I don't know about you, but I am loving the beautiful, sunny weather we are having here in Toronto! This time of the year, I find a lot of music therapy sessions being moved from client's basements to their backyards and facilities activity rooms to their balconies! Being outdoors adds a new element to sessions and often brings awareness to different sounds included in the overall session such as bird chirping, the wind blowing, children playing outside. If you're a music therapist looking for some repertoire inspiration this summer, here are some songs about sun/sunshine. You can find a songwriting intervention at the bottom that can be adapted for many goals and populations.
1. Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
Lyric: Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high
2. You Are My Sunshine - Jimmie Davis
Lyric: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy when skies are grey.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you.
Please, don't take my sunshine away.
3. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John
Lyric: Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me
4. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves
Lyric: I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!)
I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!)
I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!)
And don't it feel good
5. The House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
Lyric: There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
And its been the ruins of many a poor boy
And God I know Im one
6. I'll Follow the Sun - The Beatles
Lyric: One day, you'll look
To see I've gone
But tomorrow may rain, so
I'll follow the sun
One day, you'll know
I was the one
But tomorrow may rain, so
I'll follow the sun
7. Soak up the Sun - Sheryl Crow
Lyric: I'm gonna soak up the sun I'm gonna tell everyone To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that) I've got no one to blame
8. Island in the Sun - Weezer
Lyric: On an island in the sun
We'll be playing and having fun
And it makes me feel so fine
I can't control my brain
9. Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
Lyric: I've been waiting so long
To be where I'm going
In the sunshine of your love
10. You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
Lyric: You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always be around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
11. The Warmth of the Sunshine - The Beach Boys
Lyric: What good is the dawn
That grows into day
The sunset at night
Or living this way
For I have the warmth of the sun(warmth of the sun)
Within me at night(within me at night)
12. Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
Lyric: Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
13. That Lucky Old Sun - Louis Armstrong
Lyric: Up in the mornin' Out on the job Work like the devil for my pay But that lucky old sun has nothin' to do But roll around heaven all day
14. Sun is Shining - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Lyric: Sun is shining, the weather is sweet
Make you want to move your dancing feet
To the rescue, here I am
Want you to know, y'all, where I stand
15. Sittin' in the Sun - Sam Cooke
Lyric: Sittin' in the sun counting my money
Fanned by my summer-breeze
Sweeter than the honey is counting my money
Those greenbacks on the trees
16. Sunrise Sunset - Fiddler on the Roof
Lyric: Sunrise sunset, sunrise, sunset!
Swiftly fly the years,
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears...
17. Keep on the Sunny Side - The Carter Family
Lyric: Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side Keep on the sunny side of life It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way If we keep on the sunny side of life
18. Brighter than the Sun - Colbie Callait
Lyric: Oh, this is how it starts, lightning strikes the heart
It goes off like a gun, brighter than the sun
Oh, we could be the stars, falling from the sky
Shining how we want, brighter than the sun
19. Sun it Rises - Fleet Foxes
Lyric: The sun rises, over my headIn the morning, when I
Hold me dear, into the nigh
tSun it will rise soon in the falling
20. The Sunny Side of the Street - Frank Sinatra
Lyric: Grab your coat
Grab your hat, baby
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Just direct your feet
On the sunny side of the street
Songwriting Intervention
Here Come the Sun - The Beatles
This is a great song to use for changing lyrics during songwriting interventions with clients of all age groups. For the purpose of this example, let's imagine using this with a group of children who are non-verbal and use picture boards as communication tools during sessions. The music therapist may have a variety of summer activities displayed on the picture board and have each child in the group make their choice by pointing at their picture of choice. The MT could then replace the verse lyrics of the song with the selected activity, and then return to the chorus 'Here Comes the Sun'.
i.e.,
instead of
'Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter'
, 'Joshua, plays with his siblings in the pool'
This can be adapted to add actions, instrument playing, and so much more!
Enjoy theses songs and enjoy the sunshine!