Songbook Cover Competition

This is a popular Japanese children’s folk song about fireflies.

Hotaru-koi - Ro Ogura, Little Singers of Armenia

This beloved children’s song isn’t just a tune—it’s an invitation to one of Japan’s most enchanting seasonal traditions called “hotaru-gari” or firefly hunting. Unlike what the name might suggest, this isn’t about capturing these delicate creatures, but rather about witnessing nature’s own light show as fireflies dance through the twilight air like tiny floating lanterns.

This song was originally performed by Ziv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams for the film The Greatest Showman (2017). 

The Greatest Showman is an original musical inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum, starring Hugh Jackman. Barnum was a visionary who rose from nothing to create the "Greatest Show on Earth", a spectacle and celebration of his larger-than-life imagination that captivated audiences around the globe.

The song discusses the wonders of dreaming and imagination, and how these elements can lead to amazing futures. 

The Greatest Showman - A Million Dreams - (Ziv Zaifman solo) - (HQ)

Jason Mraz released the album – ‘Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride’ on June 23, 2023 - his 46th birthday. Its first single, I Feel Like Dancing, tells of the singer “busting a move”  in a effort to ease and lessen his anxieties about his identity and of getting older. 

What is your signature dance move?

Jason Mraz - I Feel Like Dancing (Official Music Video)

The composer, Hank has created a fun song for  all of those cool to ridiculous sunglasses or ‘shades’ that so many of us wear!! 

The song begins with - “Who is that, a movie star, or someone on T.V?  A celebrity that millions love?  No, it’s none of the above. It’s me!  Wearin’ my shades!”

You can’t see my eyes when I’m wearin’ my shades. 

I’m hard to recognise when I’m wearin’ my shades.

I look serious, hidden and mysterious, Till you realise, It’s me wearin’ my shades

Choir rap - “There’s clip on shades and put on shades, there’s seedy shades and 3D shades, there’s mini shades and humungous shades, 

And they all look good on me.  Wearin’ my shades.

Lucky Stars is a song by the Australian duo Busby Marou, (Thomas Busby and Jeremy Marou), and was released on their fourth studio album, "The Great Divide" in 2019.

The song focuses on themes of gratitude, appreciating life's simple pleasures, and the idea that despite differences, everyone is under the same "lucky stars". 

The chorus includes lyrics like "It's great to be alive, sit back, enjoy the ride" and "Love somebody when you get the chance, sing out loud to your own song". 

Busby Marou - Lucky Stars (14th March 2020)

A specially adapted 3 song choral commissioned work by acclaimed Brisbane-based composer Joe Twist and South Australian Jodie O’Regan, who lives in Burra.

Space Seeds - Behind The News

“The beautiful golden wattle is Australia’s national flower. Over millions of years, it has adapted to survive the harsh Australian conditions - heat, fire, drought and floods. 

Can you picture the national colours of Australia, the colours of the uniforms that our athletes wear to the Olympics?   

Have you ever wondered why they are green and yellow?

September 1 is National Wattle Day.

Can you see the wattle on Australia’s National Coat of Arms?

Wattle seeds germinate in heat, which means after an area has been burnt by bushfire, the wattle is one of the first new trees to appear. 

Golden wattles provide food and shelter for a number of birds, insects and animals and help other trees by improving the soil - taking nitrogen from the air into the soil. The golden wattle’s yellow flowers blaze across the Australian countryside in late winter, covering the trees in profusions of joyous and distinctive fluffy yellow balls. 

Wattle wood was used as musical instruments by First Nations People, and now wattle’s extreme hardiness has earnt it a place in the stars. 

In 2020 wattle seeds flew to space to live on the International Space Station for 7 months.” Writes Jodie O’Regan.

The three songs are titled – 

1.  Under the Australian Sky
2. Seed Lullabies
3. Star Seeds

Can you imagine…..

The Coming Monsoon is a song by Christine Anu, released on August 2, 2024, as part of her album Waku: Minaral a Minalay.  Christine Anu is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress of Torres Strait Islander origin.

Torres Strait Islander culture is closely linked to the stars. They inform Islander laws, customs and practices that are recorded and handed down in the form of story, song, dance, ceremony and artefacts.

This song tells the story of Tagai, who was a great fisherman. One day he and his crew of 12 were fishing from their outrigger canoe. They were unable to catch any fish, so Tagai left the canoe and went onto the nearby reef to look for fish there. 

Listen to the song to hear this story sung by Christine.

https://youtu.be/7BCa7voPcdk?si=Nhb6Sose-AVHXRBK

Do you love music?  Do you sing all the time, or tap your toes or want to move and groove when you listen to music?

"I've Got the Music in Me" is a pop song by the Kiki Dee Band, released in 1974. 

Marcia Hines also recorded this song and released it on her second studio album, Shining, in 1976.

The album peaked at No. 3 and remains Marcia's highest charting album. It sold more than 150,000 copies.

I’ve Got the Music in Me was the final track on Side A.

https://youtu.be/T8YeZUXOJjY?si=VQQEUYbRSg4htBAg Marcia Hines

https://youtu.be/r3ZtImowdLU?si=owP89PpRkR0uR9BL Kiki Dee Band

"Music is My Life" was also recorded by singer Marcia Hines in February 1978 and was included on her debut live album,  Marcia Hines Live Across Australia. 

https://youtu.be/KLpwwkid5C8?si=sGWVjbUfjyHCJRFH