To The Helpers

At some point or another in our lives, we all need help. Whether it's in the face of a disaster, a personal crisis, or even our day-to-day functioning, helpers are all around us. It might be someone close like a mother, a father, a friend, or a neighbor. Or it might be someone we didn't know before like a nurse, a firefighter, or even a volunteer. If you ever watch the news unfold during a major disaster like a hurricane, fire, or flood, you will see all kinds of people join in to help, sometimes running into harm's way themselves. And of course, this is especially true of our troops and veterans.

Whoever the helpers in our lives are, they deserve our recognition and gratitude. The song "To The Helpers" is one opportunity to offer just that. The lyrics speak of giving selflessly and lifting burdens, hallmarks of true helpers. And so, as the lyrics also say, "We give our thanks for all you do."

Set in a lilting 6/8 Celtic folk style, the tune is replete with acoustic instruments accordingly. On the Performance/Accompaniment recording, in addition to the usual piano, bass, and drums, you'll hear penny whistle, recorder, acoustic guitars, fiddle, toms, and bodhrán, as well as a full orchestra behind them, increasing as the tune goes along. Admittedly, we do also add a few synthesizer pads and our favorite giant bass drum sound. (Fun moment to share with your students: You can hear its decay at the very end after all the others have stopped.)

With only one verse and a simple chorus, the song is not difficult to learn. However, it can be made more challenging for older students with the addition of the optional solos and second part. On our recording, we have one soloist who starts just before bar 8 (Jamie Wilson), then a different soloist who comes in just before bar 16 (Emery Allen). You can do likewise, or use just one soloist, as you prefer. Part 2 enters at the pick-ups to the chorus, bar 24, the first time and stays in afterwards. To help you teach this line, we have isolated it and put it on our web site for you.

This song also happens to work nicely with beginning ukulele. This is also optional, but there are only four chords needed: C, F, G, and Ami. There is a simple part indicated on the piano/vocal score which you can use as is or simply have players strum freely to the groove. You will find a ukulele part PDF at our web site as well.

At the coda, there is a new countermelody happening in the piano, recorder, penny whistle, and guitar. It's an eighth note based line that sits above the rest of the orchestra. See if your students can pick it out.