Be A Friend

February is Friendship Month, so we thought it might be nice to write a song about what it means to be a friend – a true friend. The words talk about loyalty, character, forgiveness, and wanting the best for your friends. It also reminds us that the best way to have a friend is to be one.

The song has a high energy feel, with modal verses and a chorus with a really nice hook. It might help students to understand and learn the melody on the verses better if they hear the full version on the recording, or you could play it for them on the piano. (We're not against rote teaching...) Although the chorus has a syncopated feel, it is easy to learn and fun to sing.

Another way to use the song would be as a solo feature. It certainly has a great pop style to it that could easily showcase one of your star singers. Once again, we have a solo version performed by Missy Schott online, and as you can hear, she is one versatile singer! (She also did "Jazz Is On Its Way" and "Shadow Free" from this issue.) Be sure to let your soloist hear Missy's performance for inspiration. (See details on page 75.)