The Yeah Yeah Song

by David & Anne Ellsworth

You definitely won't have to worry about your youngest singers learning the words in this oh-so-light and happy tune. Which is also why we don't have a lyric page for this one. All they need to know is, "The Yeah Yeah Song," and "Yeah yeah!" Easy peasey.

The accompaniment starts off with a hymn-like synth choir and some bluesy male soloing, both of which help singers find their beginning pitch. It then morphs into a catchy groove ready for dancing, complete with bass, steel drums, bongos, shakers, synths, and piano. The style shifts at measure 14, so be sure they listen for the change and invite them to change their actions as well.

There are a few ways you might want to use this contemporary Island pop tune. You could have your students imagine they are on, well, an island with lots of warmth, sunshine, and vacation fun – swimming, riding bikes, playing outside, hanging out with friends. Or you might use it as a song to inspire positive thinking. Ask them what makes them want to sing, "Yeah yeah!" And, of course, with a neat groove like this, a most natural usage would be as a movement song. We have suggested a few simple and basic things on the music you can have kids do. Use these as a point of departure. Let them add their own embellishments to make it more lively. And if you really want to keep it simple, just enjoy singing the tune for its own sake! Plain ol' fun.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.