Mastheadheroes

Unstoppable

(Juliette Gordon Low)

(By Jonathan Sprout)

 

Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low (1860-1927) created an organization in 1912 that became the largest voluntary association of young women in the world: Girl Scouts of the USA. She was an artistic, courageous, and energetic world traveler who thrived on instilling in “her girls” a sense of responsible citizenship. She provided healthy, fun activities for girls while teaching them how to be loyal, courteous, friendly, and trustworthy. Her charming eccentricities made her the center of attention at every party. Unstoppable in her enthusiasm for scouting and generous to a fault, she was loved and admired by countless people the world over for helping people help themselves. She is fondly remembered as the first Girl Scout and the best Girl Scout of them all.

 

The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.—Juliette Gordon Low

She lived her life always on the run, a bit disorganized,       

Her work was never done.

Her optimistically persuasive ways

Could have charmed the fruit off a tree.

When she had an idea

Then everyone knew she’d be…

 

Refrain:          Unstoppable, persistent, and so magnetic.

                        Unflappable, proactive, and energetic.

 

She spent her money to support the girls.

When there was nothing left, sold her precious pearls.

Nothing mattered more to Juliette

Because her heart was set on a dream.

She did all she could

Just to be helpful and good. She’d seem…

 

Refrain

Bridge:           The one to boost morale.

                        A visionary gal.

 

Juliette…she was unstoppable.

She was unstoppable.

Juliette, unstoppable.

 

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, piano (including flapper intro): Joe Mennonna

Percussion: Jimmy Hammer

Bass: Al Renino

Guitars: Jimmy Hammer, Leslie Chew, and Jonathan Sprout

Synths: Jimmy Hammer and Joe Mennonna

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

 

**********************************

Come with Me!

(William Penn)

(By Jonathan Sprout, Jimmy Hammer, and Dave Kinnoin)

 

William Penn (1644-1718) was the first great hero of American liberty. A true visionary, he spent many years in English prisons as a result of his belief that everyone deserves respect. After the King of England gave him a huge section of land in America, he traveled throughout Europe encouraging people to come with him and take part in his “Holy Experiment” known as Pennsylvania. It became a place of safety for people the world over who sought freedom and peace, including Native Americans. They lived, in Penn's own words, “with liberty and justice for all” and inspired a community named City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia. His lifelong devotion to truth and equality inspired America’s other Founding Fathers and the unfolding of American democracy.

 

Seek not to be rich, but happy. Riches lie in bags. Happiness in contentment – something wealth can never give.—WilliamPenn

 

We are the pacifists. We are the ones oppressed

By those with narrow-minded views.

You need not stay and suffer through this unrest.

Hear ye! Hear ye! I have good news!

 

Refrain:          Come with me!

                        Beyond the western sea

                        There lies a colony—

                        A promised land where all are free.

                        Come with me!

                        Where everyone can be

                        The voice of liberty.

                        Pennsylvania waits for thee.

                        Come with me!

 

We practice faith with action. It gives us strength to dare.

The Inner Light is our guide.

The path to your salvation is over there.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Put fear aside and…

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           Friends, the New World will be our shrine    

                        Where Brotherly Love will shine, peacefully.

 

Refrain

Come with me! Pennsylvania waits for thee!

Come with me! Pennsylvania waits for thee!

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP), Sync Track (ASCAP), and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming: Jimmy Hammer and Joe Mennonna

Synth bass: Jimmy Hammer and Joe Mennonna

Percussion: Jimmy Hammer and Joe Mennonna

Guitars: Jonathan Sprout, Leslie Chew, and Joe Mennonna

Keyboards: Jimmy Hammer and Joe Mennonna

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

 

 

**********************************

E=mc²

(Albert Einstein)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) is considered the most creative scientific genius of modern times. He questioned the obvious and marveled at nature's mysteries while changing our understanding of the world. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” he said. He was a master of both. He forever changed the laws of physics with his formula E=mc2, proving that energy and mass are different forms of the same thing. A kind, gentle, and absent-minded professor who rarely wore socks and seldom combed his hair, he became one of the world’s most visible supporters of peace and human rights. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 and named Person of the Century by Time Magazine in 1999. His name is now another word for “genius.”

 

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.—Albert Einstein

 

He was a simple man of curiosity

Who took a second look at what no one else could see.

He followed logic along imagination’s path.

With ever-twinkling eyes beneath that crazy hair,

He saw a universe of questions waiting there

And found the answers to nature’s mysteries using math.

A simple desk and chair, an out-the-window stare,

Crumpled papers in the trash,

A brain that could not quit, and scientific grit,

Then in a flash…

 

Refrain:          E=mc².

                        Even Einstein was not prepared

                        For the formula that loudly declared he was a genius!

                        It was this dreamer who found the key

                        To a secret so we all could see

                        The true definition of energy.

                        E=mc².

 

His violin was handy. Sometimes you can’t resist

A bit of fun distraction when you’re a physicist.

The man knew everything, but kept his brilliance in disguise.

He said he had no talents, yet he was born to think.

Knew how to fix equations, but not the kitchen sink.

Became a pacifist and won a Nobel Prize.

A formal dinner tux, applause, and lots of bucks—

Everybody screamed his name.

It was his work with light that made his day that night.

Hear the acclaim!

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           Six hundred seventy-one million miles per hour squared,

                        Multiplied by mass. What would that be?

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, string programming, schmaltz violin: Joe Mennonna

Bass: Al Renino

Guitar: Jimmy Hammer, Leslie Chew, and Jonathan Sprout

Keyboards: Joe Mennonna and Jimmy Hammer

Background vocals: Jimmy Hammer and Susie Stevens

 

**********************************

Hall of Fame

(Roberto Clemente)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

Roberto Clemente (1934-1972), “The Great One,” was Puerto Rico’s most popular sports figure and the first Latino elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. He won 12 straight Gold Glove Awards and 4 National League batting champion titles. Twelve times he was named to the All-Star team. He was Most Valuable Player in the National League in 1966 and Most Valuable Player in the 1971 World Series. His .317 career batting average was the highest among all active baseball players. A committed humanitarian with a passion for family and the welfare of children, he challenged racial discrimination while helping the less fortunate. He lost his life while attempting to fly relief supplies to earthquake victims in Central America. Recognized as baseball’s first Latin American superstar, he believed it is not enough to play the game well. One must always give back.

 

If you have a chance to help others and fail to do so, you’re wasting your time on this earth.—Roberto Clemente

 

Such an eager little boy,

Broomstick for a bat,

Tin can for a ball—

Not much more than that.

One day he gave that ball a mighty whack,

Sailing over a mitt—a coffee bean sack,

Far from the sugar fields of San Juan

To the Pittsburgh stands… “Going, going, gone!”

 

Refrain:          So much more than just the way

                        He played the game,

                        It was his kind and giving heart

                        That keeps him in our Hall of Fame.

 

Managua earthquake victims.

An overloaded plane

Filled with relief supplies

Takes off in the rain.

He knew there was a risk, but he had to go

On a mission of mercy—he couldn’t say no.

Now, far from the sugar fields of San Juan

The legend lives on.

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           He dazzled everyone with plays he made

                        And passion in the ways he played.

                        “He was a Superstar!” they all declared.

                        Remembered as theman who cared.

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, bass programming, keyboards, trumpet, trombone, alto horn, tenor, and baritone saxophones: Joe Mennonna

Guitars: Joe Mennonna and Leslie Chew

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

 

**********************************

Man in the Arena

(Theodore Roosevelt)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) is the only person ever to receive any country’s highest military honor and the Nobel Peace Prize. The 26th president of the United States, this brilliant historian and energetic nature lover enacted legislation to protect and preserve 230 million acres of land—one-fifth of America. He was the first president to fly in an airplane, go down in a submarine, own a car, and have a telephone in his home. He changed the way people in America thought of their leaders by demonstrating that one’s character is as important as one’s accomplishments. He was a devoted son, husband, and father who wrote 45 books, spoke 6 languages, and read, on average, 2 books a night. Fearless and full of adventure, he boasted, “No one has ever enjoyed life more than I have.”

 

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.—Theodore Roosevelt

 

I don’t care what the others say,

I will always do what’s right.

I don’t care how tough the challenge,

I will hold my honor tight.

No matter what the situation,

I know what I must do. I will be brave and true

As I live my life like the…

 

Refrain:          Man in the arena,

                        The one who gives it his all.

                        Man in the arena,

                        Who boldly answers the call.

                        The one who does his best because

                        He’s not afraid to fall.

                        Man in the arena.

 

Nobody cares how much you know

Until they know how much you care.

Do what you can with what you have,

And be sure your heart is there.

Something might be hard to do, but if it serves a worthy cause,

Proceed without applause

So you can live like the…

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           He knows the taste of sweat.

                        His goals are firmly set.

                        His passion leaves him no regret.

           

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, percussion, keyboards, tuba, euphonium, trombone, alto horn, and trumpet: Joe Mennonna

Bass: Al Renino

Guitars: Joe Mennonna, Leslie Chew, and Jonathan Sprout

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

 

**********************************

Through the Eyes of a Child

(Walt Disney)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

Walt Disney (1901-1966) transformed the entertainment industry as he created some of the world’s most well-known and best-loved characters. Believing that adults deserve to have as much fun as children, he sketched cartoons, produced more than 100 movies, and built a theme park that remains the benchmark for all the planet’s playgrounds—Disneyland. He received more awards and nominations than any other individual in history. He and his staff of cartoonists, movie-makers, and Imagineers were recognized with more than 950 honors and citations from around the world, including 48 Academy Awards® and 7 Emmys®. Known as “the Man Behind the Magic,” he saw a world of possibilities through the eyes of an innocent child. If something can be imagined, he believed, it can be made real.

 

When I see things I don’t like, I start thinking, “why do they have to be like this, and how can I improve them?”—Walt Disney

 

Snow White, seven dwarfs, a jealous evil queen,

A castle, and a handsome prince upon a silver screen.

Pictures came alive because a master of the arts,

An animated man created a whole new world that won our hearts.

 

Refrain:          Through the eyes of a child,

                        He could see what was fun,

                        And he brought that vision to everyone.

                        His work was his play. The joy ran wild.

                        Oh, the magic he saw through the eyes of a child!

 

Main Street, a jungle cruise, a roving Dixie band,

A kingdom for happy families—a true adventure land.

In spite of what the critics said, he made it all appear.

A dream come true, his kid’s-eye view made him the first Imagineer.

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           Somewhere in his imagination,

                        Somehow, he captured the feel,

                       Because his mind of make-believe

                        Made anything possible and everything real.  

 

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, percussion, bass, keyboards, tuba, tenor banjo, trumpet, trombone, and clarinet: Joe Mennonna

Guitars: Leslie Chew and Jonathan Sprout

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

 

**********************************

Powerful

(Samantha Smith)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

Samantha Smith (1972-1985) was a bright and expressive schoolgirl whose optimism warmed the hearts of millions around the world. At the age of 10, when the United States and the Soviet Union appeared to be on the brink of nuclear war, she wrote a letter of peace to Soviet leader Yuri Andropov. His warm response and her two-week journey to his country inspired countless Americans and Soviets to rethink their hostile views of each other. As a powerful symbol of hope and “America's youngest ambassador for peace,” she helped create an atmosphere of love, respect, and joy. Tragically, her life was cut short at the age of 13 when she and her father died in a plane crash. She taught the world an important lesson: If people try hard enough, they can get along.

 

The people of the world seem more like people in my own neighborhood. I think they are more like me than I ever realized.—Samantha Smith

 

A ten-year-old girl from the state of Maine

Reads the scary news, wants her mom to explain

About nuclear war.

“They say the USSR

Keeps building bombs that can travel this far.

How come? And what on earth for?

Why can’t we get along, get along together?

Please write. Write someone a letter.”

 

Refrain:          Powerful! Powerful!

                        Now it may be hard to see

                        Sometimes little things can be powerful.

 

Her mom tells Samantha what she already knew:

“A letter would be better if it came from you.”

So she gathers her thoughts to say what she meant.

She writes, “I’ve been worrying. It isn’t right.

Why do you want war? We should never fight.”

Off to Russia the letter is sent.

Four or more months go by.

Patience. There is no reply.

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           Peace can be grown from the tiniest seed.

                        Andropov writes back and the world gets to read:

 

“Dear Samantha, we are just like you.

We do not want war. We are peaceful, too.

Please be our guest and visit us here.”

There in the Soviet Union, Samantha’s name

Becomes a symbol of hope. She finds worldwide fame—

A girl on a quest, a peace pioneer.

And as she makes her friends behind the Iron Curtain,

She learns one thing is for certain:

 

Refrain           She is powerful! Powerful!

                        Now it may be hard to see

                        Sometimes little girls can be powerful.

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, keyboards, and balalaika programming: Joe Mennonna

Intro music box, harmonica and percussion: Jimmy Hammer

Bass: Al Renino

Guitars: Leslie Chew, Jonathan Sprout, and Jimmy Hammer

Background vocals: Susie Stevens, Jimmy Hammer, and Lucyane Bouchardet

 

**********************************

Dr. Seuss

(Theodore Seuss Geisel)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Jimmy Hammer)

 

Theodore Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), known as Dr. Seuss, is the most popular and influential name in children’s literature. He endured no less than 27 rejections before his first book was published. His 60 books have been translated into more than 15 languages and have sold more than 222 million copies. Sixteen of them are among the top 100 best-selling children’s hardcover books of all time. His lifelong war on illiteracy earned him two Emmys®, a Peabody Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. Eleven children’s television specials, a Broadway musical, and several feature-length movies have sprung from his books. He was a painfully shy, lighthearted defender of children’s rights who revolutionized the way children can learn to read. He demonstrated that words are fun and reading is joyful.

 

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.—Theodore Seuss Geisel

 

There once was a man ofremarkable wit

Who could find words that rhymed and then make them all fit

Into stories that tantalized, tickled, and teased

With fantabulous pictures that playfully pleased.

 

He wrote about ooblecks and wockets and zoos

And Hunches in Bunches and Horton and Whos.

His style was whimsical, wacky, and wild,

And now he’s a hero to every child.

He made a lot of books we will never outgrow.

Now we know oh, the places we’ll go!

 

Refrain:          A! B! C!

                        Dr. Seuss! Wrote the story of Mulberry Street.

                        Dr. Seuss! Green eggs and ham that no one would eat.

                        Dr. Seuss! Gave an account of Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose.

                        We love Dr. Seuss. Introduced the Cat in the Hat.

                        Dr. Seuss! A tree-top nest where an elephant sat.

                        Dr. Seuss! Created dozens of creatures and set them loose.

 

Tell me, whatwas the tree that the Lorax could save?

And why did the Onceler refuse to behave?

Do you know what is there in McElligot’s pool?

Have you read of the Yookwith the Kick-a-Poo tool?

 

Would you dance to the beat of the Butter-Up Band?

Do you feel for the Grinch in that faraway land?

Can you see what was wrong with the Star-Bellied Sneech?

Do you get that each book has a lesson to teach?

With Hop on Pop and Fox in Socks, we stand and shout!

He made us laugh, so we have to sing about…

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           One, two, three, four,

                        Who’s the writer we adore?

                        Theodore Geisel, he’s the one!

                        He made reading so much fun!

                        A, B, C, D,

                        Who’s the man who set us free?

                        Theodore Geisel, he’s the one!

                        He made reading so much fun!

 

He made a lot of books we will never outgrow.

Now we know oh, the places we’ll go!

 

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Sync Track (ASCAP)

Lead vocal, cockney vocals, and character vocals: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, percussion, and bass harmonica: Jimmy Hammer

Tuba, toy saxophone, slide whistle, krummhorn, kazoo, blockflöte, ocarina, Eb euphonium, banjo, trumpet, trombone, and clarinet: Joe Mennonna

Steam calliope sample and patch programming: Jimmy Hammer and Joe Mennonna

Background vocals: Jimmy Hammer, Susie Stevens, Randy Crenshaw, and Ellie Baer

 

**********************************

Interconnected

(Rachel Carson)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

Rachel Carson (1907-1964), “Voice for the Earth,” was an author and scientist whose courage, selfless spirit, and sense of wonder inspired the modern environmental movement. Her books about nature helped people realize our interconnectedness with the world of plants and animals. In 1951, her book The Sea Around Us was published. It remained on The New York Times best-seller list for 81 weeks and was translated into 32 languages. In 1962, Carson wrote Silent Spring, a book that spoke courageously about the irresponsible use of poisonous chemicals. Though powerful chemical companies labeled her an alarmist, her book awakened millions of people to the importance of caring for the planet. In 1980, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, was awarded in her memory.

 

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.—RachelCarson

 

We are born with a sense of wonder—

Folded buds ready for the spring,

Strands in the web of life.

A fresh, new, beautiful view

Is ours to see. We’ll always be…

 

Refrain:          Interconnected, one and all.

                        Interconnected, big and small.

                        Actions we take affect every living thing.

                        Listen. Sing!

                        Interconnected in this biosphere.

                        Interconnected. The truth is clear:

                        The balance of nature must be protected.  

                        We are interconnected.

 

As we stand with the sea around us,

We can feel the rhythm of the waves

That flowed into Rachel’s heart.

Hopes stir, thinking of her

And what she would give that we may live…

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:           Earth, sea, sky,

                        Plants, animals, you and I.

 

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, pianos, and percussion: Joe Mennonna

Bass: Ernest Poccia

Guitars: Leslie Chew and Jonathan Sprout

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

 

**********************************

Heads, Hearts, and Hands

(Mary McLeod Bethune)

(By Jonathan Sprout and Jimmy Hammer)

 

Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) was once the most influential black woman in America. At 29, she started her own school for African Americans with $1.50, all the money she owned. She became a voice of hope and optimism, inspiring pride and self-confidence in others. Firmly committed to social justice, she taught her students how to succeed, insisting they pay it forward by helping others who were less fortunate. Her non-confrontational style of preferring conference tables to picket lines enabled her to build bridges between black and white communities that advanced the cause for equal rights. She was the first black woman to serve as a presidential advisor and the first black person to have a national monument dedicated to her in Washington, DC.

 

Enter to learn; depart to serve.—MaryMcLeod Bethune

 

You have come here to learn,

And you will leave this place to serve,

For here at our school, we have a plan:

Every door you will open

Opens doors for others, too.

Take pride in everything you do!

Our future depends on you.

 

Refrain:          With your heads, hearts, and hands,

                        With hope and love,

                        Heads, hearts, and hands,

                        We will rise above.

                        Keep the faith. No matter what the world demands,

                        Use your heads, hearts, and hands.

 

Meet adversity with action.

See the challenge as a gift.

Answer those who hate with love.

Teach your young ones to believe

That we can live in harmony.

Rise up! Stand with dignity!

Be the one you were meant to be.

 

Refrain

 

This institution is where we start with our solution.

You’ll learn to read, and you will someday learn to lead.

Your education will save this nation,

Will give us hope for black and white.

Use your heads, hearts, and hands,

And take these wrongs and make them right!

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Sync Track (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, bass programming, piano, and organ: Joe Mennonna

Guitars: Joe Mennonna and Leslie Chew

Percussion: Jimmy Hammer

Background vocals: Randy Crenshaw (tenor), Charity McCrary (soprano), Linda McCrary (alto), and Ricky Nelson (bass)

 

**********************************

I See a Hero

(By Jonathan Sprout and Dave Kinnoin)

 

I want to be what you are to me—

I want to be a hero.

If you could see what you are to me,

You would agree you’re my hero.

I’ve been watching how you live,

All the gifts you freely give,

And I know, I know…

 

Refrain:          I see a hero when I look at you.

                        Your brave and honest ways keep shining through.

                        You are my inspiration in all I do.

                        I see a hero when I look at you.

 

Roads can get rough. Times can turn tough.

Days can be long and lonely.

Deep in my heart there is a part

Where I can find you only.

And if I’m ever feeling scared,

Lost and worried, I’m prepared

’Cause I know, I know…

 

Refrain

 

Bridge: As I fall asleep each night,

           I will hold onto my dream so tight.

 

Refrain

 

©2014 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) and Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

Lead vocal: Jonathan Sprout

Drum programming, keyboards, and percussion: Joe Mennonna

Bass: John Mennonna

Guitars: Leslie Chew and Jonathan Sprout

Background vocals: Susie Stevens and Jimmy Hammer

Can't Stop Running

 (Wilma Rudolph)

(By Jonathan Sprout)

Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994) overcame severe physical handicaps to become one of America's greatest athletes. As a young girl living in poverty, she was often sick.  At the age of six, she was fitted with a metal leg brace and told she would never walk again.  Through determination, dedication and great courage, Wilma Rudolph turned her life around to become the "fastest woman in the world" as well as the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics.  In her soft-spoken, calm and gracious manner, she taught us that we must not allow our circumstances to hinder our potential to succeed.

"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit.

  The potential for greatness lives within each of us." -- Wilma Rudolph

 

Good Dr. Coleman arrives out of breath,

Examines the girl, turns to Momma to say,

“Wilma’s so sick, she may not walk again,

But we must have hope, anyway.”

 

At twelve years she’s healthy and finally walking.

Once and for all free at last of that brace.

All over town you can hear people talking,

“Wilma has run in a race!  Sweet grace!”

 

Refrain:

            She can’t stop running.

            After all she’s been through

            Can’t stop running.

            A golden dream come true.

            She can’t stop running, yeah, yeah, yes.

            That’s what Wilma loves to do.

 

Coach Temple trains her to work on her stride.

She runs for the Tennessee Tigerbelle Team.

Soon she is confident, glowing with pride,

Hard on the heels of a dream.  It seems

 

Refrain 

 

Bridge:

            Inside that stadium in Rome,

            At the Olympics, far from home,

            She calmly waits for the starting gun.

            A flash of lightning down the track,

            The others only see her back.

            And so the gold is won.

            Wilma loves to run!

 Refrain 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP)


 Chocolate King

  (About Milton Hershey)

(By Jonathan Sprout & Dave Kinnoin)

Milton Hershey (1857-1945) was a philanthropist and visionary who found the courage to make his greatest dreams come true.  He was committed to the highest standards of honesty, fairness and integrity.  Those who worked with him were inspired by his imagination and drive, his perseverance, and his concern for others.  His generosity was as sweet as the "the great American chocolate bar" he created.  In 1918, Hershey gave his entire fortune to a school for orphans he established with his wife Catherine.  A statue of him at The Hershey School includes these words: "His deeds are his monument. His life is our inspiration."

"Give them quality. That's the best kind of advertising."  -- Milton Hershey

 

Hard work, clear vision,

A stubborn refusal to fail.

Flat broke but not broken.

How does a dream prevail?

Hope’s hurting but it’s far from gone.

Sometimes you gotta keep keepin’ on.

 

 Refrain:

            Believe and never stop.

            Keep your eyes on the mountaintop.

            A little bump in the road doesn’t mean a thing

            To The Chocolate King.

 

Success tastes sweeter

When shared with another kid.

You feel satisfaction

The way Mr. Hershey did.

Each day is bright and new

When a kind heart is leading you.

 

 Refrain

 

 Bridge:

            One boy whose lofty aim is

            To make it big some day

            Becomes-the-man whose claim to fame is

            He gave it away.

 

Refrain

 © 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) & Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)


Come Back Home

 (About John Muir) 

(By Jonathan Sprout & Dave Kinnoin)

John Muir (1838-1914), the most influential conservationist and naturalist in America, is known as "the father of our national parks." An ingenious inventor who was blinded by an injury, he vowed that if his sight were restored, he would devote himself to the study of the inventions of Nature.  Gradually, his vision returned, and he courageously took a stand against the destruction of America's great western forests.  With his poetic writing, he taught us that wild places are precious and fragile spiritual resources that must be preserved.  A compassionate dreamer, he forever changed the way we see our mountains and forests. 

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountain is going home; that wildness is necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life." -- John Muir

 

I dream of mountains

I hear them calling me back home.

I hear them calling,

Calling – come back home!

 

Far from the reach of the city,

Where mountains give way to the sky,

This is where I long to wander,

Watching the seasons go by.

Nothing could feel more exciting

Than being there, ready to roam.

No place could be more inviting.

It’s calling me “Come back home!”

 

 Refrain:

            Let me stand in the heart of a redwood grove

            Lightly sprinkled with fresh white snow,

            May I just catch a glimpse of a mountaintop

            Awash with alpenglow,

            Let me live out a dream on Yosemite Stream

            Where my wilderness joys abound,

            To discover the truth of eternal youth

            Upon that sacred ground.

 

Nature awakens my senses

When I walk among whispering trees

Smelling the sweet-scented cedar

Breathing the crisp glacial breeze.

Hearing a soft creature chorus

Under a star-sparkled dome.

Now who will preserve it all for us

So we can come back home?

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:

      High flowery meadows

       Sheer canyon walls

       Huge boulder dams

       Lacey white waterfalls

 

Refrain

 

Outro:

I dream of mountains

I hear them calling me back home.

I hear them calling,

Calling – come back home!

I dream of mountains

I hear them calling me back home.

I hear them calling,

Calling – come back home!

 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) & Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)


Doctor

(About Elizabeth Blackwell)

(By Jonathan Sprout)  

Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) overcame great opposition to become the first woman doctor in America.  After receiving 28 rejections from medical schools, she was accepted by Geneva Medical College, but only because it was believed her application was a joke.  In spite of the prejudice she experienced, she graduated first in her class.  Later Miss Blackwell fought an uphill battle to open the first hospital staffed by women physicians and the first medical college to train women doctors.  It was her dedication to creating a medical community for women, children and the poor that ultimately distinguished her as a true medical pioneer.  

“If society will not admit of woman's free development, then society must be remodeled.”

-- Elizabeth Blackwell

 

A young girl with a dream to heal

Grows up in an unjust world

Where only men can operate.

As smart as the brightest man,

She learns everything she can,

But her dream will just have to wait.

 

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "How can she hope to succeed?"

            She wants to be a doctor.

           "A mental contusion, indeed!"

 

Twenty-seven, twenty-eight rejections

At last an acceptance note.

So many say, “She’ll never pass!”

She proves she can make the cut.

Opens doors that had once been shut.

Graduates first in her class!

 

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "What a bizarre request!"

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "How did she pass the test?"

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "Only a man can endure!"

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "Only a man for sure!" 

 

BRIDGE:  Such a narrow thought: “Dr.” has to be a man.

                   Then along comes Bessie with her plan.

 

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "The medical world is inflamed!"

            She wants to be a doctor.

            "Maybe we should feel ashamed."

            She wants to be a doctor!

            "Nothing will be the same!"

            She wants to be a doctor!       

 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP)


 Good for Me

 (by Jonathan Sprout, Dave Kinnoin & Jimmy Hammer)

 

Pretty amazing gift you gave to me --

Helping me understand what I can be.

Talk about self-esteem,

Now I have a dream to dream.

And before this moment slips away,

There’s something that I want to say.

 Refrain:

            It’s good for me

            That I found you

            To be the special someone

            I can look up to.

            You’re with me now

            You’ll always be    

            Yes, you’ll always be 

            Good for me.

 

You always smiled and said the future’s bright

Now I can look ahead and feel all right

Wherever the road may lead

I know … I will succeed

‘Cause I’ll always have a part of you

To keep me safe and get me through

 

Refrain

Bridge:

            I will honor every gift you give me.

            Every day I live you’re with me in my heart.

            ‘Cause I can see myself reflecting you

            And totally respecting you

            In everything I say and everything I do.

 

 Refrain © 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP), Song Wizard Music (ASCAP &, Sync Track (ASCAP)


He Will Not Give Up

(About Jonas Salk)

(By Jonathan Sprout & Dave Kinnoin)

Jonas Salk (1914-1995), "the man who saved the children," developed a vaccine for polio, a terrifying disease that crippled and killed people.  In the 1950s, when tens of thousands of children were infected each year, Dr. Salk worked in his laboratory sixteen hours a day, seven days a week, searching for a way to stop the epidemic.  Volunteering to be among the first "human guinea pigs," he injected himself with his experimental vaccine to prove it was safe and effective.  Fueled by remarkable idealism, he refused to patent his vaccine so that it could be distributed freely around the world.

"Hope lies in dreams, in imagination and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality." -- Jonas Salk

 

 

Polio sweeps through the cities.

It frightens and cripples and kills.

This virulent virus is sneaking inside us

Completely resistant to pills.

It’s hard to detect this invader

That seems to come out of thin air.

A doctor works late

With a crushing weight

On his shoulders he chooses to bear.

 

 Refrain:

            He will not give up.

            He will not give in.

            He will find the answer

            Through thick and thin.

            Every day and night

            He will fight the fight,

            And he’ll win.

            He will not give up.

 

There in his lab he is working.

Seldom takes time to relax.

His focus is keen to find a vaccine

To stop this disease in its tracks.

His family suffers his absence.

They know he must finish the race.

But the children roll by and the parents cry,

And he knows he must keep up the pace. Refrain 

So little time,

“The future lies in imagination

So much to do.

And in the courage of those who will dare.”

 

 Refrain 

 Copyright 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) & Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)


Peanut Man

(About George Washington Carver)

(By Jonathan Sprout, Dave Kinnoin & Jimmy Hammer)

George Washington Carver (1864?-1943), known as the Peanut Man, helped countless poor Southerners survive as farmers.  Born a slave, he overcame harsh racial prejudice to earn two college degrees, becoming one of the most famous scientists of his time.  His research reportedly led to the development of 300 products made from peanuts.  From the sweet potato, he found more than 100 uses.  A soft-spoken, modest man, Professor Carver donated his savings near the end of his life so his research could continue.  On his gravestone is written: "He found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world."

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system,

through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."  -- George Washington Carver

 

Refrain:

       Hey, Mr. Peanut Man! 

        I said hey, hey, Mr. Peanut Man!   

       You sure knew what a peanut could do.  

       It was you who’s pursue every new nutty clue.  

       Here’s to The Peanut Man!

 

Cocoa, cooking oil, peanut beverage flakes

Flour, milk & lard, tasty peanut cakes

Lotion for your skin, nitroglycerine

What would he dream up?  What would he dream up next?

 

Refrain

 

Wall board, diesel fuel, Tutti Frutti cheese

Pickels, shaving cream, cattle feed and grease

Laxatives and paste.  Nothing went to waste.

Oh, what would he dream up?  What would he dream up next? 

 

Refrain

 

He could serve a truly scrumptious meal.

The salad, soup and chicken had delectable appeal.

The candy, cake and ice cream were, in fact ideal!

Then he would reveal none of it was real!

Well, actually, it was made entirely from peanuts! 

 

Refrain 

 

Coffee, vinegar, cream and glue

Buttermilk, dandruff cure, shampoo… 

Rubber, Peanut Lemon Drink

Salad oil, curds and ink… 

Quinine, metal polish, dye

Insecticide! I testify! 

Mayonnaise and chili sauce…

Carver is the peanut boss! 

 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP), Song Wizard Music (ASCAP) & Sync Track (ASCAP)


Pocahontas

(By Jonathan Sprout, Dave Kinnoin & Jimmy Hammer) 

Pocahontas (1595?–1617) was a legendary Native American princess who, at the age of about eleven, may have saved the life of English explorer Captain John Smith.  She was a brave, compassionate girl who later helped the colonists by bringing them food. Without her, Smith claimed, the English would not have survived.  She inspired a rare peace between two nations with her vision of cooperation between the European settlers and her own people.  A distinguished ambassador, peacemaker and trusted friend, her legacy lives on with the survival of a colony that led to the birth of a nation.

 

I was captured by Algonquin warriors.

Taken to the Indian King.

Brought forth in a crowded longhouse.

She sat, listening.

Thrown down on my knees, they bound me.

I gasped for my final breath.

She rose, threw her arms around me,

Saving me from certain death.

The braves were pacing.

My heart was racing.

How would I survive?

 

Refrain:

            Pocahontas, Pocahontas        

            Saved my life that night!

            Pocahontas, Pocahontas        

            Saved my life that night!

 

One cold winter I returned

To Werowocomoco.

She rushed to my hut concerned

With secrets I must know.

Stern whispers and teary eyes

Warned me of a night attack.

I left ‘ere the moon could rise,                       

Gave thanks, and safely made it back.

I do confess her thoughtfulness

Kept this man alive!

 

Refrain 

 

Chief Powhatan’s daughter

Secured my release --

This Princess of friendship and peace.

 

Refrain 

 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP), Song Wizard Music (ASCAP) & Sync Track (ASCAP)


Si Se Puede! (Yes We Can!)

(About Cesar Chavez)

(By Jonathan Sprout, Dave Kinnoin & Jimmy Hammer)

Cesar Chavez (1927-1993), one of America's greatest labor leaders and civil rights activists, dedicated himself to improving the lives of America's poorest workers.  Through an organization he helped to establish that eventually became known as the United Farm Workers, he used nonviolent strikes and boycotts to get higher wages and better working conditions for Mexican American migrant workers. His ultimate weapon in his fight for justice against the rich and powerful California growers was truth.  An intelligent man of soft-spoken humility and constant hope, he taught us that with cooperation and respect, we can accomplish the impossible.

"True wealth is not measured in money or status or power.  It is measured in the legacy we leave behind for those we love and those we inspire." -- Cesar Chavez

 

 

In these hot dusty fields we harvest the grapes.

From dawn until dark, we are locked in our fates.

These jobs are like prisons. Nobody escapes.

 

A dollar an hour is all they will pay.

It’s hardly enough to survive through the day.

We live for the hope there must be a better way.

 

But now, campesinos, they talk of a man

Who says we must stand and unite.

 

Refrain:

            Si se puede!  We can do it, yes we can.

            Si se puede!  Cesar Chavez has a plan.

            Si se puede!  We can do it, yes we can.

            He will help us unite as we stand for what right.  He’s our man!

            Si se puede, yes we can!

 

We strike –Huelga-- boycott.  We picket the gate.

The growers, they fight and they retaliate,

But Cesar says truth is much stronger than hate.

So we march from Delano and shout for la causa

Our campeon leading the way.

 

Refrain

 

Bridge:  Si! Se puede --  un milagro

               Si! Viva la causa!

               Si! Se puede -- igualdad

               Un mejor manana

 Refrain 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) & Song Wizard Music (ASCAP), Sync Track (ASCAP)


The Least I Could Do

(About Jane Addams)

(By Jonathan Sprout & Dave Kinnoin)

Jane Addams (1860-1935) established a settlement house for poor immigrants in Chicago when she was 29 years old.  The success of this community center, known as Hull House, inspired the creation of hundreds of centers across America.  Though sometimes harshly criticized by the newspapers, she worked tirelessly for more than forty years, teaching the less fortunate how to help themselves.  A national women's rights advocate and an international leader in the peace movement, she was eventually known as America's greatest living woman.  In 1931, this "First Lady of Peace" became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

"America's future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live." -- Jane Addams

 

 

On an early fall day she first opened the door

At Hull House, Chicago’s west side.

With the hungry, the helpless, the sick and the poor,

That’s where she would reside. 

She became Sister Jane to the immigrants there

As she taught them the skills to survive.

Bringing strength to the weak with respect and great care,

Miss Jane Addams came alive. 

Finally there was laughter.

And the love in that neighborhood grew.

And if you’d asked why she moved there,

She’d probably say 

 

Refrain: 

        It was the least I could do --  

        The most I could give. 

         In my heart, I knew 

         It was the only way I could live -- 

         The least I could do. 

 

In the year 1917, the world was on fire

As battle cries blazed through the land.

But her passion for peace was so strong a desire,

She made a lonely stand. 

And when all the fighting was over,

And the winds of war no longer blew,

If you’d asked why she stood her ground, she’d probably say

 

Refrain

 

 Always working for justice

And one of the few

Who would say, if you asked,

Why she lived life that way 

 

Refrain 

 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) & Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)


What He Wrote

(About Thomas Jefferson)

(By Jonathan Sprout & Dave Kinnoin)

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) wrote the most influential document in American history -- the Declaration of Independence.  As president, he more than doubled the size of the United States and sent explorers Lewis and Clark to the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase.  He was a dreamer with a passion for books and knowledge, concerned above all with ideas.  A farmer, scientist and philosopher, he found the words to express the highest of human aspirations, becoming the leading spokesman in the revolution of ideas that transformed America.  Jefferson changed the world with what he wrote.

"We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable: that all men are created equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, and liberty and the pursuit of happiness." -- Thomas Jefferson

 

 

Seventh & Market Street, Philadelphia, PA,

Second floor apartment, hot summer day.

Young Mr. Jefferson, thoughts swirling in his head,

Holds high his hopes and dreams that freedom isn’t dead.

History is on the brink.His pen dips into the ink.

 

 Refrain: 

         What he wrote 

         It was a Declaration of an emerging nation.  

         

We hold these truths to be self-evident

All men are created equal.

And on it went.

Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness…

He spelled democracy and nothing less.

He made it crystal clear

So all the world could hear. 

 

Refrain 

 

Let justice kick the King out and send his troops away.

Let freedom bells ring out our Independence Day!

 

 Refrain 

© 2009 Kanukatunes (ASCAP) & Song Wizard Music (ASCAP)

 

 

 

Go to top