1. When We Gather/Simple Gifts Words and music by Laura Dungan & Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Producitons (BMI) 2. Kindergarten Wall Words and music by John McCutcheon Copyright 1988 Appalsongs (ASCAP) 3. Room Mom Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) 4.Hello, Look at Us! Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) 5. The Water Is Wide Traditional, arr. by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) 6.The Wheels on the Bus Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) 7. Shaker Medley: My New Robe / Mother Ann's Song Traditional, arr. by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Producitons (BMI) 8.Simon Was a Ship Builder Words and music byRobert R. Andrews Copyright 1995 All Rights Reserved 9. Right Field Words and music by Willy Welch Copyright 1986 Playing Right Music (ASCAP) 10. Carry On Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) Childrens Music Network Local 1000 Muscians Union Produced by Aaron Fowler & Dennis Craven Engineered & Mixed by Dennis Craven Recorded & Mastered at Wichita Audio Arts, Wichita, Kansas Duplicated at Oasis CD & Cassette Duplication The Musicians Aaron Fowler: vocals, six string guitar, 12 string guitar, autoharp, percussion John Probst: bass, congo, percussion Laura Dungan: vocals, violin Mike West: drums (#3) Pat McJimsey: rhythm guitar and blues guitar (#3) Eric Potter: drums (#10) Rick Musallam: rhythm and lead guitar (#10) Lisa Brightup: flute Adult Chorus: Aaron, Laura, Seidah Muhammad, Dennis Craven Kids Chorus: Justin Fowler, Scott Fowler, Amira Muhammad, Jalil Muhammad Acknowledgements: Thanks to Bob Andrews for sharing Simon Was A Ship Builder with me. It got this project "out of the jar and off the shelf." To the Pendel Hill 1996 Song Writing group for your words of encouragement with Room Mom. To Bob Franke for pushing me to the next level. Thanks to the many schools that have supported my music and given me the opportunity to share it with them. Thanks to theFOJ Community for their support. To the Hope Street Youth Development youth group- you keep me young and motivated (and tired!) To Paul, Justin, and Scott and especially my life partner, Laura- you have loved, supported and cared for me, thanks! When We Gather/Simple Gifts Words and music by Laura Dungan & Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) When we gather we gather together Gather together to sing and to play When we gather, we gather together Gather together, together today. 'Tis the gifts to be simple 'tis the gift to be free 'tis the gift to come down where we ought to be And when we find our selves in the place just right Twill be in the valley of love and delight. Back to the Top! Kindergarten Wall Words and music by John McCutcheon Copyright 1988 Appalsongs (ASCAP) When I was a little kid not so long ago, I had to learn a lot of stuff I didn't even know. How to dress myself, tie my shoe, how to jump a rope, how to smile for a picture without looking like a dope. But of all the things I learned my favorite of them all was the little poem hanging on the kindergarten wall. Chorus Of all you learned here remember this the best, don't hurt each other and clean up your mess. Take a nap everyday, wash before you eat, hold hands stick together, look before you cross the street. And remember the seed in the little paper cup, first the roots goes down and then the plant grows up. Well it was first, second, third grade, fourth grade too where I had to learn the big things that big kids do. To add, subtract, and multiply, read, and write and play, how to sit in a little uncomfortable desk for nearly half a day. But of all the things they taught me, of all the great and small, my favorite was the poem on the kindergarten wall. Chorus. But lately I've been worried as I look around and see an awful lot of grown ups acting foolish as can be. I know there's lots of things to know I haven't mastered yet, still it seems there's real important stuff that grown ups soon forget. So I'm sure that we'd be better off if we would just recall that little poem hanging on the kindergarten wall. CHORUS (X2) Back to the Top! Room Mom Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) (Written at Pendel Hill Song Writing Workshop w/ Bob Franke) The note came home from school, Scott was all upset, He said there'll be no more parties who could we get? It seemed that little Bobby had to move away, And he tood his mama, "Why couldn't she stay?" The class was in a corner, it was selfish greed. A new room mom is what we need. We need a room mom, It will be really cool. We need a room mom, bringing cookies to school. We need a room mom, But where to begin. We need a room mom, pouring red punch again. All the kids will love you, they'll scream and shout When your the room mom. Scott he said "oh mommy can you help me please." Go and get your billfold, cookies and keys. Come to school with me can you help us out? Will you be our room mom he said with a shout. I just can't do it, I'm really sad, Go outside and tell your dad... Chorus So Scott he came to me with a perplexing grin. He said I got a problem but we both can win. All you've got to do is come with me to school, and I can guarantee it will be really cool. You see we need a server in our kindergarten class Come on dad get off your chair Chorus So I walked to school with Scott just the other day, I told that teacher I was here to stay. I'd pour red punch till the pitcher runs dry. At the end of the day tell the kids bye-bye. The smiles on their faces say they're really glad. They have a new friend and he's the room dad. Chorus (X2) Oh I'm a room dad, and it's really cool. I'm the room dad, I bake cookies for school. I'm the room dad, I know where to begin. I'm the room dad, I'm pouring red punch again. All the kids will love you, they'll scream and shout When you’re the room dad. Back to the Top! Hello, Look at Us! Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) There it was in the paper today, I could hardly believe my eyes. Our school was slated to go through some changes, I sat down and started to cry. The phone it rang off the wall that day, there were others who read the same page. Were not going to take it they shouted and screamed, You can’t force us to watch from backstage. [CHORUS] Hello look at us, We know about the ills. Hello look at us, We pay the bills. Hello look at us, We’re here to have our say. We will not go away. You say that the "schools should not work alone", that you "no longer hold all of the keys." But together we know what is best for our kids, "It's an obligation, a privilege", you see. You say that you want "community involvement", But you still keep us here in the dark. Then when the news comes out in the paper, It forces us to remark.... [CHORUS] "School improvement through shared decision making" It's written there in your book. But when we come down and do our part you thank us then give us the hook. I never knew that shared "decision making" meant hearing it in the morning news. When decisions are made like that my friends, we all will lose... [CHORUS] Your mission provides for "partnerships that encompass the total community", But what you’ve got here is insulting and cold it only causes disunity. The ideas you propose are not all bad, we just want to be in the loop So when it comes out in the paper tomorrow you won’t be standing in poop... [CHORUS] (Last Chorus....) Hello look at us, We know about the ills. Hello look at us, We pay the bills. Hello look at us, We're here to have our say. Hello, Hello, HELLO! Back to the Top! The Water Is Wide Traditional, arr. by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) The water is wide, I cannot get o'er, Neither have I wings to fly. Give me a boat that can carry two, and both shall cross, my true love and I. I leaned my back against an oak, thinking it was a mighty tree. But first it bent and then it broke, So did my love prove false to me. I put my finger in some soft bush, Thinking the sweetest flower to find. I pricked my finger to the bone, And left the sweetest flower behind. Oh, love is handsome and love is kind, Gay as a jewel when it is new But love grows old and waxes cold, And fades away like morning dew. The water is wide, I cannot get o'er, Neither have I wings to fly. Give me a boat that can carry two, and both shall cross, my true love and I. Back to the Top! The Wheels on the Bus Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) The wheels on the bus go round and round Round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round. All through the town. All across this nation, the wheel on the bus go round. Children loading buses, just listen to the sounds. They get up every morning and step into the dawn. Sleep still matted in their eyes and on their face a yawn. Chorus: From early in the morning till late at night The wheels go round and round. Children huddle, beneath street lights. While the wheels go round and round The old folks say that they remember when, schools were down the street. They could walk to school and helped out, and the cycle was complete. But the ones that held the power, they didn't want to share. So they made a plan to integrate, so all "would be fair." Now the wheels on the bus go round and round Round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round. All through the town. Education for profit it's the new game in our town. So you close up school to save a buck, now the stock market wears the crown. When decisions are made without a thought to the ones who have no voice. Don't tell us that were lazy and say we had a choice. Chorus: The answers to these questions are difficult I know. Opinions come from every side, how easily they flow. But when the final bell has rung and the answers have been told. Who's left with the goodies and who's out in the cold. The wheels on the bus go round and round Round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round. All through the town. From early in the morning till late at night The wheels go round and round... Back to the Top! Shaker Medley: My New Robe / Mother Ann's Song Traditional, arr. by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1977 Hope Street Producitons (BMI) This song comes from a collection of Shaker tunes entitled The Shaker Gift of Song compiled by Ann Black Strum, printed by Berea College Press. Back to the Top! Simon Was a Ship Builder Words and music by Robert R. Andrews Copyright 1995 All Rights Reserved Simon was a ship builder, he'd build his ships in jars. On Saturday he'd sail away past Jupiter and Mars. He lived just outside Wichita, he never saw the sea He learned in school the world was round and he wondered how it could be. The ships he built in bottles, he'd set up on the shelf Where the decks stayed dry and the sails were still and the winds were never felt. In his dreams he's be the captain, he'd take hold of the wheel He'd set his course for India, the stars would guide his keel. Chorus: And he would go on sailing, and he'd build his ships in jars and he would go on dreamin, past Jupiter and Mars and he would be Columbus, and he'd trail the dolphin fin But the sails on ships in bottles never touched the wind. How to get a sailing ship through a bottle neck so small Do you break the glass to pieces which takes no skill at all. Or maybe like a mariner you rise and take command or wait until the bottle finally turns back into sand Chorus Simon was a ship builder, he'd build his ships in jars. On Saturday he'd sail away past Jupiter and Mars. He lived just outside Wichita, he never saw the sea He learned in school the world was round and he wondered how it could be. Back to the Top! Right Field Words and music by Willy Welch Copyright 1986 Playing Right Music (ASCAP) Saturday summers when I was a kid We'd run to the school yard an here's what we did: We'd pick out the captains; choose up the teams It was always a measure of my self-esteem 'Cause the fastest, the strongest played shortstop and first The last ones they picked were the worst... I never needed to ask; it was sealed I just took up my place in right field Chorus: (Playing ) Right field, it's easy you know You can be awaked and you can be slow That's why I'm here in right field Just watching the dandelions grow. Playing right field can be lonely and dull Little leagues never have lefties that pull I'd dream of the day they'd hit one my way They never did but still I would pray That I'd make a fantastic catch on the run And not loose the ball in the sun And then I'd awake from this long reverie And pray that the ball never came out to me, here in Chorus Off in the distance the game's draggin on There's strikes on the batter, some runners are on I don't know the inning, I've forgotten the score The whole team is yellin and I don't know what for Suddenly everyone's looking at me My mind has been wandering -- what could it be? They point to the sky and I look up above And the baseball falls into my glove Here in right field It's important you know Y'gotta know how to catch Y'gotta know how to throw That's why I'm here in right field just watching the dandelions grow. Back to the Top! Carry On Words and music by Aaron Fowler Copyright 1997 Hope Street Productions (BMI) Waking up each morning, wondering what the day will hold. Another day of challenges and reaching for the gold. My life it has potential, but I've got to stay the path Keep reaching for the best in me, stop putting myself last. CHORUS: So, reach deep inside and find the strength, for the road it will be long, We know that we can make it when we choose to carry on. So get up each day with confidence, face the fears that lie within. Tomorrow's round the bend, we can make it with caring friends. Sometimes the struggles overwhelm me, school, parents, friends The voices rain so loud at times I think my life should end. But deep inside I know the place where questions find relief. The centers where I must listen close to find my true beliefs. CHORUS: Each one of us is different, we've all walked different paths. The road for some it twists and bends, but goes on with out end. Still others struggle desperately with the demons deep within. But none of us is to far gone to reach out and find a friend. CHORUS: Take the step, begin to trust, it's the first thing we must do. Breaking down old barriers reaching for something new. Together we'll have victory, but never on our own. We need to be connected, stop trying to make it all alone. CHORUS X2: front page | the music | school programs | concerts | bio | free money links | contact Aaron | buy the cd | Laura Dungan & Aaron Fowler Aaron also serves as the Executive Director of the Street Youth Development, an inner city youth program. Exciting things are happening with youth in the inner city of Wichita at Hopestreet.com Copyright © 1996-2002 Roomdad Productions