In The Wild

"There's a symphony of sound in the life all around." This much could truly be said for just about any environment, but for our purposes, it is referring to the sounds of the wild. Whether it's a lion roaring, an eagle screaming, or a dolphin clicking, the animals in our world create the music of nature.

The song "In The Wild" is set to a halftime world beat groove with a bit of a primitive flavor, despite the prolific use of synthesizers, which contribute to the air of mystery and wonder. The tune begins and ends with a blending of animal voices (fading up at the top, fading out at the end) from all around the world – land, sea, and sky. You will hear animals who do not typically live in the same regions, all singing at once, creating a unique world symphony of sorts. Many of them are easily recognizable (wolf, peacock), but others may not be. If you have time to listen and scrutinize with your students, see if they can figure out what they are listening to. Of course, many animals have similar voices (roaring, bleating, barking), so it's tricky. There are also a few spots during the song where you can hear a few select animals that might be more easily discernable. For example, at measure 71, while the tune is winding down, you can probably pick out the single voices: monkey, bear, elephant, reindeer, blue jay, and wolf.

In the studio, we found that this song was particularly enjoyable to sing. The chorus is very catchy and memorable. The verses, which contain many animals and sounds, may be a bit more challenging for younger singers. In that case, you might consider using the lyric page, student part, and/or projectable lyrics to help. (Projectable lyrics are in PowerPoint format and are available free to subscribers at our web site. See page 77 for details.)

On the D.S., an optional second part joins in. It is lower than the melody and alternates between being somewhat of an "alto" part and a response to a call. It does add a lot to the piece, so we suggest using it. If you need a little help, consider asking a few older students or even adults to sing it. To help with teaching it, we have isolated the audio and put it on our web site. (See details on page 77.)

One other note. In the script, we have suggested that the mini skit prior to this song include a bit of animal imitation by your actors. If you can manage it, try to coordinate the "fade out" of the actors exiting the stage with the "fade up" at the beginning of this song for a neat effect. Also, while we have only four actors doing the sounds, you could certainly have more kids adding more sounds. Just be cautious not to let it get too cacophonous, lest the singers not be able to hear the entrance of the music itself.

While any of the songs in the revue would benefit from a slide show or PowerPoint-type presentation of animal pictures during the performance, this one in particular would be a good choice. You could show quite a variety of wild animals.