Submitted by Joni Kotche, Bloomingdale, Illinois

Idea posted December 4, 2002

The art teacher asked if I could come up with a piggyback type song about Jackson Pollack. She gave me some basic info and wanted it called "Action Jackson." I immediately had Frére Jacques in my head, remembered the Music K-8 arrangement. So here's what I did. I made a spliced copy of Rockin' Frére Jacques (from Music K-8, Vol. 12, No. 1) of the intro, first two "verses," and the coda. The words are:

ACTION JACKSON
Sung to the melody of Are You Sleeping?
Action Jackson, Action Jackson
He liked lines, He liked lines,
And he showed his feelings, And he showed his feelings,
He threw paint, He threw paint.
Action Jackson, Action Jackson
He liked lines, He liked lines,
And he showed his feelings, And he showed his feelings,
He threw paint, He threw paint.
Action Jackson, He liked lines,
Showed his feelings, He threw paint,
Action Jackson, He liked lines,
Action Jackson!

Now, as an added bonus... Renee (art teacher) said to tell everyone that there is a simple art project she is doing with the children. Here are the directions:

1. Take a Pringles can with lid.
2. Line inside with 9 x 12 white paper.
3. Put one marble in red paint, one marble in blue paint, one marble in yellow paint.
4. Have the child use a spoon and put each marble into the can separately.
5. Make sure the lid is on correctly.
6. Let child shake the can until they feel their painting is done.
7. Carefully remove the painting, straighten and dry.
8. Voilá! Painting á la Jackson Pollack!