I Wish I Were A Leprechaun

by Teresa Jennings

What would you do if you were a leprechaun? This lively Celtic-style ditty suggests a few possibilities which are notably altruistic in nature. Not a bad thing, we think. Reinforcing kindness and generosity is a spot-on message for youngsters. It's more likely a memorable one thanks to its musical delivery. But you need not make a big deal of that unless you want to. Just singing it and having fun with it will do the job.

Though it is mostly in unison, there is a second optional part that joins in at the bridge. You don't need it to perform the piece, but it adds a nice touch. To help you teach it, we have isolated the audio and put it on our web site for free access. Since part 1 at the bridge never sings without part 2 on our recording, we decided to isolate that as well for your ease of reference. Both can be found at MusicK8.com (See details on page 63.)

The obvious way to use this song is for St. Patrick's Day. For a performance, you can have a few kids dress up as leprechauns, just singing along or doing a little freestyle lilting to the music, if you prefer. Decorate the stage with a rainbow, a pot of gold, and plenty of shamrocks. Include some hearts, flowers, stars, and moons as well.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.