroundings and heritage.

The project is funded by YOUTH MUSIC and SSELP (Sheffield South East Learning Partnership)