Earth, Earth

While the intent of this tune is to be lighthearted about a serious subject, the style does not lessen the message. Still, if we think of Earth as a planet, which it is, it seems appropriate somehow to borrow campy retro sci-fi movie elements to make our point – notably, the use of a theremin. Okay, it's actually a synthesized version, but it sounds very similar. Perfect for the spacey third rock (from the sun) vibe. Singers even get to sing along with it a few times on "ooh."

The lyrics couldn't be clearer, especially when they remind us that if we don't do a better job of taking care of our own planet, we can't just move to the planet next door. Be sure to play up the humorous moments with enunciation and attitude.

There are two parts for this song, but the second part is optional. It's actually pretty cool if you can use it. Kids get to sing along with the eighth note motif with some "nu nu's", and it's a nice counterpart during the verses as well as the chorus. If you need a little help teaching it, we have isolated the audio and put it on our web site for free.

This is, of course, a natural piece for Earth Day, which falls on April 22. But it could be used in any general program, especially a spring one, or any time of year you wish to include the topic. If you really want to make it a thing, consider adding costumes. How about spacesuits a la those old movies? Or a few planets (with Earth as the main one), stars, the moon, the sun – you get the idea. (If you're interested, we have a lot of other resources for Earth Day as well.)