Young Women's Camp Cup Song

I loved the cup song from the first time I heard it...and years on, it's still one of my favourites.  I've never quite mastered how to do it mind you, I normally end up slapping myself and banging the cup all over the place, lol!!!  But it's on my bucket list so one day I WILL master how to do the cup 'routine'.

I wrote these words to the tune for our Young Women's (YW) camp and the girls really enjoyed singing it and quite a lot of the younger YW had never done it before.  

Even when we had 'down time' the YW enjoyed getting the cups out and singing different songs, practicing and teaching each other.

Here's the video that I made showing our YW doing the 'YW Camp Cup Song'...unfortunately the audio isn't too clear to make out what they are singing, but it was fun putting it together...and one day I will do a video of a couple of the YW singing it, hopefully some time soon?!



And I thought you might like the words to the song too...I know, I'm too kind, lol??!?

Enjoy singing your heart out while tapping n slapping those cups.

Adapted words to 'A Happy Family'

I'm one of those people that makes up crazy random songs about anything to sing to myself or to my children...you either know what I mean or you're now saying 'huh!!!!!'

Anyway, I started singing 'A Happy Family' from the Children's songbook to one of my children and I couldn't remember all the words...I know it's a really, really short song, but it must of been one of those days where my brain was mush!!  So of course, I made up my own words and now we sing it like that all the time...apart from when we are at church of course :)

We change the words just like in the original song to mummy, and we use our children's names too, and they love it....I know this sounds really cheesy but we have often sung it as we have sat around the dinner table waiting for people to finish or for pudding.  The children (and us) can't help but smile as everyone around the table is singing the song just for you, it never grows old!  Hope you like it too :)

Christmas songs from the New Era Magazine

Christmas will soon be upon us so I've been looking through the December issues of LDS Church magazine the 'New Era' for some festive songs for our ward to sing.  

Two of the songs below aren't particularly 'Christmassy', but I have included them anyway (I've put ** next to them to make them stand out). 

Thank Goodness for Christmas! - Watkins (1977)
In Bethlehem - Tietjen (1978)
Shining Star - Madsen/Rasmuson (1979)

To My Saviour (Duet) - Newman/Carter (1980)**
What Does Christmas Mean - Carter (1981)
Carol to a King - Larsen (1983)
Carol for Christmas Morning - Sowby (1984)
Learn Wisdom in Thy Youth - Jorgensen (1985)**
Little One (1986)
When Love Came Down - Gabbott/Moody (1987)
A New Star Shines Tonight - Cahoon (1988)
Room in the Inn - Gardner/Watkins (1989)

A Gift of Love - Francis (1990)
The First Christmas - Wolford/Wolford (1991)
In a Stable - Jones (1992)
And Mary Pondered - Gardner/Watkins (1993)
Hope Was Born - Romney (1994)
This Is Christmas - Gabbott/Moody (1995)
As with Gladness -Carter/Dix (1996)
Christmas Time Is Here  - Rix/Ferre (1997)
Little Child - Wright (1998)
Christmas Bells Are Ringing - Manookin(1999)

Let It Come Quietly - Gabbott/Moody (2000)
Arise and Sing This Christmas Morn - Gardner/Watkins (2002)
Would I Know My Saviour?  - DeFord (2005)
Soft and Pure - Cook (2006)
From Father's Arms To Mother's Arms - Pearson/Perry (2007)
Little Baby - Law (2008)
Mary, Sweet and Tender Maiden - Staheli/Kasen (2009)
Christmas Comes Again - Staheli (2010..the hyperlink for this sheet music is not available)

Softly Falls the Evening Light - Hatch/Perry (2011)

Can't wait to print off some of these and get singing, I love this time of the year!! :)

I have also compiled a list of 50 songs from the 1970 Friends...enjoy.

50 Songs from the 1970s LDS Friend magazines

Yep, the photo above is of me from the '70s...moving on quickly then!! :)

Well I've recently been called as our Ward Music Chairman and have been rooting around the internet for some additional songs that our choir or smaller groups could sing, and I thought where better to start than the Church website.  I've been at it for 3 hours and I've only managed to list the songs in the Friend magazine from the 1970s!!...and three of those years didn't even have any songs!!!

Some of the songs listed can now be found in the Hymn book or the Children's Songbook but I have still included them as sometimes they have different piano arrangements, there's even a piano duet for 'I Hope They Call Me on a Mission'.  

Key
simp. version = simplified/easy version
1v = one verse to the song, 2v = two verses and so on.

1973
The Golden Plates (2v) Jan 
Saturday (1v) Mar
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (simp. version, 1v) April 
Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning (simp. version, 1v) May                 
Father, We Thank Thee For The Night (1v) June 
Come, Come Ye Saints (4v) July 
Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice (1v) Aug 
Come, Ye Thankful People (2v) Nov 
Christmas Song (3v) Dec 

1974
I Am My Heavenly Father's Child (2v) Feb
In Humility, Our Saviour (1v) Apr
I Hope They Call Me on a Mission (2v, secondo and primo) May
I Pray to My Heavenly Father (1v) June 
My Country (2v) July
Come, Follow Me (1v) Aug
Repentance (1v) Sept
A Child's Prayer (3v) Dec

1975
Word of Wisdom Promises (3v) May
Fathers (3v) June
My Flag, My Flag (1v) July
Come, Ye Children of the Lord (3v) Aug
Keep the Commandments (1v) Sept
When He Comes (2v) Oct
Children All Over the World (1v) Nov
Lullaby (1v) Dec

1976
Have a Very Happy Birthday (3v) Jan
Our Easter Song (1v) Apr
My Father Taught Me (3v) June
Blessed America (1v) July
Lullaby (3v) Aug
We Thank Thee (3v) Nov
Who Is the Child? (2v) Dec

1977
Other Sheep Have I (1v) Jan
Did Jesus Really Live Again? (3v) Apr
Repentance (2v) June
When Jesus Christ Was Baptized (2v) July
When Jesus Was on Earth (3v) Aug
Love One Another (1v) Sept
When Joseph Went to Bethlehem (3v) Dec

1978
Easter Day (1v) Mar
Hear the Raindrops (3v) Apr
When Mother Bakes (2v) May
Pioneer Children (3v) July
Hymn of Thanks (3v) Nov
Have a Very Merry Christmas (3v) Dec

1979
Come, Follow Me (piano duet) Apr
Building a Temple (1v) May
My Evening Prayer (2v) June 
Thanksgiving Song (2v) Nov
Little Jesus (2v) Dec

 These songs can be great for FHE, ward choirs, or as musical items.  I will hopefully get around to finding and listing the other songs from the magazines too....but feel free to do it and if you do, pleaseeeee let me have the link, thank you :)