Skip to content

Earth & Spirit Songbook

Earth & Spirit Songbook

This anthology of 110 old and new songs is a great resource for educators, song leaders, church musicians and anyone who celebrates our amazing planet. The Earth and Spirit Songbook provides entertaining, educational songs of ecology, world humanity and peace with participatory choruses for groups to sing. Compiled and edited by musician-composer Jim Scott, it includes songs by many well-known contemporary songwriters.

Categories include:
– Earth education – for children and adults
– Social action, environmental justice issues, etc.
– Earth celebrations – earth oriented holidays
– Beauty, abundance, community, rights of passage, etc.
– World humanity and peace

The songs not only teach about the earth, in scientific terms and representing a variety of spiritual traditions, but also make a collective musical statement by the many musicians who have made ecology and peace a part of their artistic work.

Music directors, performers, and all literate accompanists will find it a great resource, as it includes full piano accompaniments, even for rounds. Some arrangements are more elaborate than typically found in hymnbooks or commercial sheet music, and include chord symbols to be universally useful to all musicians. Many songs also include some vocal harmony, so choirs will find a wealth of short-cut choral pieces useful for the weekly production of anthems, and special music, etc.

Table of Contents

A Great Big Breath, 2

A Place in the Choir, 6

A Song for the Earth, 8

Air Moves Us, 4

All Around the Child, 11

All The World Is Now One, 5

An Enchanted Isle, 12

An Irish Blessing, 14

Ancient Mother,15

Arise! Arise!, 16

Blessed, 19

Blessing, 22

The Blue Green Hills of Earth, 149

Brief Our Days, 24

Building A New Way, 28

Calypso Chant, 30

Carry the Flame, 27

Circle of the Sun, 38

Common Ground, 32

Cosmic Stew, 34

Cycle Song of Life, 36

Disguised as Poetry, 39

Earth’s Endless Treasures, 42

Far Too Long In Fear Divided, 44

The Fire of Commitment, 150

For the Beauty of the Earth, 45

For This We Stand, 46

The Friendly Beasts, 165

From You I Receive, 47

The Fruit Song, 48

Garbage, 50

The Garden Song, 152

Gather the Spirit, 54

Gently Homeward, 56

Give Yourself to Love, 58

God Bless the Grass, 53

A Great Big Breath, 2

Gwaza Universe, 62

Habitat, 60

Harmony, 63

Healing Circle, 66

I Am A Seed of Peace, 69

I Come and Stand at Every Door, 76

I Will Shelter You, 72

If I Had A Hammer, 74

Keepers of the Flame, 77

Love Will Guide Us, 84

Long Tailfeathers/Hey Hey Watanay, 81

Longest Night, 82

Love is All Around, 85

Love Song for Mother Earth, 86

Maisha Ni Safi (Life Is Good), 88

May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You, 91

May there Always be Sunshine, 92

May Your Life Be As A Song, 94

Minuit, 96

Morning Glory, 98

Morning Has Broken, 100

Mystery, 102

Nothing But Peace, 106

Of Time and Rivers Flowing, 108

Oh Great Spirit, 110

On Your Way, 115

One Earth, One Sky, 120

One More Circle Round the Sun, 111

The Oneness of Everything, 156

Once More the Liberal Year, 114

Open Your Heart, 116

Over My Head, 118

Peace Is, 122

Peace is Flowing Like River, 121

Peace On Earth, 124

Plant More Than You Harvest, 126

Put Me in the Compost Pile, 130

The Rainforest Song, 158

Rising Green, 129

River, 132

Roots and Wings, 134

Season of the Grateful Heart, 136

Shalom Havayreem, 137

Sing It for the Earth in Need, 140

Singing for Our Lives, 138

Siyahamba, 141

Solstice Carol, 146

Somos el Barco, 142

Swimming to the Other Side, 144

Taste and See, 147

Temple Round, 148

The Blue Green Hills of Earth, 149

The Fire of Commitment, 150

The Friendly Beasts, 165

The Fruit Song, 52

The Garden Song (Inch by Inch), 152

The Great Storm is Over, 154

The Oneness of Everything, 156

The Rainforest Song, 158

There’s A Moon Out My Window, 160

There’s a Way, 162

This Land is Your Land, 166

This Pretty Planet, 168

Turn the World Around, 30

Two Hands Hold the Earth, 170

Vine and Fig Tree, 172

We Are…, 174

We Are All One Planet, 176

We Are One, We Are Many, 180

We Are the Rain and the Rainbow, 179

We Shall Not Be Moved, 182

We Stand on Holy Ground, 184

Weaving, 185

Welcome the Traveler Home, 186

Well May the World Go, 189

What Can I Use Instead, 190

Where Is the Moon, 193

(Why Don’t You) Put Me in the Compost Pile, 130

Winter Solstice Round 194 Wondrous Love (arr. Scott), 194

Wondrous Love (arr. Egan), 195

Wondrous Love (arr. Matthieu), 195

World of Wonder, 198

Songs and Composers Included in the Book by Category:

Activism and Awareness

  • A Song for the Earth – Jim Scott
  • All the World Is Now One – Kay Eskenazi
  • An Enchanted Isle – Jim Scott
  • Building A New Way – Martha Sandefer
  • Earth’s Endless Treasures – Ellen Hansen-Ellis
  • For This We Stand – Jim Scott
  • God Bless the Grass – Malvina Reynolds
  • I Am A Seed of Peace – James Durst
  • I Come and Stand At Every Door – Pete Seeger
  • If I Had a Hammer – Pete Seeger/Lee Hays
  • Keepers of the Flame – Raymond Egan
  • Open  Your Heart to the Song of the Planet
  • Singing for Our Lives – Holly Near
  • Siyahamba – South African/Andres Nyberg
  • This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
  • We Shall Not Be Moved – Trad.
  • What Can I Use Instead – Ann Bailey Roland

Air – Sky

  • A Great Big Breath – Jim Scott
  • Air Moves Us – Anonymous
  • Long Tailfeathers – Native American
  • One Earth, One Sky – Kim Oler
  • Over My Head – Trad. African American

Animals

  • A Place in the Choir – Bill Staines
  • Common Ground – Lins/Winter/ Scott
  • Habitat – Bill Oliver
  • The Friendly Beasts – Trad.
  • The Rainforest Song – Jim Scott

Community in Diversity

  • A Place in the Choir – Bill Staines
  • Calypso Chant – Harry Belefonte
  • Carry The Flame – Patricia Pavey
  • Common Ground – Lins/Winter/ Scott
  • For This We Stand – Jim Scott
  • From You I Receive – Joseph and Nathan Siegel
  • Healing Circle – Julia Hikory
  • I Am A Seed of Peace – James Durst
  • Love is All Around – Ruth Pelham
  • Maisha Ni Safi – Lui Collins
  • One More Circle Round the Sun – Peter Mayer
  • Siyahamba – South African/Andres Nyberg
  • Somos el Barco – Lorre Wyatt
  • Swimming to the Other Side – Pat Humphries
  • This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
  • Under One Sky 
  • Welcome the Traveler Home – John Mc Cutcheon

Earth/ Soil

  • An Enchanted Isle – Jim Scott
  • Morning Glory – Terry Garthwaite
  • Morning Has Broken – Trad./Eleanor Farjeon
  • Rising Green – Carolyn McDade
  • On Holy Ground – Carol Eagleheart
  • Once More the Liberal Year – Whittier/Scott
  • Plant More Than You Harvest – Jim Scott
  • Put Me In the Compost Pile – Stan Slaughter
  • The Blue Green Hills of Earth – Kim Oler
  • The Garden Song – David Mallet

Ecology /Science

  • A Great Big Breath – Jim Scott 
  • A Song for the Earth – Jim Scott
  • Cosmic Stew – Stan Slaughter
  • Garbage – Bill Steele
  • Habitat – Bill Oliver
  • Peace On Earth – Lui Collins
  • Put Me in the Compost Pile – Stan Slaughter
  • The Garden Song – David Mallet
  • The Rainforest Song – Jim Scott
  • What Can I Use Instead – Ann Bailey Roland
  • Where is the Moon – Becky Reardon

Fire – Sun

  • An Enchanted Isle – Jim Scott
  • Calypso Chant – Harry Belefonte
  • Carry the Flame – Patricia Pavey
  • Circle of the Sun – Sally Rogers
  • The Fire of Commitment – Jason Shelton

Fall Equinox

  • Fruit Song, The – Henry Carey/ Kay Eskanazi
  • Harmony – Jim Scott
  • Once More the Liberal Year – Whittier/Scott
  • Put Me in the Compost Pile – Stan Slaughter
  • Season of the Grateful Heart – Jim Scott
  • Taste and See – Betsy Rose

For the Beauty of the Earth

  • The Blue Green Hills of Earth – Kim Oler
  • Earth’s Endless Treasures – Ellen Hansen-Ellis
  • For the Beauty of the Earth – Folliot Pierpont
  • Gently Homeward – Jim Scott
  • Long Tailfeathers/Hey Hey Watanay – Native American    
  • Morning Has Broken – Trad./Eleanor Farjeon
  • Mystery – Jeremy Geffen
  • Love Song for Mother Earth – Mimi Bornstein Doble
  • Oh Great Spirit – Anon 
  • Over My Head – Trad. African American     
  • River – Bill Staines  
  • Taste and See – Betsy Rose
  • The Blue Green Hills of Earth – Kim Oler
  • This Pretty Planet – Tom Chapin
  • World of Wonder – Tom Benjamin

Good Wishes – Blessings – Benedictions

  • An Irish Blessing – Jaie Arianna Livingston
  • Blessed – Lui Collins
  • Blessing – Donna Hebert
  • Carry the Flame – Patricia Pavey
  • Give Yourself to Love – Kate Wolf
  • I Will Shelter You – Jim Scott
  • May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You – Mike Heron
  • May There Always Be Sunshine – Lev Oshanina/Arkadi Ostrovski
  • May Your Life Be As A Song – Trad./Jim Scott
  • On Your Way – Jaie Arrianna Livingston
  • Well May the World Go – Trad./Pete Seeger

Healing

  • Healing Circle – Julia Hikory
  • Gently Homeward – Jim Scott
  • Give Yourself to Love – Kate Wolf
  • I Will Shelter You – Jim Scott
  • Love Will Guide Us – Trad./Sally Rogers
  • Open Your Heart – Mary Grigolia
  • Peace is Flowing Like a River – Trad.
  • Sing it For the Earth in Need – Sue Ribaudo
  • The Great Storm is Over – Bob Franke
  • There’s a Way – Jim Scott

Peace on Earth

  • Building A New Way – Martha Sandefer
  • Common Ground – Lins/Winter/ Scott
  • Far Too Long by Fear Divided – John Andrew Story/Jim Scott
  • Harmony – Jim Scott
  • I Am A Seed of Peace – James Durst
  • Love is All Around – Ruth Pelham
  • Nothing But Peace – Jim Scott
  • One Earth, One Sky – Kim Oler
  • Peace Is – Fred Small
  • Peace is Flowing Like River – Trad.
  • Peace On Earth – Lui Collins
  • Shalom Havayreem – Trad.
  • Vine and Fig Tree – Trad.

Rights of Passage

  • Carry the Flame – Patricia Pavey
  • Circle of the Sun – Sally Rogers
  • Cycle Song of Life – James Durst
  • I Will Shelter You – Jim Scott
  • Give Yourself to Love – Kate Wolf
  • Roots and Wings – Pete and Jason Leary
  • The Great Storm is Over – Bob Franke
  • Welcome the Traveller Home – John Mc Cutcheon

Rounds

  • I Am a Seed of Peace – James Durst
  • Long Tailfeathers/Hey Hey Watanay – Native American
  • Longest Night – Trad./Jim Scott
  • May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You – Mike Heron
  • Oh Great Spirit – Anon
  • Temple Round – Allaudin Mattieu
  • Fruit Song, The – Henry Carey/ Kay Eskanazi
  • This Pretty Planet – Tom Chapin
  • Where is the Moon – Becky Reardon
  • Winter Solstice Round – Becky Reardon
  • Turn the World Around 
  • Gwaza Universe – Nick Page
  • Minuit – Kieta Fodeba
  • (song refrain is a round)
  • I Will Shelter You – Jim Scott
  • Nothing But Peace – Jim Scott
  • May Your Life be as a Song – Trad./Jim Scott

Spirit and Celebration 

  • Ancient Mother – Native American
  • Calypso Chant – Harry Belefonte
  • Common Ground – Lins/Winter/ Scott
  • Disguised As Poetry – Dana Clark
  • Earth’s Endless Treasures – Ellen Hansen-Ellis
  • Gather the Spirit – Jim Scott
  • Harmony – Jim Scott
  • Love Will Guide Us – Trad./Sally Rogers
  • Minuit – Kieta Fodeba
  • Morning Has Broken – Trad./Eleanor Farjeon
  • Morning Glory – Terry Garthwaite
  • Mystery – Jeremy Geffen
  • On Holy Ground – Carol Eagleheart
  • One More Circle Round the Sun – Peter Mayer
  • Over My Head – Trad. African American
  • Peace Is – Fred Small
  • Swimming to the Other Side – Pat Humphries
  • The Great Storm is Over – Bob Franke
  • The Oneness of Everything – Jim Scott
  • We Are One, We Are Many – Rick and Hillary Wagner
  • Ishk Allah Ma Bood – Allaudin Matthieu
  • Wondrous Love – Trad./Jim Scott
  • Wondrous Love – Trad./ Raymond Egan
  • World of Wonder – Tom Benjamin

Spring Equinox

  • Arise Arise – Jim Scott
  • Circle of the Sun – Sally Rogers
  • May the Long Time Sun shine Upon You – Mike Heron
  • Plant More Than You Harvest – Jim Scott
  • The Garden Song – David Mallet
  • World of Wonder – Tom Benjamin

Summer Solstice

  • Arise Arise – Jim Scott
  • Circle of the Sun – Sally Rogers
  • Fruit Song, The – Henry Carey/ Kay Eskanazi
  • May the Longtime Sun Shine Upon You – Mike Heron
  • The Garden Song – David Mallet

The Interdependent Web

  • All the World Is Now One – Kay Eskenazi
  • Air Moves Us – Anonymous
  • Gwaza Universe – Nick Page 
  • Of Time and Rivers Flowing – Pete Seeger
  • River – Bill Staines   
  • Rising Green – Carolyn McDade
  • Taste and See – Betsy Rose
  • The Friendly Beasts – Trad.
  • The Oneness of Everything – Jim Scott     
  • Two Hands Hold the Earth – Sarah Pirtle
  • We Are the Rain and the Rainbow – Cynthia Crossen

Time – And the Turning of the Year

  • All Around the Child – Jim Scott
  • Brief Our Days – J S Bach /Kenneth Patton
  • Circle of the Sun – Sally Rogers
  • Cycle Song of Life – James Durst
  • Fruit Song, The – Henry Carey/ Kay Eskanazi
  • Longest Night – Trad./Jim Scott
  • Minuit – Kieta Fodeba
  • Morning Has Broken – Trad./Eleanor Farjeon
  • Morning Glory – Terry Garthwaite
  • One More Circle Round the Sun – Peter Mayer
  • Once More the Liberal Year – Whittier/Scott
  • Roots and Wings – Pete and Jason Leary
  • Season of the Grateful Heart – Jim Scott
  • Solstice Carol – Jim Scott
  • The Friendly Beasts – Trad.
  • The Garden Song – David Mallet
  • Where Is the Moon – Becky Reardon
  • Winter Solstice Round – Becky Reardon

Water

  • A Song for the Earth – Jim Scott
  • Cycle Song of Life – James Durst
  • Peace is Flowing Like a River – Trad.
  • Somos El Barco – Lorre Wyatt
  • Swimming to the Other side – Pat Humphries
  • The Rainforest Song – Jim Scott
  • We Are the Rain and the Rainbow – Cynthia Crossen

Winter Solstice

  • Longest Night – Trad./Jim Scott
  • Minuit – Kieta Fodeba
  • One More Circle Round the Sun – Peter Mayer
  • Solstice Carol – Jim Scott
  • There’s a Moon Out My Window – Jim Scott
  • Winter Solstice Round – Becky Reardon

Young at Heart – Children and Intergenerational

  • A Great Big Breath – Jim Scott
  • A Place in the Choir – Bill Staines
  • Cosmic Stew – Stan Slaughter
  • Garbage – Bill Steele
  • Habitat – Bill Oliver
  • If I Had A Hammer – Pete Seeger/Lee Hays
  • Love is All Around – Ruth Pelham
  • Maisha Ni Safi – Lui Collins
  • May There Always Be Sunshine – Lev Oshanina/Arkadi Ostrovski
  • Peace On Earth – Lui Collins
  • Plant More then You Harvest
  • Put Me in the Compost Pile – Stan Slaughter
  • Roots and Wings – Pete and Jason Leary
  • Sing It for the Earth in Need – Sue Ribaudo
  • Somos el Barco – Lorre Wyatt
  • The Garden Song – David Mallet
  • The Rainforest Song – Jim Scott
  • There’s A Moon Out My Window – Jim Scott
  • This Pretty Planet – Tom Chapin
  • Under One Sky

Notes on the songs for performance and background:

A Great Big Breath – Samba/Latin rhythm. Verse perhaps for a leader or small group and sing along chorus for all. Everyone literally takes a great big breath in the chorus.

Air Moves Us – This short chant is a good vehicle for centering, singing it several times, or might be just sung once or twice as a response. It almost works as a round, but has some dissonance. A two part canon one measure apart can work, (two measures apart has too much of the same notes) or for an interesting harmony try the second part a fifth higher starting on B.

A Place in the Choir – A great sing along chorus with a message of harmony and diversity. Moves quickly so verses might be done by leader. The refrain can be easily taught by ear and is great for kids.

A Song for the Earth – The lyrics describe the water cycle and how we have threatened its life-giving ability. Could be sung by a group, though might be best for a soloist. A larger arrangement is available from Jim Scott in SATB

All Around the Child – A song for the Christmas, solstice, holiday season that might be used anytime for celebrating a birth. The piano is an SATB four part harmonization. A more diverse choral arrangement (different from verse to verse) is available from Jim Scott.

An Enchanted Isle – A strophic ballad that repeats the same short verse. For variety, the voices of the narrator and the spirits could be represented by trading verses between women and men, or other divisions – left and right sides of the room, etc.

An Irish Blessing – a parting blessing or wish, this is an easy song for the whole group to sing.

Arise! Arise! – A good Summer solstice song, this has a chorus for all. The verses can certainly be sung by all as well, but might be done by a soloist or traded between various groups. Several more orchestrated arrangements, including SATB and SAA are available from Jim Scott.

Blessed – A lyrical unison verse, good for a group. Chorus breaks into three part harmony that could be taught by ear. Range is from a low A to a high D in the melody, higher F# in the harmony.

Blessing – Rolling 3/4 unison melody is easy for group to sing, chorus breaks into two parts. Beautiful parting wish or for right of passage, graduation, etc.

Building A New Way – Bluesy and energetic, this is an easy song for a leader to teach even by ear. A zipper song, in a way, the verses have repetition of the form that people will pick up quickly.

Calypso Chant – This much loved multi-part song by Harry Belafonte can turn into rich harmony. Gwaza- style, each line can be sung against the others. Piano can repeat any four bar phrases as long as desired.

Carry the Flame – Three part choral arrangement is an optional accompaniment to the melody line for leader and audience/congregation sing along.

Circle of the Sun – A song full of hope and celebration of the phases of life. Melody is quickly picked up with enough repetition so harmony parts are easy to find.

Common Ground – Samba rhythm. The verse moves fast but can easily be sung by the whole group. Chorus is easily taught by ear. A larger choral arrangement with counter melodies is available from Jim Scott.

Cosmic Stew – A humorous song with a lot of science. There’s a lot of words here, but the rock rhythm makes it good fun for kids and adults.

Cycle Song of Life – The melody is easily done by a whole group, and this can be a poignant song for a soloist as well – chorus lends itself to participation. A choral arrangement of this song for solo and SATB is available from James Durst.

Earth’s Endless Treasures – Melody easy for group singing. Piano part almost delineates possible harmony lines. A choral arrangement of this song is available from Ellen Hanson-Ellis.

Fellow Travelers – A complicated song with a challenging piano accompaniment by the composer Raymond Egan, This is meant for a soloist, and for performance, but could have a group singing in places.

For the Beauty of the Earth – This hymn is used a thematic motif in the Missa Gaia /Earth Mass by Jim Scott and members of the Paul Winter Consort. This update of the original harmonization can easily be sung in four parts.

For This We Stand – Good for group singing, though a range of an octave and a fourth. The piano part can be taken as a four part SATB harmonization. A more developed SATB arrangement is available from Jim Scott.

Gwaza Universe – These four counterpoint parts can be taught by ear and add up to a complex result.

Harmony – melody is good for group singing. May take a little teaching to get the modulations. Other more orchestrated arrangements of this song in SATB and SAA are available from Jim Scott.

Healing Circle – Chorus for all, verses could be sung by a leader but are easily done by a group as well. Harmony parts can be derived from the piano part or are easy to improvise.

I Am A Seed of Peace – Four part round makes a background for a lead melody line

I Come and Stand At Every Door – A most moving and powerful song for either a leader or the whole group to sing. Possibly solo with group participation in the last verse.

I Will Shelter You – Verse could be sung by a leader or the whole group. Verses might be divided between men and women or two different sub-groups. The chorus becomes a four part round.

If I Had A Hammer – Everybody sing. Three part harmony arrangement is reminiscent of the popular recorded version of this song.

Long Tailfeathers/Hey Hey Watanay – Two parts can be divided any way desired, by voice parts or different sides of the group. One part can be taught, then the second, then put them together.

Longest Night – These new words to a well known 3 part round melody are easily taught by ear. The piano part can be repeated anywhere in four measure phrases, so the accompanist can make an ever-changing accompaniment for as long as desired.

Love is All Around – This melody is easily taught by ear and is good for kids and adults.

Love Song for Mother Earth – This could be a solo song or for the whole group to sing. The leader might take the verses and just have the group join in on the chorus. It could take a little teaching to show how long to hold “Mother Earth__”.

May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You – These first two parts of this three part round are somewhat adapted from the original but representative of how groups have come to sing this song now to make a round. The third line is Jim Scott’s addition. The round could be repeated as long as desired and four bars of the piano accompaniment can be repeated at any double bar (every four bars).

May There Always be Sunshine – This international peace song, combining Russian and English is easily taught by ear. Good song for kids, though don’t forget the grownups.

Maisha Ni Safi (Life Is Good) – This song, combining English and Swahili, can be done by the whole group, or could be divided into call and response, either from leader to group or two sides calling out to each other.

Minuit – This is a gwaza or village type song with four independent parts. Each part can be a canon/round with itself every four bars and is generally done introducing one line then the next until all four are put together.

Morning Glory – This could be done by the whole group or part could be a soloist. Solid gospel rhythm is recommended, but could be done in many styles.

Morning Has Broken – Here is a version of this well-known song more reminiscent of the popular version. Optional three-part SAB harmony could be sung just on some verses, or by small group while audience/congregation sings melody. One verse, or part of one, could be a cappella vocal harmony.

Mystery – Written as a solo song and included in the Missa Gaia /Earth Mass by the Paul Winter Consort, this can make a beautiful hymn for an entire group to sing. Verse possibly by a soloist and chorus could be sung by all.

Nothing But Peace – The chorus becomes a four part round. Verses might be sung by leader or the whole group. The chorus can be taught by ear for audience sing along. Break in to the round only later in the song after the verses are sung and repetition has taught the chorus. Four part round could be four different languages. A more varied SATB arrangement of this song is available from Jim Scott.

O Great Spirit – This can be sung as a nice short unison song or it’s a round starting every two bars.

On Holy Ground – This is a “zipper song ” an easy short melody to pick up teachable by ear and bringing in new phrases to change each verse. The piano accompaniment can be read as a four part SATB harmonization.

On Your Way – A short parting song, this can be good for sending children or any group on their way, sung by the rest of the group that stays, or as a benediction to all.

Once More the Liberal Year – A Thanksgiving and harvest song. this has an accessible melody for a group to sing, while the piano part can be taken as a four part SATB harmonization. A more up tempo and orchestrated arrangement of this song with a lead instrumental line in a Celtic-style triplet rhythm is available from Jim Scott.

One More Circle Round the Sun – The unison verse is good for group or solo and the chorus last two lines can take harmony parts form the piano accompaniment. A larger SATB arrangement of this song is available from Jim Scott.

Open Your Heart – This is a song of celebration, also a warning and a call to action. Encourage singing it with more conviction than sentimentality and a moving rhythm.

Over My Head – A three-part arrangement, the melody and two harmony parts can be sung by any combination of voices for a call and response style group participation. This makes a good choral piece, though a more fully written out SATB arrangement is available from Jim Scott.

Peace Is – This is easily done by a group, or can be a great song for a leader to take the verses and the chorus can be taught by ear.

Peace is Flowing Like River – Good for the whole group to sing, this is a “zipper song” where the one word change in the verses can be called out and immediately done.

Peace On Earth – This is a good song for kids, though can be beautiful two part harmony with adults as well. It can be repeated and the counter line brought in later.

Put Me In the Compost Pile – A verse that’s complicated enough to perhaps be better done by a leader or small group (children’s choir), the chorus is easily picked up and the rock rhythm carries it with energy. There’s an extra meaning here for folks who question burial and embalming, etc., but the composting of organic “refuse” message is one for all of us.

Rising Green – An hymn of connections and faith, this is easily learned by a group. A verse might be sung by soloist or small group for variation, the larger group joining in for the repetition of the last lines. The melody might be introduced (or sung later) acapella.

River – Usually sung by a solo voice, the verses can readily be done by the whole group. This much loved chorus is definitely an “all join in” affair.

Roots and Wings – A good parent to child song, this can be used for graduations and other rites of passage. The chorus is easily picked up by ear.

Shalom Havayreem – This well known, much loved song has many versions. Here’s my decision about one way to do it.

Sing It for the Earth in Need – Written first for children, this as with most Kids’ songs, is appropriate for everyone. Repetition makes it easily taught, and other phrases could be substituted for “I can hear the birds a singin’” to create more verses to fit the occasion.

Singing for Our Lives – This great “zipper song” can go on and on with new phrases zipped in. Ask the group for ideas. A four part vocal arrangement is included. It can be done gently or more demonstratively, or with a swing or other (reggae, rock, etc.) rhythm.

Solstice Carol – In a traditional carol style, the four parts make an SATB harmonization. It’s short enough to be repeated. A verse might be done with just the two treble voices, or the unison melody done down an octave. A larger SATB choral arrangement is available from Jim Scott.

Somos el Barco – With an English and Spanish lyric, this makes a great inclusive singing moment. The melody is conducive to harmonizing. Here’s two and three part optional vocal harmony.

Swimming to the Other Side – This is an accessible melody for group singing (verse might be done solo) with an optional two part counter harmony.

Temple Round – A round starting every two bars, this makes a beautiful vocal sound with the triplet twists of the melody. Let the rhythm be a little free. The piano accompaniment shouldn’t become a distraction by over articulating the quick notes. As with other rounds, there could certainly be a part where the singing is left a capella.

The Fire of Commitment – Here’s a great celebratory song for everyone with a harmonized refrain for a choir, or it even could be taught by ear. Don’t let the 5/4 time signature scare you.

The Fruit Song – This beautiful old four part round makes a great setting for words celebrating fruit harvest through the Summer season. A good Summer Solstice song. Piano can repeat any four bar phrase to play as long as desired.

The Garden Song (Inch by Inch) – Many people will know the chorus if not the verses. This works well as a by ear sing along with leader or choir doing the verses.

The Great Storm is Over – Probably conceived as a solo expression, the verse can be sung by the whole group. Chorus breaks into three part SAB harmony. Second staff is intended to be down an octave (not above the melody) though it can work above.

The Oneness of Everything – This eco-anthem works well for group singing or a solo voice. The traditional hymn style melody was intended to have a more contemporary feel, not too somber, with steady folk/rock rhythm. The long phrases can be a challenge to maintain the meaning of the words as all in one sentence so don’t get too slow. Several arrangements – SAA, SATB or solo with SATB – are available from Jim Scott.

The Rainforest Song – Written with kids, this song gets everyone singing counterpoint. The chorus breaks into two parts, you can bring in the upper part (“Rain come down”) later after a verse or two. Then there’s four parts for the four levels of the Rainforest. Bring in one part, then introduce the next higher and keep adding.

There’s A Moon Out My Window – An easy by ear sing along for leader and chorus, this can also work fine with the group singing the whole thing.

This Pretty Planet – This round is teachable by ear. It’s very effective for the whole group to sing each line, then put the round together. Piano accompaniment can repeat any four bars to go as long as desired.

Troubadour Moon – This works well for the whole group, or the first half might be leader and the second half everyone.

We Shall Not Be Moved – This movement song can incorporate any new lines lines to fit the occasion. Another zipper song, it has repetition enough to invite improvised harmony.

Welcome the Traveler Home – Here’s a great song for coming back together after a time apart, or for a water communion celebrating elements coming from many sources, etc. An immediately memorable refrain lends itself to harmony.

Well May the World Go – A repetitive sing along chorus, easily picked up by ear. The verses might be taken by a leader (or divided between several) or the whole group can sing them, though they go by fast.

What Can I Use Instead? – This seems best for a leader to sing the verses. Kids could do it. Carries a great self-sufficiency message, and recipe.

Where Is the Moon – A rhythmic and somewhat tricky four part round with piano accompaniment. Extra optional piano phrases included to continue as long as desired

Winter Solstice Round – A round that can go to five parts. Good, as the title says, for Solstice celebration as well as for planting. Piano part can repeat any combination of two bar phrases to keep accompaniment going as long as needed.

Wondrous Love (arr. J. Scott and by R. Egan) – This beautiful hymn tune has been done many ways and new words have been made. Here are two variations on the theme one relatively straight forward and one more ethereal. Jim Scott’s can be done as SATB. Ray Egan’s version is appropriate to choir performance, though can certainly be sung by all with this interesting accompaniment. The different words could also be interchanged.

World of Wonder – This traditional sounding melody works well for group singing, while the twists come in the accompaniment.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The revised, expanded second edition of the Earth and Spirit Songbook now includes111 songs, most of them conducive to group singing.  The subjects range from earth education, social action and justice issues to  earth oriented holidays, the beauty of nature, community, rights of passage and more.  The book was collected and most songs arranged by Jim Scott.  All have literal piano accompaniments as well as chord symbols for improvising instruments. You’ll find notes on the songs and a cross reference of song themes on the website too.